Freedom within a framework of faith

As much as we make fun of our motto and how cliché it is, I am so thankful that it is truly Gordon's stand on many things. I think it is fair to say that few other Christian colleges would be willing to welcome a Jew and Muslim on campus to have an interfaith trialogue about how the three Abrahamic faiths can all get along and move towards peace. To be honest, I was somewhat skeptical myself at the beginning. "Why would I want to listen to a discussion like that? I'm a Christian and their faiths do not concern me." But after attending the "Three Faiths, One God" documentary tonight I feel very differently. I am beginning to understand the importance of this trialogue and the importance of listening to and learning from other faiths. Maybe you think I'm wrong in saying this, but if that is the case so be it. I am not rejecting my own faith in any way, or even saying that other faiths are equal to it. But I do believe that there needs to be an element of acceptance and understanding between the three religions. As was brought up in the discussion tonight, Jesus has called us to love our neighbor and everyone is our neighbor. How can we love someone if we do not know them and are not willing to first accept them for who they are? This doesn't mean that we need to accept their religion in the sense of converting to it, but we need to be willing to hear their story and where they are at so that we can love them in that. It is about getting rid of stereotypes that are based on only extremists of a religion and realizing that there are actually very basic similarities to our three religions. Yes, there are quite profound differences as well, but we do not need to completely agree to live peacefully with one another and love as Christ has called us to. I'm thankful that Gordon is willing to engage in this conversation and welcome those who are different to our campus to express their views. I feel like this only builds on what I have been learning so far this semester about transformational rather than translational faith, what I have learned about loving others as we have truly been called to love them, not being judgemental of those who may not share our particular views, and standing up for what is just and right in this world. Maybe you think I'm being ridiculous and becoming too pluralistic. Oh well. I know what I stand for in my beliefs and I know how Jesus has called us to live. I'm not going to go converting to Islam or anything, but that doesn't mean I can't listen to what a Muslim has to say.