In May 2023, I was pleased to participate in the Canadian Interfaith Conversation's "Our Whole Society" conference held at Martin Luther University College in Waterloo. The theme was "Finding Common Ground in a Time of Polarization" and I took part in the workshop session on the role and experience of interfaith organizations as a member of the steering committee of Interfaith Grand River. These were my prepared comments for the opening of the session.
She was right, of course. Without understanding the “why” we can only clumsily contemplate the “how,” and will very often get it wrong, like entering an archery contest without knowing where the target is or what it looks like.
Her suggestion also resonated for me for this session because that is the approach that we take in our Interfaith Grand River meetings. There, each person is invited to speak personally from their tradition, to express the principles and beliefs that they hold, that motivate, direct, and give meaning to their actions and experiences. We consciously cultivate an environment that encourages openness. We extend to one other both our vulnerability and our security, with the deliberate intention of creating a safe space for the expressions of those kinds of thoughts and feelings.
Our objective is not to convert or come away converted to one another’s perspectives or religions; but we do come away changed by the experience of getting to know one another in deep and genuine ways, which seems to me to be a good foundation for lasting social peace.
Creating the context for safe conversations about our convictions is what helps IGR and its members to navigate potentially polarizing topics, and to become good friends in the process.
My experience has been that I come away from our meetings feeling enriched, and also longing to return. IGR becomes an exceptional place where I find friends amidst comprehensive and deep diversity; where I can learn from others about what matters most deeply to them, without feeling any pressure to accept or believe their premises or conclusions; and, in turn, can be heard by them without judgement or threat, when I share mine. It is in that kind of environment that a real spirit of respect, love, and acceptance begins to emerge.
But to return to Sheba’s point, this sort of thing isn’t accomplished exclusively by external control. The rules and dynamics of an IGR meeting might influence somebody to take a more open and accepting approach to others, and we are certainly conscious of our role as exemplars of that sort of thing; but the truth is that dealing with polarization “out there” starts with dealing with polarization “in here”. It is my internal values that determine how I behave externally. Like Sheba said, it comes from our convictions.
So, on her advice, I’ll pause from discussing IGR, and share a little about the convictions that underlie my involvement there and in conversations like today’s.
As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I identify as Christian. I know not all Christians include Latter-day Saints in their circle, but, well, that’s for them to figure out, not me. I am a Christian. I believe in Jesus Christ. I believe that he is the Son of God who was sent into the world to save the world – and each of us who are in it – from the consequences of sin and prison of death.
It’s not always easy to energize the faith I have in him. It’s relatively easy for an invisible man to be forgotten, and for the concerns of the world to get in the way of the convictions of the soul. But when I am connected to that touchstone of my faith in Him, I have a firmer foundation under my feet, a greater confidence in my actions, and deeper meaning in my choices than I ever otherwise experience. I also find the foundation for more meaningful appreciation of, and love toward, my fellow human beings, of whatever caste, culture, creed, colour, or character they may be.
A leader of our church recently said, “Jesus is never in a forgotten corner.” When we place our faith in him, “all our thoughts are circumscribed in His love, His life and teachings.” When I consciously contemplate that love, I recognize it is an inclusive love. It is a love-your-enemies kind of love. Don’t just love who looks like you, laughs like you, thinks like you, or acts like you; love everyone.
There’s no room in that kind of love for polarization. It’s not the kind of space where you put your back against one wall while pushing the other’s back against another.
What I have seen, learned and believe as a Latter-day Saint Christian, is that Christian love, as exemplified by Christ, encourages us to open our minds, hearts, and hands to one another across every divide, despite every difference, and to embrace one another in all our diversity. That’s the platitude. On the practical level, this requires me to watch and correct myself continually, especially when my moods or emotions, beliefs or ideas, traditions or habits, politics or perceptions could lead me to act with any degree of anger, unkindness, or negativity toward others.
In that vein, our Church president recently said to a conference of all members of the Church, “How we treat each other really matters. …In situations that are highly charged and filled with contention, I invite you to remember Jesus Christ. Pray to have the courage and wisdom to say or do what He would. As we follow the Prince of Peace, we will become His peacemakers.”
I find that remembering the objective of being a peacemaker provides both a critical defense and offense against the experience of polarization.
So that’s what keeps me involved in a group like IGR, where every month I get to practice the process of learning to listen to others whose experiences and worldviews may be so different from mine, with patience, openness, and empathy, and then to share with them as honestly and vulnerably as I hope they have with me.
The IGR mission statement says, “it is precisely our differences that bring us together.” And I have found that despite all those differences, there can be no polarization when the objectives of love and respect define the terms of our engagement.