Muslims and Jews, Catholics and Lutherans, Buddhists and Baha鈥檌s, Hindus and Unitarians, working together in common service; it is an example of acceptance and cooperation that the world needs now.
I am in my 15th year of involvement as a Chaplain in Multifaith Services at the University of Victoria. The current list of chaplains includes all those listed above as well as United and Anglican, Baptist and Christian Science, and has at other times included Presbyterian, Sikh, and Wiccan.
Each member of this diverse group commits to a brief document titled 鈥淕uidelines for Multifaith Dialogue.鈥� The guidelines describe that together we 鈥渁ssume the essential goodness of the other,鈥� 鈥渞elate with respect,鈥� 鈥渟peak from our own tradition/practise,鈥� 鈥渟uspend assumptions,鈥� 鈥渇ocus on inquiry and reflection... to gain insight and perspective,鈥� 鈥渞elease the need for an outcome... be open to new understanding;鈥� within common values of care, respect, fairness, honesty, humility, clarity and sensitivity to the beliefs, histories and practises of one another no matter how different they may seem.聽
And together we work in partnership with and with the support of the University of Victoria, including the 鈥淚nterfaith Chapel,鈥� guided by a new Memorandum of Understanding negotiated between the University and the spiritual communities, all for the purpose of best serving the campus community.
A diverse multi-faith partnership with a secular organization to serve a common good for over 30 years 鈥� that was easy! If it was, it wouldn鈥檛 be so rare. It requires a continuing 鈥渄ialogue鈥� and 鈥渦nderstanding鈥� with all the care, respect, fairness, honesty, humility, clarity and sensitivity we can offer. It has its share of struggles. And it is worth it!
On most weeks, the Interfaith chapel hosts Learning to Meditate, Catholic Mass, Muslim Prayers, Yoga Mindfulness Meditation, Ecumenical Holy Communion, Zen Meditation, Sacred Ecology, Grief Support, Rosary Meditation, Christian Prayers, Drumming Circles, Wisdom Jesus Learning, Baha鈥檌 conversations, along with events at neighbouring Hillel House and Luther House, as well as meals, retreats, lectures and other on and off campus gatherings for students. And there is more that we strive to do together. It is a challenge and it is a joy.
It is important to describe all of this because it is one significant expression of effective working together in our diversity. This diversity, religious and spiritual, ethnic and cultural, is too often declared a threat in our time. People are encouraged and at times incited to fear and react to these differences. This is not how it needs to be.
This diverse multi-faith partnership with a secular organization to serve a common good is a model for a different, a better way. Like the Victoria Mutifaith Society and interfaith organizations and partnerships for refugee sponsorship and in response to poverty and homelessness 鈥� to name other examples, this working together in our diversity is a model for how we see and meet as neighbours, next door and around the world. It is a different way of acknowledging, being challenged, and celebrating our diversity, as we work together for the common good that our world needs now. It is worth it and a joy! 聽
What multifaith, multicultural, diverse group of people could you join or gather or support in work together for the common good now?
Rev. Lyle McKenzie is pastor of Lutheran Church of the Cross of Victoria and part-time chaplain in Multifaith Services at the University of Victoria.
You can read more articles from our interfaith blog, Spiritually Speaking,
* This article was published in the print edition of the sa国际传媒 on Saturday, January 16 2017
