Author(s): David A. Kunin

Religious Beliefs & Spirituality

Commonalities were also the focus of interreligious conferences that I attended both in Europe and the United States. Peace and social justice, topics that fostered general agreement, were the dominant themes. The "Golden Rule," (do unto others as you would have others do unto you) which was seen as the root of all positive religious messages, was often highlighted as an ethic that united Jews, Muslims and Christians - it was rare at that time, due perhaps to relatively small populations, for Eastern religion to be represented at events. The conferences aimed, and to a great extent for participants succeeded, in creating a united sense of vision and mission for religion in the late twentieth century. Yet, after several years of interfaith work, I began to realize that I knew as little about Christianity and Islam (not to mention Buddhism, Sikhism and Hinduism) as I had before I began. All I knew was that we shared the "Golden Rule," and a united vision to end poverty and war. Was this the sum total of religion; are we really all the same, with just a few unimportant particularities, or are the particularities important? Are they in actuality the essences that define us? -- David Kunin