Today, we live in a world of increasing globalization and technological innovation.  This results in economic, social, political, ecological, and religious turmoil.  We only need to look at the level of war and terrorism in the world to realize how these forces affect us.  Beversluis asks us to consider, “How can the religions and quests for richer personal spirituality make positive contributions to resolving the issues and crises of our time?” (2000, p.123).  This question represents the hope of the Interfaith Movement – that by coming together in the presence of spiritual values and virtues, faith leaders in all traditions can influence the course of world history and world peace.  The Interfaith Movement encourages mutual respect, religious freedom, and peace through ethics rather than conflict and hatred of others. 

The Interfaith Movement does not strive to unite religions into a singular faith.  Rather it supports diversity and the appreciation of differences.  Religious leaders from all traditions unite for the purpose of greater understanding and working toward common goals. 

The Interfaith Movement began in 1893 when the First World Parliament of Religions met in Chicago for a groundbreaking effort to promote interfaith dialog across the globe.  The goals of this meeting were to facilitate understanding, encourage visions of transformation, clarify differences and similarities among religions, and create collaborative programs of education and service.  The goal was not to create a world religion, but rather to appreciate the diversity of religions and to affirm each religion’s unique contribution (Beversluis, 2000). 

In 1993, the World Parliament of Religions met again, however at this meeting, they entertained a larger agenda – to speak to critical world issues and create a Global Ethic.  They also proposed a global spirituality based on common elements found in all mystical traditions.  These interfaith conferences have spawned other interfaith gatherings around the globe, and the leaders of the global faith traditions are now voicing their concerns and uniting to influence the course of future history.  Many positive changes are happening as a result of the dialog between religious traditions. 

The members of the Interfaith Movement entertain the vision that we are all one species, and we all belong to the Family of Humankind.  They assert that people must learn to appreciate and honor differences.  The Interfaith Movement supports a model of global acceptance.  Conversely, religions or religious leaders who claim their path is the only path and that disdain or judge other paths will not fit into the interfaith movement with any grace.  "To claim salvation as the monopoly of any one religion is like claiming that god can be found in this room but not the next, in this attire but not another.  Normally, people will follow the path that rises from the plains of their own civilization, [but] those who circle the mountain, trying to bring others around to their paths, are not climbing" (Smith, 1991, p. 73).  Opening to the Interfaith Movement allows each singular religious tradition to grow, and it allows religious leaders to lead its followers into larger and more accepting world views.  We indeed live in a Global Village, and it is time to respect and honor that fact. 

Father Thomas Keating organized an interfaith dialog at Snowmass, Colorado in 1984, to formulate the points of similarity recognized in all religions.  The following similarities were established at this meeting:

1. That all world religions recognize the experience of Ultimate Reality
2. That Ultimate Reality cannot be limited by any name or concept
3. That Ultimate Reality is the ground of infinite potentiality and actualization
4. That Faith is opening, accepting, and responding to Ultimate Reality.  Faith precedes every belief system.
5. That the potential for human wholeness (enlightenment, salvation, transformation) is present in every human being
6. That Ultimate Reality may be experienced through religion, and also through nature, art, relationships, and service
7. That as long as the human condition is experienced as separate from Ultimate Reality, it is subject to ignorance and illusion, weakness and suffering.
8. That Disciplined Practice is essential to the spiritual life; yet spiritual attainment is not the result of one’s own efforts, but the result of the experience of oneness with Ultimate Reality (Keating, 2000).

These principles give us a firm grounding in the similarities across religious traditions, and they also point the way to the underlying perennial basis of faith and spiritual growth.  We can turn to these principles to evaluate our own practice and identify what needs to be addressed.

At the 1986 Annual Conference, additional practice points were added:

1. Examples of common-to-all disciplined practice include:
   1. Practice of compassion
   2. Service to others
   3. Practicing moral precepts and virtues
   4. Training in meditation techniques and regularity of practice
   5. Attention to diet and exercise
   6. Fasting and abstinence
   7. The use of music, chanting, sacred symbols
   8. Practice in awareness (recollection, mindfulness) and living in the present moment
   9. Pilgrimage
   10. Study of scriptural texts

    

2. In addition:
   1. It is essential to extend formal practice of awareness into all aspects of life
   2. Humility, gratitude, and a sense of humor are essential.
   3. Prayer is communion with Ultimate Reality, whether Ultimate Reality is regarded as personal, impersonal, or beyond them both.

    

The Interfaith Movement appreciates diversity and yet does not attempt to consolidate traditions.  The Interfaith Journey, by contrast, is often the individual’s search across traditions to find beliefs that resonate uniquely to her.  An Interfaith Journey can use any or all of the religious traditions, because the individual’s journey usually represents an attempt to connect to the numinous or mystical experience.  The teachings of the great masters provide a light to all people as a vehicle to raise consciousness toward the eternal Divine mystery and the experience of bliss and union. 

The religious trappings are attempts to describe and embrace the experience of the eternal in our day-to-day reality and provide a written or oral path of return to the numinous experience.  The difficulty is that the written word exists in the mental realm.  The mental realm tears things apart and tries to put things back together using logic.  We must keep in mind that the divine mystery is beyond logic, beyond the mental realm, and that we must constantly meet and resolve this paradox.   When we remain aware of the purpose of religion, we will find that any teaching can provide the vehicle of return. 

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