SOME LENTEN ENRICHMENT - #2

Catholics, Protestant, and Jews colored the religion landscape of America in the 1950's. Almost invisibly, this has changed as new immigrants arrived from Asia, the countries of the Americas and the Caribbean, and Africa. Since 9/11 U.S. citizens are awakening to a new religious presence in our neighborhoods. We have become a pluralistic nation in every way. Several communities of believers now pray together for the victims of terrorism. We Catholics may want to fast from an inner-directed piety as we begin to acquire a taste for the new foods of Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, and native-American religions. The religious menu has certainly expanded in a half-century. (In fact, salsa is the #1 selling condiment sold in the U.S.).

We live in a time for new learning so that our souls can be mended. Religious ignorance leads to bigotry and violence. I realize that, though I have spent many years in school, I know little about the new religious presence. I decided that I should do something for my own religious education. My first step was to pick up Mary C. Boys' book, Has God Only One Blessing?: Judaism as a Source of Christian-Self Understanding (New York: Paulist Press, 2000, $29.95.) Boys, a veteran of Catholic-Jewish conversation, suggests that Christians abandon the idea that the Church has replaced the Synagogue. Instead, she proposes that the Synagogue and the Church be seen as two partners in covenant relationship with God. She reaffirms the teaching that the Jews did not kill God and are not responsible for the death of Jesus. She recommends that we imagine what it would be like to have a Jewish person sit with us as, together, we heard and interpreted biblical, liturgical, and educational texts. Would we Christians hear differently if we experienced these texts in the presence of Jews? This book is a must-read for anyone who would like to see Judaism (and Christianity) in a new light. It would help us mend anti-semitism.

Second, Diana L. Eck has written a marvelous book on the changed religious presence. A New Religious America, How a "Christian Country" Has become the World's Most Religiously Diverse Nation (San Francisco: Harper, 2001, 404 p., $27.00). Her first two chapters explain how different the religious landscape is. She suggests that we develop a model of dialogue "The language of pluralism is the language not just of difference but of engagement, involvement and participation. It is the language of traffic, exchange dialogue, and debate. It is the language of the symphony orchestra and the jazz ensemble...Pluralism is the dynamic process through which we engage with one another in and through our very deepest differences (p. 69-70." Pluralism doesn't just happen. We have to choose to engage actively with others in understanding and mutual respect. Dialogue continues from one generation to the next. She then provides three informative and insightful chapters on American Hindus, Buddhists, and Moslems. Her final two chapters describe the tasks that lie ahead. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the presence of new religions.