Interfaith Friendships and Solidarity: Weekly Summary
Sunday
In my own life, going deep in the Christian religion of my birth has enabled me to see the same Spirit and love in other religions as well.
—Richard Rohr
Monday
Thomas Merton once said that if we want to study Buddhism, the answer is not to read a lot of books on Buddhism; it’s to meet a holy Buddhist instead.
—James Finley
Tuesday
Our traditions are like treasure chests filled with scriptures, songs, and stories—some empower us to cast judgment and others shimmer with the call to love above all.
—Valarie Kaur
Wednesday
It was only later, through friendships with Christian men and women who truly embody the spirit of understanding and compassion of Jesus, that I have been able to touch the depths of Christianity.
—Thich Nhat Hanh
Thursday
Imagine what might happen around the world if more and more Christians rediscover that central to Christian life and mission is what we could call subversive or transgressive friendship—friendship that crosses boundaries of otherness and dares to offer and receive hospitality.
—Brian McLaren
Friday
I can think of nothing more prophetic than to preach the gospel of Jesus. Nothing more radical, more countercultural, than to nurture and promote the values of the Spirit—love, peace, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness as well as self-control—in little ways and great.
—Cyprian Consiglio
Educating Ourselves First
Week Thirty-Five Practice
University chaplain Lynn Cooper offers suggestions for how we might develop the tools to engage in interfaith friendships.
When I speak with Christian seminary students on fire for interfaith engagement, they often ask: But how do I get started? How do I make inroads? While this energy heartens me, the image in my mind is that of pumping the brakes. Preparation isn’t just necessary, it is half the fun—and perhaps more than half the work itself! Learning about other religious and philosophical traditions is something we can each do experientially … on our own, with a friend, or in a small faith-sharing group. You might choose to read a series of spiritual autobiographies by folks from other traditions or decide to watch a film each month by a Sikh, Muslim, or Hindu filmmaker.
Religious literacy is lifelong work and something that will meaningfully enrich your life. Moreover, preparing your heart for this work will allow you to stay connected to others in your life and to the holy calling you outward. Staying awake to these dimensions of the journey and honoring each step—as you would a walking meditation—will only help you befriend nuance and root you further in courageous humility. Building religious literacy is just one thread of the work, a necessary foundation and a good place to start, but it is not the end.
Another preparation layer would be cultivating and refining your muscles for active listening. Whether at home, work, or school, make a conscious effort to engage those skills. What is it like to take in what your friend, coworker, child, partner, or neighbor says without rushing to add your own two cents? Where might the conversation or relationship go if you offer space, embrace the silence, and listen for what is beneath the words? All of this work is cumulative; it will help shape your day-to-day life with those around you and build the muscles of empathy and compassion….
Inhabiting the ethic of active listening and practicing self-emptying, we bring mindfulness and intentionality to this work. With this foundation, we can be fully present with others, engaging genuine curiosity and beginner’s mind. Remember that this way of being in the world often leads to a reconfiguring of self. Being open to revelation and conversion requires humility—a sense of deep knowing that we are God’s and God’s work is ongoing.
Reference:
Lynn A. Cooper, Embracing Our Time: The Sacrament of Interfaith Friendship (Fortress, 2025), 144–145.
Image credit and inspiration: Ashkan Forouzani, untitled (detail), 2020, photo, Iran, Unsplash. Click here to enlarge image. Each bead in a strand could represent a faith tradition—rising beyond rivalry to something new, larger, and whole—while holding fast to the beauty of its own singular shape.
