The writer, of Washington, D.C., is a research assistant at American University’s School of International Service. He was part of a team that visited Omaha in 2008 in developing a study of Muslim communities across the United States.
The controversies currently swirling around Islam — from the still fresh Ground Zero mosque debate to U.S. Rep. Peter King’s hearings — have led many Americans to ask questions about the relationship between Islam and other religions. The atmosphere is tense and, to many Muslims, unwelcoming. Recent polls indicate distrust and fear of Muslims, with many mosques threatened around the country.
In the context of this uncertainty, a recent initiative can point the way ahead. Last month, the Episcopal House of Bishops invited Ambassador Akbar Ahmed, American University’s Chair of Islamic Studies, to lead the bishops on a daylong encounter with Islam. The topic for the day was, “Who is my neighbor? Islam and Christianity.”
The annual retreat by the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church is the largest gathering of bishops in the United States each year. With bishops from around North and South America, it gathers more than 150 bishops together to meditate on the direction of the Church and debate how to handle the hot-button issues of the day.
The Episcopal Church has long been a leader among Christians in tackling controversial issues, and with this choice of speaker it made another bold case for leadership. It also sent a message to America’s beleaguered Muslim community that the Church recognized it was in need of sympathetic neighbors.
Ahmed was the first Muslim to speak to the bishops, and he did not disappoint. He was given a standing ovation at the end of his plenary session in the morning, which included a speech and question-and-answer session.
The Right Rev. Bishop John Chane of Washington, D.C., who has a long relationship with Ahmed, beamed: “Nobody gets a standing ovation at the House of Bishops except the Presiding Bishop. … When we first met in 2002, I never would have believed you would be here with me presenting a full day on Islam.”
In his talk, Ahmed spoke about his own experience being educated in Christian schools in Pakistan. He also focused on the similarities between Christianity and Islam before examining the Muslim community in America. Ahmed called the bishops to action, encouraging them to take the lead in reaching out to Muslims.
The Rev. William Sachs, director of the Center for Interfaith Reconciliation in Richmond, Va., moderated the daylong session on Islam, which included a panel discussion, time for small group discussion and a presentation by Eliza Griswold. She is the author of “The Tenth Parallel” and daughter of former Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold.
This initiative is, of course, not the first time the Church has been involved in interfaith dialogue. There are many excellent initiatives already in place that have built strong ties between the Muslim and Christian communities.
In Boston, Bishop Tom Shaw of Massachusetts told of a Cathedral downtown that opens its doors to more than 300 Muslims each Friday for prayers. A plan in Omaha to build a mosque, a synagogue and church on the same property, dubbed the Tri-Faith Initiative, was introduced by Bishop Joe G. Burnett of the Episcopal Diocese of Nebraska.
Bishop Shaw was encouraged by the dialogue. “I think inviting the Ambassador to come and speak to us was a way for us to learn about a faith community that is often misunderstood.”
The Episcopal Church’s very public extension of its hand to the Muslim community is a bold step in the right direction. For the country’s 7 million Muslims, it is a hand that is desperately needed.
Bishop Burnett said of the Church’s actions, “the Episcopal Church is called to lead the way in building positive and constructive relationships, as well as help counter the discrimination, fear and prejudice that so many of our Muslim brothers and sisters are experiencing in some places in our country.”
The Bishops are uniquely placed to build lasting bridges, said Rev. Sachs. “Bishops have profound influence as gatekeepers in church life. … The bishops’ response bodes well for a deeper and more promising dialogue between faiths.”
The issues will not be resolved in one day, but the bishops made an audacious move with this session on Islam. Hopefully, the dialogue will have ripple effects across the country and move these two religions toward greater interaction and respect.
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