The third Sunday in January is designated as World Religion Day. This is a global day of celebration created to promote understanding and dialogue between faiths, while highlighting the common themes across different religions. The day will celebrate diversity with a goal to foster peace and religious tolerance. As Catholics, we have had exposure to the Jewish faith through catechesis, but what do we know of the other religions and what are the commonalities between them? Let’s take a look.
How Different Are We?
Scholar Stephen Prothero refers to the commonalities between religions as “family resemblances” in the article Religion and Identity:
- Rituals
- Scriptures
- Sacred Days
- Gathering places
These similarities expand out to include:
- Sacrifice
- Good works
- Hospitality
- Peace
- Justice
- Pilgrimmage
- An afterlife with God
In fact, Jews, Christians, and Islam are all considered “Abrahamic religions.” This is due to all three religions emanating from Abraham; Judaism and Christianity are traced to his son Isaac, and Islam is traced to his son Ishmael. Abraham had the first relationship and covenant with God. Abraham is a very important person in salvation history for these religions.
How is World Religion Day Celebrated?
There are a number of ways in which World Religion Day is celebrated throughout the world:
- Interfaith Gatherings: Attend interfaith events, discussions, or gatherings in your community to learn about various religious traditions and engage in dialogue.
- Study Different Religions: Take the time to study and appreciate the beliefs, practices, and values of different religions. Visit religious sites or read books about world religions.
- Share Your Beliefs: Share your own religious beliefs and practices with others, fostering understanding and respect through open and honest conversations.
- Teach Religious Tolerance: Educate children and young people about the importance of religious tolerance, respect, and acceptance of diversity.
- Support Interfaith Initiatives: Support organizations and initiatives that promote interfaith dialogue, cooperation, and peacebuilding efforts.
Religion and Radicalism
There are many people in society today that feel religion is a primary cause of war. One religion trying to impose its faith on another. All religions have their very devout people who live their faith everyday and are the light of God to the world. There are however radical aspects that have driven the effort to impose one’s faith views on others.The most visible of these are Islamic radicals due to the terror attacks on 9/11 and other very visible attacks involving innocent civilians, but Islam is not the only religion with a radical problem.
As an example, Christianity has the Westboro Baptist Church, who have railed against homosexuality, and have protested during military funerals, and other high-profile events like funerals for victims of the Sandy Hook shootings. Judaism has groups like the Jewish Defense League; the Hindu Mahasabha are a radical sect of Hinduism, etc. While these and other radical groups do not get the air time in the mainstream media (MSM), make no mistake there are radicals in most if not all faiths.
Let’s “Coexist”
I am sure many of you have seen the bumper sticker prompting us all to “coexist”. As Catholics, we are asked to love one another and take care of each other in Matthew 25:34-40:
- 34 Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
- 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me,
- 36 naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.
- 37 Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?
- 38 When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?
- 39 When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’
- 40 And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’
- 1 “Stop judging, that you may not be judged.
- 2 For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.
God Bless
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