Faithful Neighbors

Claire Haymes, Zeyneb Sayilgan, Robert S. Heaney

Description

Faithful Neighbors outlines an introduction to the rationale for interfaith work through both theological and practical viewpoints, using stories from real experiences of interfaith cooperation to offer encouragement, inspiration, and practical steps to do the same.

The book has eight chapters in three main sections. Section one provides a Christian and Muslim rationale for engaging with the Other. Section two outlines stories of those involved in interfaith work in a series of contexts: academic research, intercultural, pastoral care, youth work, and peace work. The concluding section details recommendations and resources for best practice. Faithful Neighbors exhorts both Muslims and Christians to be faithful neighbors drawing on their traditions and real life practice for the sake of life-giving community.

Sujets

• Comparative Religion
• Philosophie et théologie
• Religion

Informations

• Publié par: Church Publishing Incorporated
• Date de parution: 01 août 2016
• Nombre de lectures: 1
• EAN13: 9780819232564
• Langue: English

Extrait

Faithful Neighbors
Faithful Neighbors
CHRISTIAN - MUSLIM VISION & PRACTICE

Edited by
R OBERT S. H EANEY , Z EYNEB S AYILGAN , AND C LAIRE H AYMES
Copyright © 2016 by Robert S. Heaney, Zeyneb Sayilgan, and Claire Haymes All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.
Unless otherwise noted, the Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Morehouse Publishing, 19 East 34th Street, New York, NY 10016
Morehouse Publishing is an imprint of Church Publishing Incorporated. www.churchpublishing.org
Cover design by Jennifer Kopec, 2Pug Design Typeset by John Turnbull
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Heaney, Robert Stewart, 1972- editor. Faithful neighbors: Christian-Muslim vision and practice / edited by Robert S. Heaney, Zeyneb Sayilgan, and Claire Haymes. Includes bibliographical references. LCCN 2016018205 (print) | LCCN 2016011281 (ebook) | ISBN 9780819232564 (ebook) | ISBN 9780819232557 (pbk.) Islam—Relations—Anglican Communion. | Anglican Communion—Relations—Islam. | Islam—Relations—Christianity. | Christianity and other religions—Islam. BP 172.5.a6 (print) | BP 172.5.a6 f35 2016 (ebook) | 261.2/7—dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016018205
CONTENTS

Foreword
Ian S. Markham
Acknowledgments
Vision of the Center for Anglican Communion Studies
Part One
Faithful Neighbors: Theological Rationale
1. A Christian Rationale for Interfaith Engagement
Robert S. Heaney
2. A Muslim Rationale for Interfaith Engagement
Zeyneb Sayilgan
Part Two
Voices of Faithful Neighbors
3. Surveying a Church’s Attitude toward and Interaction with Islam
David Gortner
4. Interfaith Work and Witness:
Stories from East Africa and Northern Virginia
Claire Haymes and Hartley Wensing
5. Interfaith Work and Witness:
Caring for Others
Munira Salim Abdalla and Gay Rahn
6. Interfaith Work and Witness:
Muslim-Christian Friendship
Salih Sayilgan and Brandon Turner
7. Dialogue as a Way to Know the Other:
A Program of the Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington, DC
Katherine Wood and Taalibah Hassan
8. Local Diversity and Interfaith Initiative:
Going Global Hits Home
M. Imad Damaj and William L. Sachs
Part Three
Faithful Neighbors: Practices and Principles
9. Principles for Constructive Interfaith Conversation
Robert S. Heaney and Zeyneb Sayilgan
Resources
James Stambaugh
About the Authors
FOREWORD

Of the many challenges that face this world, living with religious diversity remains an acute issue. Globalization has led to the vast movement of people, such that most countries are religiously diverse. Yet tensions and suspicions abound. We are not good at living together in constructive ways.
It is fairly easy to find a book that explains the beliefs and practices of each religion. You can learn what your neighbor believes by sitting in a good library or by downloading a book on your e-book reader. It is also fairly easy to find countless books on interfaith and interreligious theory—how conceptually one might think about the engagement with the other. But what is hard to find is a good book that actually takes the reader inside different encounters across religions, from friendship to conferences. This is the achievement of this remarkable book.
Robert Heaney in his opening chapter muses on the dangers of “yacht dialogue.” This is when liberal advocates of the different traditions come together to float increasingly adrift from the communities they represent. They are professional dialogue participants, who are often very critical of their coreligionists who are conservative or orthodox. Heaney insists, rightly, that this mode of dialogue is deeply problematic. If the challenge is living with religious diversity, then the solution is not to disparage those who are most committed in your community.
Zeyneb Sayilgan starts in a really interesting place. How can a Muslim committed to the truth of her religion support and affirm the appropriateness of dialogue and friendships across the religious divide? Her answer is a careful exegesis of the Qur’an. She is being faithful to the text that she believes is the very word of God. There are, she argues, solid Qur’anic reasons for participation in interfaith dialogue.
The stage is set. The subsequent chapters dig down. Building on substantial data, we learn how and when congregations participate in interfaith conversation. Often the chapters are biographical; they tell stories of a journey in life toward greater connectivity and affection. They describe projects realized, mutual understandings attained, and constructive options explored. They are deeply hopeful narratives.
The challenge of religious diversity is not going to be solved by liberals from each tradition climbing on a yacht and sailing away, nor is the solution increasing retrenchment, misunderstanding, and crude caricatures. Instead Heaney and Sayilgan document in the concluding chapter the seven aspects that make up constructive interfaith conversations. These aspects capture the necessity for authenticity and connection within a framework that recognizes and admits difference and the inevitable differences in power relations.
This is a book that has potential to be life-changing. With valuable study questions, it can take a congregation to a new place—a place where we all start becoming part of the solution to religious diversity rather than part of the problem.
I AN S. M ARKHAM
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

It is a delight to come together as God’s people. This delight was in many ways the reason we joined together to produce this volume. Gathering with sisters and brothers, of our own faith or another, is something we wanted to reflect on and to encourage others to do. We hope to have demystified to some degree the process by which believers can come together for mutual encouragement. It is an ordinary act with extraordinary power to transform.
In that spirit we wish to thank the generative community for this book, which includes participants in conferences in Alexandria, Virginia, and in Dodoma, Tanzania. Therefore, we thank Archbishop Jacob Chimeledya, archbishop of Tanzania; Sheikh Mustapha, sheikh of Dodoma region; Dr. Joshua Rutere; the Rev. Canon Moses Matonya; Waziri Ally; the Rev. Chris Ahrends; the Rt. Rev. Johannes Otieno Angela; Mohammed Aogo; the Rev. Joel O. Atong; the Rt. Rev. Philip D. Baji; the Rev. Patrick M. Bendera; Shamim Daudi; the Rev. Peter Gachira; the Rt. Rev. Given M. Gaula; the Rev. Elkana Gonda; Sheikh Mikdad Halfani; Athmann Hotty; Dr. Ziddy Haji Issa; the Rev. Hilda Kabia; the Rev. Fr. Martin Bob Kalimbe; Musa Mwale Kanenje; Professor Assad Kipanga; Sheikh Aly Juma Liwuchu; the Rev. George Otieno Lawi; the Rev. Caleb Loan; the Rev. Emmanuel Madinda; the Rev. George Omondi Markoyath; the Rev. Lusungu Benja Mbilinyi; Musa Ogera Mbuya; the Rev. David M. Mdabuko; Sheikh Juma Mussa Mhina; Sheikh Juma Rashid Mhina; Ashura Mhoji; Professor Canon Wilfred Mlay; the Rev. Peter Mkengi; the Rev. Canon Yusufu Mkunda; the Rt. Rev. William F. Mndolwa; the Rt. Rev. Gerard E. Mpango; Sheikh Msaga; Venerable Father Justice Moses Msini; the Rev. Canon Ajabu Mtweve; the Rev. Canon Phanuel Mung’ong’o; Mtaima Ally Mustapha; Dr. Esha Faki Mwinyihaji; Asenath Mwithigah; the Rev. Isaac Odhiambo Arika; the Rev. Dr. George M. Okoth; Abdallah Omari; the Rev. Mary Ong’injo; Rashid Owino; Sheikh Haji Rashid; Sheikh Ahmed Saidi; Abtwalibu Salimu; the Rev. Nuhu Sallanya; Salih Sayilgan; the Rev. Chediel Elinaza Sendoro; Cecil Simbaulanga; Sheilla Sitande; Elisha Sudhe; the Rt. Rev. Samuel Sudhe; Sheikh Mohammed Swalehe; Sheikh Abdulla Talib; Abdalah Ramadhan Ukwaju; Shaban Yusuf; the Rev. Leslie Steffensen; Sister Munira Salim-Mohamed Abdalla; the Rev. Randy Alexander; the Very Rev. Collins E. Asonye; the Rev. Jo Belser; the Rev. Dr. Susan Fellows; the Rev. Dr. David T. Gortner; Hakan Gülerce; Taalibah Hassan; Brad Linboom; Kyle Martindale; Jonathan Musser; Marie Monsen; Molly O’Brien; Fatimah Popal; the Rev. Gay Rahn; Dr. Safiya Samman; Talib Shareef; Brandon Turner; Hartley Hobson Wensing; and Katherine Wood.
James Stambaugh, Postulant for Holy Orders from the Diocese of the Rio Grande, and member of the Center for Anglican Communion Studies team, worked on additional resource gathering. We are grateful to him and also to Dr. Lucinda Mosher, the Rev. Dr. David Marshall, and the Rev. Dr. Richard Sudworth for suggesting additional interfaith resources.
We are indebted to the Henry Luce Foundation for their generous funding for interfaith work at Virginia Theological Seminary over six years. Their grants allowed for an expectation, and thus culture of, conversation, reconciliation, dialogue, and exploration that continues beyond the end of the funding period. We thank the Rev. Dr. Barney Hawkins for his work with Katherine Wood during the first year of the grant. Special thanks are due to Nancy Bryan, Editor Director of Church Publishing. Her commitment and vision for this project played a decisive part in making this publication possible.
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