Spiritual Growth from Interfaith Encounters

Dustin Moretz

by guest blogger and former Project Interfaith intern, Dustin Moretz

 I think that often when we discuss the value of interfaith dialogue its benefits are thought to be societal – dialogue promotes respect, understanding, and peace. While I believe that these benefits are undeniable, interfaith encounters can also facilitate immense personal and spiritual growth, driving individuals to grapple with questions of faith and come to a new understanding about themselves and their own faith traditions. And, to be honest, I’ve experienced this firsthand. Last August, I flew across the world on a study abroad program to India that strengthened my belief in not only interfaith dialogue, but fostered spiritual development within my own personal belief system as well.

          When I was accepted to Antioch University’s Buddhist Studies in India program, I was absolutely ecstatic. I had always wanted to travel, and being a passionate Religious Studies major, there was no better way to study a religious tradition than to encounter its adherents. India, as a diverse multi-religious and multiethnic society, was the perfect place to encounter interfaith dialogue and study inter-communal relations. The program in particular was especially unique since we studied in Bodh Gaya in Bihar – essentially the birthplace of Buddhism. It was under the sacred Bodhi Tree (on the site of which now stands the beautiful Mahabodhi Temple) that Siddhartha Gautama was said to have attained enlightenment and become the fully enlightened Buddha (literally ‘enlightened one’). Bodh Gaya is a place of pilgrimage for the entire Buddhist world as well as thousands of Hindus, many of whom regard the Buddha as an incarnation of the god Vishnu. As a place of pilgrimage, monasteries of many different nationalities dot Bodh Gaya’s landscape, and my program was hosted at the Burmese Vihar, where we lived and attended classes with our program’s faculty, allowing us to be immersed in monastery life. We meditated every morning and every evening, switching to a different meditation tradition every 3 weeks or so. 

            Academics aside, the spiritual growth I experienced from encountering Buddhism was astounding. While I wanted to use the experience as a foundation from which I could learn more about interfaith dialogue, my experiences in India reinforced the point that any interfaith encounter can be deeply spiritual and personal in addition to being educational. For one of my courses I interviewed a Bhutanese monk in a village outside of town about his life and spiritual journey. He spoke to me about growing up in Bhutan, being unable to afford college, but always feeling a profound connection to Buddhism – its teachings about suffering and enlightenment resonated with him. He told me about ordaining for the first time, and feeling such a deep connection with monkhood that he simply never wanted to return to the life of a layperson. It was impossible to talk with him about his faith and not feel changed by the experience – after all, he was divulging personal details about his life and belief system to a complete stranger. Needless to say, a bond of trust was formed between us. The personal connection it created was a spiritual one, one that transcended boundaries of faith and connected us as human beings.

            Other spiritual experiences came from meditation. I must admit that I walked into meditation the first day thinking it would be easy. As all of our teachers reinforced, if meditation felt easy, that meant we were doing it wrong. While the various meditation traditions each emphasized different focuses and goals to their practices, each echoed the importance of mindfulness. I remember one particular evening meditation Bodh Gaya was being pounded on by the storms of the monsoon, and I felt particularly at peace as I became conscious of the rain pounding on the roof, the gentle rustling of my peers as they repositioned themselves on their meditation cushions, and my own soft breathing. It was clear to me, at that moment, why some Christian mystics found profound meaning in Buddhist meditation, adapting its methods to their prayer practices. Living in the future had been inculcated in me by Western culture, and Buddhist meditation practices brought me back to the present, and made me value living in the moment.

            I, too, adapted some meditation practices to my own spirituality. When I visited the Mahabodhi Temple, I walked on the path around the temple with my prayer beads in my hands, praying in silence. While singing songs of praise in church can be deeply spiritually fulfilling, the silence of meditation allowed for a new and profound personal encounter with God. I cannot articulate how fulfilling it was to pace around the temple, listening to the chanting of the monks, feeling my feet on the damp stone path, praying about my hopes and my fears, my personal shortcomings and my petitions to find the strength within me to do better. Here I was, a Christian in a place of Buddhist pilgrimage. Even with a different belief system, I was able to take away so much spiritually from the encounter. The Mahabodhi Temple continues to hold a special place in my heart for the spiritual growth I experienced while there.

         

  This isn’t to say, of course, that I never experienced times where I was uncomfortable with some interfaith encounters – especially encounters in which I directly engaged in different spiritual practices. During meditation in the Tibetan tradition, we were encouraged to envision a Tibetan Buddhist bodhisattva, Green Tara, the manifestation of enlightenment and compassion. While the visualization of the deity could be interpreted as metaphoric, I was nevertheless uncomfortable with envisioning her – a deity that I did not believe in. In the end, not only was I uncomfortable with it, but I felt that it would be disrespectful to Buddhism as a whole to engage in a spiritual practice I was uncomfortable with. Our meditation teachers had made it clear that we were not obligated to engage in particular practices if we did not wish to. We had to be conscious of our own comfort levels. Nevertheless, I was still able to take something away from Tibetan meditation. The Tibetan tradition emphasizes unbounded love and compassion. In one practice, we were instructed to envision taking away the suffering from our loved ones, even the entire world, and placing it upon our own shoulders in an ultimate act of compassion. As someone who considers myself a Christian, this compassion is (in my opinion) the absolute epitome of my faith. At the end of the meditation practice, I was almost in tears. It was the most profound spiritual experience I have ever had, and I felt that it strengthened my own faith. Despite the discomfort I had with some facets of Tibetan meditation practice, other facets I could find much meaning in.

            Whether it was through the adherents or spiritual practices, these interfaith encounters can be more than just learning experiences. They can be experiences that move us personally and spiritually. Certainly, we will all have different comfort levels when we engage in interactions with those of different faith traditions. But the openness to not only understand, but grow from those interactions, can grant us deep spiritual growth through our encounters with others and their belief systems.

Dustin Moretz was previously the Development Intern during the summer of 2012 for Project Interfaith. He is currently double majoring in Religious Studies and Anthropology/Sociology at Albion College in Albion, Michigan, with a concentration in Public Policy and Service. He hopes to eventually get involved with interfaith relations on a national and international scale. He is passionate about social justice, and the necessity for members of all faith communities to unite to create a more just, prosperous, and safe environment where all individuals feel valued. He enjoys running, kayaking, reading, video games, and all things interfaith.

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From the Intern Files: Why Project Interfaith

By Amanda Ryan, Project Interfaith Intern

Fifteen hours a week and no pay… Why would anybody want to work more hours at a place where they don’t get paid than at their actual job? Well that is the exact question I have been asking myself for almost a month. I came to Project Interfaith so I could become more aware of the different faiths and beliefs around the world and our own community. I am a Religious Studies major at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, and I saw this internship as leading to different job opportunities. However, that is only part of the reason why I decided to work at Project Interfaith.

Growing up in a small town, a person tends to be sheltered and stick to their own comfort zone. The majority of people in Minden, Nebraska, are Caucasian Christians. We have seven churches, three of which are Lutheran and the closest mosque and synagogue are at least two hours away. The people of Minden know how to farm and run their everyday lives; we know the difference between Case-International and John Deere tractors. But if you were to ask the average Mindenite what they know about different cultures and faith traditions, their perception would be pretty skewed and limited. Throughout high school I was always bothered by the stereotypes that my classmates had about the growing minority population in Minden. Speech class was used to debate the presidential election and whether Hispanic immigrants were illegal aliens. These situations shaped my choice in where I would attend college. I wanted a place where I could explore and learn about different cultures and religions, where I would be pushed out my comfort zone. I wanted to use my college career to find where I fit in with the world. That’s when I decided to attend UNO.

As I began college I was a Business Administration major. I quickly discovered that business was not what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Accounting and statistics just wasn’t for me. During first semester I enrolled in RELI-1010, Introduction to World Religions. This class sparked my interest in the different world religions. I wanted to find out more about them; similarities and difference, customs and holidays. My teacher made class interesting and fueled my interest. I wanted to go to her class; I looked forward to Monday-Wednesday-Friday’s at 11:00 a.m. So what if I didn’t get to eat lunch. That was when I decided to change my major. Not only was I growing in my knowledge about the different religions, but I was also learning more and more about my own faith. This was exactly what I wanted to happen in college.

Once the introduction class was over, I would find myself looking up facts about religions in my spare time (yeah, I know I’m a nerd.) Somehow I stumbled across Project Interfaith’s website. I looked around the site and decided that I wanted to get involved. The first thing that appealed to me about Project Interfaith was the fact that they want people to understand and respect all faiths, beliefs, and cultures. I thought about living in Minden and how the need for cultural diversity and tolerance is in great demand. I thought about the opportunities that working with this organization could give me, and most importantly I thought about how much I could grow. That is why I am here at Project Interfaith, spending fifteen hours a week with four other people in an office space fit for two, yet housing five.

This is the first in a series of posts by the Project Interfaith summer interns. They'll be reflecting on what drew them to interfaith work and to decide to work in the tiny work space with a big heart that is Project Interfaith as well as sharing their adventures in interfaith work. You can learn more about Amanda by visiting the Project Interfaith website, finding her on Facebook and Twitter (@amandaleigh2205), or emailing her at amanda@projectinterfaithusa.org.

Our Interfaith Architecture Tour Returns with a Focus on North Omaha

One of our most popular programs is back! This year's Interfaith Architecture Tour will be held on Saturday, March 27, from 1:30- 5:00 pm and will explore historic places of worship in North Omaha, an area of historical and cultural richness and the traditional center of Omaha's African-American community.

The tour begins at St. John African Methodist Episcopal Church, 2402 N. 22nd St., at 1:30 p.m (check-in starts at 1:00 pm). St. John AME Church is the oldest African-American congregation in Nebraska and the building is considered a fine example of the Prairie School style of architecture.

The tour then moves to Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 2207 Wirt Street, to take in its Late Gothic Revival architecture. A community reception will follow.

Online registration is encouraged as space is limited. Register at http://interfaitharchitecturetour2010.eventbrite.com. Attendees are asked to donate $10 adults for adults and $5 for students with valid student IDs.

As in past years, architects can receive learning units from the American Institute of Architects for attending this program.

This program is co-sponsored by: St. John African Methodist Episcopal Church, Sacred Heart Catholic Church and the American Institute of Architects–Omaha chapter.

We hope to see you there!

John Esposito is coming to town!

If you're an interfaith junkie like us, get ready to swoon. And even if you aren't, get ready to be blown away by Dr. John Esposito, one of the most respected and widely-known experts on Islam.

We were lucky enough to talk him into joining us on Tuesday, February 23, 2010, at 7 pm at the Scott Conference Center (6450 Pine Street, Omaha, NE) for a community conversation on Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations in the 21st century.

Dr. Esposito will draw on highlights from his newly published book The Future of Islam to explore the major questions and issues that face Islam in the 21st century and that will deeply affect Christian-Muslim relations: Is Islam compatible with modern notions of democracy, rule of law, gender equality, and human rights? How representative and widespread is Islamic fundamentalism and the threat of global terrorism? Can Muslim minority communities be loyal citizens in America and Europe? He also will examine how the US and Europe appear to Muslims.

This will be a fascinating conversation for the whole community on one of the most timely topics today. Trust us, if you are in or anywhere near Omaha, you are going to want to be a part of this program. Click here to register.

And as if the talk alone isn't reason enough to join us, you can have Dr. Esposito sign your book as we'll have a book signing following his talk. Don't have any of his books? Fear not. The Bookworm Bookstore will be on-hand selling his books.

This program is open to the public but space is limited so register today at http://johnesposito.eventbrite.com/. Tickets are a suggested donation of $10 but students with valid student IDs are free.

Want a little more background on Dr. Esposito?

Check out his full bio at http://www9.georgetown.edu/faculty/jle2/bio.html

Watch a video of a recent interview that he and Dalia Mogahed gave to Charlie Rose about their 2008 book Who Speaks for Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think
http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/9246

This program is jointly presented by Project Interfaith, the Islamic Center of Omaha, the UNO College of Public Affairs and Community Service, the Fr. Henry W. Casper Professorship in History at Creighton University, and the UNO Islamic Studies Program.

This talk is part of Project Interfaith's 2009-2010 Community Conversations Annual Lecture Series. If you are interested in supporting this series or any other aspect of our work, click here to make a secure donation, give us a shout at (402) 933-4647, or email us at info@projectinterfaithusa.org. Thanks for your interest and support!