Interfaith Dialogue
I wish there was a section here for interfaith dialogue. Obviously many are not in favour of dialogue. On a Buddhist forum I was told where to put my "inter-religious bullshit", and obviously a certain kind of Christian will say that there can be no dialogue with error (i.e. anything at all they disagree with.......😀)
But in many ways it is where my heart is. Going in deeply enough, it can even help me see the true "marrow" beneath all the various creeds, doctrines, beliefs - reach the heart. The heart is pure gift and never our own. Grace.
A bit of dialogue. I have often said that "all Reality is revelation". This can be derived from the prologue to St John's Gospel :-
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
All things were made by Him, and that life was the light of all mankind. No exclusions as such. And in translations in other tongues, the "Word" is "Tao" or perhaps some other all encompassing word.
As I see it, we have to recognise this total revelation of the one Source, a source that is ineffable in and of itself. Touch base as it were. Having done so, then we can enter the world of diversification, finding our own path, time and place, according to our unique human life.
If "revelation" is confined to just one book, or anything else, before we touch base, then as I see it we go wrong. It is the source of all conflict, of Inquisitions, war and bigotry - however disguised as "love".
Eckhart:- "They do Him wrong who see God in only one way - they end with the way, not God."
Unfortunately, some will still insist that Jesus is the "only way".
Any who see any of this as a "falling away" from "what has always been taught and believed" (i.e. their own particular beliefs....😀) should really take a refresher course in Church history, read some of the early Church Fathers. Alas, some will simply cry "apostates" and then go back to sleep.
But in many ways it is where my heart is. Going in deeply enough, it can even help me see the true "marrow" beneath all the various creeds, doctrines, beliefs - reach the heart. The heart is pure gift and never our own. Grace.
A bit of dialogue. I have often said that "all Reality is revelation". This can be derived from the prologue to St John's Gospel :-
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
All things were made by Him, and that life was the light of all mankind. No exclusions as such. And in translations in other tongues, the "Word" is "Tao" or perhaps some other all encompassing word.
As I see it, we have to recognise this total revelation of the one Source, a source that is ineffable in and of itself. Touch base as it were. Having done so, then we can enter the world of diversification, finding our own path, time and place, according to our unique human life.
If "revelation" is confined to just one book, or anything else, before we touch base, then as I see it we go wrong. It is the source of all conflict, of Inquisitions, war and bigotry - however disguised as "love".
Eckhart:- "They do Him wrong who see God in only one way - they end with the way, not God."
Unfortunately, some will still insist that Jesus is the "only way".
Any who see any of this as a "falling away" from "what has always been taught and believed" (i.e. their own particular beliefs....😀) should really take a refresher course in Church history, read some of the early Church Fathers. Alas, some will simply cry "apostates" and then go back to sleep.
