The Challenge of the Hour
Professor Sacks is Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth and a world leader in interfaith dialogue. His address, extracted below and in full on mp3 which you should really listen to, is one of the most beautiful religious expressions I've ever heard. A call for openness between religions supported by a humanistic interpretation of Exodus that is both educative and compelling.
"I believe that at the university, and in the public square in general, in the 21st century we are being tested. Anyone of religious beliefs and certainly the three great Abrahamic monotheisms, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, to become open to one another rather than closed off from one another...
I actually believe that if we do not do this we face a great danger, of a return to the wars of religion that scarred the face of Europe in the 16th and 17th Centuries. And we really must have thinking equal to the challenge of this hour...
Friends, I have tried to suggest that the great test which religions will face in the 21st century is, are we open to the other? Are we open to the stranger? Are Jews open to non-Jews, Christians to non-Christians, Muslims to non-Muslims? Are we willing to stand up and insist in the name of our faiths for the rights of one who is not like me to continue to be not like me and yet be my equal serving God and bearing his image within me? Can we see the human other as a reflection fo the divine other? That will require all our humility, all our generosity of spirit but above all all our openness.
And that is the meaning of the otherwise cryptic phrases in Exodus when Moses asks God, "What is your name?" And God replies, "I will be where I will be", meaning quite simply, in the place where you least expect me to be, there I am. And I will be there too in the face of one whose faith and language and culture and history are not like yours. You will see the trace of God in the face of a stranger, even in Pharoahs daughter, even in two Egyptian midwives, and I believe that is the openness we need to survive the terrible risks of the 21st century...
I just wish to give expression to the still small voice that never gives up hope, and that prepares the ground maybe between just a few in each religion, because those few when the time comes, will become the leaders of a new way. That is all I can say. "
Professor Jonathan Sacks was speaking in Australia at Monash University, via SBS.
Labels: Lectures
posted by Arthur Josephson @ 5:00 PM
9 Comments:
man and he was speaking here in melbourne too. that's great. I find it interesting particularly that this push for inter-faith dialogue and acceptance is brought up by a Jewish man. Of the three Abrahamic religions mentioned, Judaism is clearly the most insular and closed off to the outsider...
I dont see how the fact that Judaism doesn't encourage proselytizing to gentiles, suggests in any way that an educated western Rabbi would be against interfaith dialogue. In fact, considering the history of anti-semitism I think it is very likely.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_views_of_religious_pluralism
the link didn't come up properly so I couldn't follow it. In any case, that's not what I meant. I'd be surprised if an educated western anyone would be against inter-faith dialogue. I just found it interesting given Judaism's insularity.... or so I perceive it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_views_of_religious_pluralism#Modern_.28post-Enlightenment_era.29_Jewish_views
Perhaps you could explain more on what you mean by insularity in judaism and what relation that would have for desiring or lacking desire for interfaith dialogue. I got that question in a fortune cookie once- a strange meal.
Haha, sounds more like an essay question to me. The wikipedia article is interesting but my thoughts are based on my own experiences with the Jewish community.
I was born in Russia and ever since my family migrated to Melbourne we have always lived in traditionally "Jewish" areas. This is most Russians who migrated to Melbourne around our time were, in fact, Russian Jews. So we've always had close ties with the Jewish community.
Now perhaps it's just the Jewish community in Melbourne, but it is very insular. The Jews that I was friends with were only friends with other Jews, only discussed their religious beliefs with other Jews and were generally of the opinion that Jews need to stick together because anti-semitism, and later, militant Islam are widespread.
So thus, I came to believe that the admirable solidarity within the Jewish community is partly founded upon the idea that there has been violent prejudice against Jews for a long long time and that is not about to end. And I suppose if you go through a Holocaust and the countless other acts of violent repression over history, such an idea can instil itself in your community.
So yes, my point was... I just haven't seen many examples of Jews reaching outside their own community.
Thanks for your story bro! Interesting to hear that their isn't much assimiliation in the melbourne Jewish community (which is the biggest in Oz right?). I wonder why? Maybe the high percentage of holocaust survivors support a more closed, defensive community?
It's an interesting question. One point to note is that they are almost all Ashkenazim. I think I've only ever met a handful of Sephardim in Melbourne and they tended to be a lot more easy-going...
No idea why it is... but I've always thought it had more to do with blood, the strict separation between Jews and Gentiles. Ie. it doesn't matter if you never go to the synagogue and eat pork on Saturday... if you're Jewish then you're on of us. In the same way as, I suppose, the Chinese community is very supportive of Chinese people, where they come from, be it mainland China, Singapore, Thailand or Jamaica...
the solidarity existing in the jewish community is indeed linked to the history of violent prejudice against jews (not to the 'idea of it', but to the living memory of events, that has been passed on through generations).
the 'closeness' becomes more apparent also because the Judaic religion does not support converting people from other beliefs. This comes in sharp contrast with the Christian an Muslim practices, which leads people of the later religions to view jews as 'self-suficient'
that aside - except for ultra-orthodox jews, intefaith dialogue as been continously encouraged in almost all communities. This is directly linked with the usual approach to jewish education, which is heavily based on enquiry, research, debate.
brother,
that is the most fervant agreement I've read in a while. ; )
you feeling a bit lonely in the rich judaica that is singapore?
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