Category Archives: Faith

So far, I’ve been able to identify three or four really good reasons to engage in inter-faith dialogue: to learn from more about other religions from real adherents, to promote peace and harmony among different peoples, and to work together to address common societal problems, such as poverty or hunger. Tony Jones suggested a fourth to me based on his experience: to seek a special experience of God in the midst of the interaction and dialogue.

Evangelism, then, is different from inter-faith dialogue. Each has its place, but it’s important to know what your goal is when talking to others. When I visited Thailand, for example, my goal was not evangelism, but learning and growth. Thus, I focused on listening rather than talking, except when asked a question. At times I had an opportunity to express my own faith in Jesus Christ and appreciation for my personal relationship with God. I also had a number of opportunities to express my deep appreciation for Jesus’ role as Savior, because, in contrast, Theravada Buddhists rely entirely on themselves for their hope of reaching Nirvana. Most of the time, though, I just listened and tried to let God speak to me through the encounter, since that is why I went. I hoped for more interaction, but few of those I interviewed seemed interested in what I believed or might say. Surprising and disappointing.

Interfaith dialogue also raises some very important questions that all Christians need to address. Just what is God’s involvement in the 4 billion plus people in the world who do not place their faith in Jesus Christ, and what is their ultimate fate? They’re not new questions, but they have taken on new urgency as our world has gotten so much smaller. (Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims living next door; internet connecting us nearly everywhere in the world, better information about the values and practices of other religions, etc.) We simply cannot ignore the question of how Christianity fits in with all the other world religions, unless we want to render ourselves irrelevant in an increasingly cosmopolitan world.

But there are no easy answers here. Along with points of connection, which are more numerous than many acknowledge, there clearly seem to be irreconcilable differences. For example, is God relevant or irrelevant in life? Do we need a savior or is our ultimate hope (liberation perhaps) entirely dependent on ourself? Is Jesus the only way to forgiveness and eternal life, or are other prophets/saviors/teachers equally reliable?

If you’re an “exclusivist” the answer is easy: Jesus/Christianity is the right way, and everyone else is wrong. If that position feels uncomfortable, since it leaves about 4 billion people in deep doo doo, you might posit that Christ is actually saving nonChristians in some mysterious, hidden way (the “inclusive” view). Or more popular still among some is assuming that somehow all religions are different paths to the same end (the “pluralistic” view).

The issue, of course, if those who conceive of Christianity in exclusive terms are right, is how could a loving God pass over two thirds of the world? Is God truly just and loving if so many are bound for eternal damnation, since they have so little hope of hearing the Gospel message in terms they can understand and receive? However, according to traditional scriptural interpretation, there are numerous passages to suggest just such a dismal scenario.

Pluralism, on the other extreme, seems to offer the best hope for promoting peace among religions/peoples and affirming the relative goodness (or lack thereof) in all human beings (including Christians). It also seems more plausible to many that God would be at work throughout the world and not just among one third of its population. But as attractive as it sounds, where is the basis for believing in pluralism, other than in our wishful thinking? There are verses that can be found to support the possibility of universal salvation in one form or another, but what do we make of all the other verses that suggest otherwise? Meanwhile, no other major religion suggests there is universal salvation/liberation outside of their own belief system either.

Philosopher-theologian John Hick (see particularly, A Christian Theology of Religions) has been working for decades to create a meta religious view to incorporate all religions under one big umbrella. Basically, he starts with his conclusion: there must be a way for all religions that promote true transformation and social concern to be authentic responses to God/Reality. He then sets out to show how there is indeed this common thread in all religions and to dispense with assertions about Christian uniqueness. Where exclusive teaching is found in any religion (which turns out to be nearly every religion), it is to be rejected in favor of Hick’s hypothesis, because he is committed to his conclusion from the onset. Now before you throw stones at his position, take up his challenge: find an alternative explanation for why 2/3 of the world pursues God/Reality more or less as urgently as Christians do and why they have more or less the same moral code and same level of morality! (His book is a must read for anyone who is seriously grappling with this issue. Countless books and articles have been written challenging him, and you can find many references to these in Hick’s footnotes.)

For me, I am in process on these issues. My main concerns are these: 1) If God is a God of love and grace revealed in Jesus Christ, what is the plan for the majority of the world who don’t know God this way? 2) Why do so many who hear the Gospel still prefer to stick with their own religion? There are obvious social, political, and cultural barriers, not to mention a lot of misinformation about Christianity, but why doesn’t the Holy Spirit seem to get through to more people? 3) Are Christians truly more spiritual, moral, or “transformed” than those of other religions? Most of the true believers from various Christian sects, so-called cults, and other religions, with whom I have discussed spirituality and morality, seem quite similar to people I’ve met in traditional Christian churches. Some are more devout, more moral, more generous, more kind–almost, more “Christ-like” than a good many Christians. There are reasonable answers to each of these questions, but my encounters with others is leading me to stay open to broader possibilities than I would once consider.

I have other issues, but too many to address here. My main point is that there are many valid questions for the exclusivist position that demand thoughtful answers. The inclusivist and pluralist positions are not panaceas, though. We are dealing with very challenging questions for those who both take Scripture seriously and who also are willing to face the truth about reality all around us. I don’t think our goal should be to try to come up with easy answers as much as it is to learn how to listen better to others and to talk about what is real in our lives, not just what we might believe in our heads.

So, please join me in seeking to be honest about what we’re experiencing and learning. Be authentic and open. Be loving, gracious, and kind. Seek to listen and learn. If the Christian God is all that we Christians claim our Lord to be, we have no need to fear genuine questions, meeting people who are different, and engaging in sincere conversations and dialogue with them–for all the reasons listed in the first paragraph.

Caveat: However, I do recommend engaging in inter-faith dialogue from a well grounded position. Or to put it in Jesus’ words, be sure to “abide” in him if you want your life to bear much fruit (John 15).

What I mean is this: Along the way of exploration, questioning and seeking answers, keep seeking to grow in your knowledge of and love for God. Do not lose sight of the main Christian goal of transformation: not just to become a better person, but to become more like Christ (Romans 8:29; 12:1-2). Keep seeking to be Spirit-filled and Spirit-led. Staying grounded spiritually is safer for you, and will make you a far more effective dialogue partner! You’ll actually have more to share.

What about all the other religions? I don’t know what to think for sure, and probably never will in my lifetime. But I’m going to keep asking the questions, seeking answers, and engaging others who believe differently than I do, while staying close to the God I already know along the way. Let’s be humble enough to learn from others, acknowledging that we don’t know everything about God/Ultimate Reality. We stand on a solid Rock that moves with us. Let’s not be afraid of the quest or the encounter with “others”.

Southeast Asia was a great experience for me. I spent four weeks in Myanmar and Thailand interviewing Buddhist monks, Christian and Buddhist professors of religion, directors of inter-faith dialogue programs, and peace workers. I now have a much better understanding of Buddhism and realize that many Christians have underestimated or misunderstood its insights and contributions. In terms of actual religious practice, many of us could take a lesson or two from the barefoot men and women in shaved heads and simple robes.

-Toward a Better Understanding-
There is no historic connection between the origins of Christianity and Buddhism—neither one was influenced by the other as far as anyone can tell. Buddhism arose out of the soil of Hinduism in the sixth century B.C., in Nepal; and Christianity out of Judaism in the first century A.D., in Palestine. But in spite of the mutual independence of the two great traditions, there are many important parallel lines of thought. When there are differences, the contrasts are very interesting and worth contemplating.

Buddhist teaching (Dharma) and Christian teaching (New Testament) have much in common in several respects. For example, both more or less emphasize putting one’s faith into action, love and compassion, personal transformation, and seeking inner peace. Definitions, methods and priorities differ at times, but Buddhism and Christianity share similar core values, especially in the realm of ethics and personal morality.

Differences between the religions are trickier to identify. First, much ignorance and misunderstanding exists between practioners of Buddhism and Christianity. So, sometimes, apparent differences are exaggerated or invented by one group that truly doesn’t understand the other. For example, Buddhists often charge Christians with being satisfied with just belief without actions, while Christians counter that Buddhists are all about action without faith in God. While it is true that Buddhism emphasizes self-reliance and Christians rely on grace from God, Buddhists also have a type of faith in the truth and wisdom of the Reality behind their teaching, and Christians also emphasize the importance of good works as an outgrowth of grace and companion of faith. I’m not saying the two religions are essentially the same. In my opinion, they are not. I’m saying that they may be more alike and have more in common than many often realize.

Second, as is true among Christian theologians, clergy and parishioners, there is a big gap between what Buddhist monks and the average Buddhist believe and practice. This means that it may seem easy to identify differences between doctrines written in the Buddhist Scriptures (Dharma) and the New Testament. However, in real life, beliefs and practice widely vary. Official teaching is often quite different from what the man and woman on the street actually believe and do.

For example, many Theravada Buddhist monks (principally from Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos) either do not believe in God or consider God irrelevant to Buddhist practice. However, at the same time, the vast majority of ordinary Buddhists from the same countries are very concerned about spirits, gods and angels. Both monks and laypeople believe in Karma (the good or evil you do now will come back to you in the next life in one form or another—i.e., “what goes around comes around”). However, the typical monk is eager to escape the cycle of reincarnation, while the average Buddhist is mostly concerned about enjoying this life and avoiding making the next one worse. The monks really want to achieve enlightenment and Nirvana, total liberation from human existence. The person on the street has been taught to be content with his or her life as is.

Thus, in dialoguing with Buddhism and Buddhists, we need to differentiate between official teaching and the life and practice of the millions of adherents. We also need to know what our goal is in dialogue. We can examine ideas with the educated; we can compare religious practices of the person in the pew to the person at the pagoda; or we can join with like-hearted fellow human beings of different religious backgrounds to work to solve common problems and promote world peace. Each goal has its place.

Definitively defining Buddhism remains challenging, because emphases, perspectives, teachings and application vary according to region, exposure to traditional religions, personal conviction of various monks, and other factors I have yet to learn or fully understand. But the bottom line seems pretty clear. In all its different forms, a major theme keeps emerging: Buddhism is a religion for the here and now. In spite of how Buddhist monks may hope to reach Nirvana one day, in practice, they are focused on how to train their mind in order to change their life. Many would also like to change the world, too.

-What I appreciate the most-
Beyond giving me a greater understanding of Buddhism and Buddhist practice, my experience in Asia has been inspiring. The teachings and practices are already helping me to become a better Christian. I say this not because Buddhists are teaching me about Christianity, but because their faith, convictions and way of being in the world are helping me to think through my own faith and life in a fresh way.

On the top of my list for most appreciated insights are the following:

• Buddhists emphasize the tragic consequences of greed and the misguided nature of materialism—money not only does not buy happiness, the western obsession with it is causing grief and anxiety all over the globe.
• Buddhists are often gentle, giving, friendly and respectful of all life, exposing dangerous ideologies that separate human beings from nature and other human beings.
• Buddhist monks focus on daily meditation, living simply, and cultivating purity, wisdom and compassion—thinking and doing good is more important than anything else.
• Buddhists live in the here and now, and highly value becoming better people.

The goal of devout Buddhists is to reach Nirvana. But Nirvana is not a place in space and time; it’s a state of mind that actually frees a person from all attachment to this world. They call it liberation—being free from all selfish drives, impulses, reactions, desires, consciousness, perceptions and feelings. In order to reach Nirvana, they practice meditation to eliminate ignorance, to train their minds, and to let go of their mental and emotional attachments. They want to be free from every aspect of what humans consider normal “life,” because these things lead to suffering. Their highest goals are purity, wisdom and compassion (selfless love for others). When they truly experience this right perspective and actions, they will be enlightened. Enlightenment eventually culminates in Nirvana—total happiness (bliss).

There is much in Buddhism that resonates with Jesus’ teaching and some that is at odds with it. Overall, though, the Buddhist monks have helped me to understand a very important principle of Christian spirituality in a clearer way: Those who truly believe in the teaching and ideals of a religion will show it by their level of devotion, faith, and practical actions.

-What this all means for my Christian faith-
As a Christian, I greatly appreciate another religious tradition that also prioritizes love, compassion, and personal transformation. Buddhism’s high ethical standards and values encourage me to continue to pursue inter-faith dialogue, and gives me hope that there may be millions of Buddhist allies in humankind’s pursuit of world peace.

On a more personal level, observing the beliefs and practices of Buddhist monks has challenged me to be more serious about my own religious practice. I feel inspired to become more intentional, dedicated and consistent in pursuing greater spiritual maturity and personal transformation. I have a new set of questions that I’m exploring: How can I learn to focus my mind better? How can I practice “letting go” of judgments, obsessions, concerns, and other emotionally charged distractions that keep me from focusing on Christ and serving Christ? How can I simplify my life to better utilize my time, energy and resources to fulfill my purpose in life? How can I more consistently and clearly communicate my values and devotion to Christ to others without words?

Surely progress is made in life when we put our minds, hearts and efforts into what we most value. The goal of Christian spirituality is to become more and more like Christ, in an ever deepening relationship with God; but this growth doesn’t just happen. Like it or not, change requires disciplined practice. And as far as I can tell, many Buddhist monks are way ahead of many Christians in walking (and sitting) their talk.

I also realized something else by reflecting on the Buddhists’ example: what I devote myself to now isn’t just for this life. Spiritual growth is also preparation for the next life. Buddhists practice and practice training their minds with the goal of reaching full enlightenment. What if we Christians were committed to practicing and practicing so that at death we were that much closer to the goal that God has in mind for us? I am not talking about trying to earn our salvation, but “working out our salvation” so that we may present ourselves to God as “pure and blameless” when Christ returns (Philippians 2:12-16).

Before anyone accuses me of promoting works-righteousness, let me assure you that I am talking about spiritual growth—positive changes in heart, mind and actions—that God produces by grace and the Holy Spirit. (See Philippians 1:6.) This is one of the most important differences between Christian faith and Buddhism—Buddhists look to themselves for the power to change, while Christians are taught to look to God for inner change. But paradoxically, this grace-based transformation also grows out of the believer’s response of obedience and effort.

In relational terms, serious devotion to spiritual growth means seeking to know Christ more and more, and to experience power and change through our relationship with him. The Apostle Paul described his intense commitment to his own spiritual growth this way:
What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers [and Sisters], I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:9-14, NIV)

So much of what I learned and observed from my time with the Buddhists is already in my own scriptures or can be found in the history of Christian devotion and practice. The real contribution to me was not in discovering something new, but in seeing a faith in practice. The monks I met—those who focused on learning more, those who spent hours in meditation daily, those who were mostly concerned with helping HIV/AIDS victims, widows and orphans, along with those who devote themselves to alleviating human suffering—these individuals truly live what they believe.

I want to be that kind of Christian.