Interfaith Dialogue March 2004
Press Release: Interfaith Dialogue at Wellspring
A spontaneous moment of interfaith reconciliation occurred during a dialogue afternoon at the Wellspring Centre in Ashburton.
Representatives of the Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim and Christian faiths shared in prayer and hand washing before afternoon tea was served.
There
was some excitement as the Jewish representative recognised "Elohim",
a Hebrew word for God, in the prayers of a Muslim man.
During the afternoon representatives of the four faiths shared childhood memories, descriptions of traditions and festivals, and related how their everyday approach to food and hospitality was integrally related to their faith and spirituality.
Jewish representative Zvi Civins noted that it seemed to be a tendency of all faiths to "go overboard with hospitality". He referred to the story of Abraham entertaining three men in Genesis 18, pointing out that, although Abraham initially offered his visitors bread and water, he got so carried away with his hospitality that he failed to keep kosher. Kosher food rules prohibit the eating of meat and dairy products together but in Genesis 18: 6-8 Abraham killed a calf and served it with curds and milk.
Muslim representative Adam Kakembo stressed that community fellowship was an essential part of food, faith and hospitality in the Muslim tradition. He recalled childhood memories of family feasts where there was an expectation that food would be distributed to all neighbours who were able to smell the aroma. "I remember playing with other kids and they all ran off," he said. "I wondered what had happened. That is when I first realised that I have a medical condition that means I have no sense of smell. All of the others had smelt the food and that was the signal that they were entitled to share in a feast."
Buddhist representative Allys Andrews said that she had grown up in the Church of England and had converted to Buddhism as an adult. She said that she had not always been a good cook, but a spiritual adviser in the Buddhist tradition had encouraged her improve her cooking and food presentation at family meals. "When I stopped to think about what I was doing, I realised that it was pretty mean spirited," she said. "I started preparing the table and decorating with flowers. That is when I learnt how to cook." Allys also described customs associated with the offering of food, both in Buddhist temples and home situations.
Fiona Hill, a member of Ashburton Baptist Church, shared personal stories of communion, harvest festivals and Christmas. "I moved around a lot as a kid," she said. "My happiest memories were of harvest times when people used to bring things that they had grown to church and there would be these great celebrations of God's abundance and provision." Fiona described how, after long-term family separation, she had left a Christmas hamper on her sister's doorstep as a symbol of reconciliation. "That experience had such a profound effect on me that most of my gifts are now food, fruit or flower hampers," she said. "This reminds me of God's gift of reconciliation in my own life, but also gives me opportunities to artistically play with colours and textures that God has created. I also have a naďve believe that if we gave away more food, the source of all life, there would be less anger and hatred in the world."
Wellspring is also facilitating interfaith dialogues between Christian, Muslim and Jewish schools.
