Learning From Other Faiths - April 2023
Topic: What have you learned from another person of faith or from another religion that has informed your discipleship or influenced your spiritual practice?
(Resources mentioned are listed at the end of the post)
Barbara Brown Taylor author of Holy Envy: Finding God in the Faith of Others - studied the 15 major world religions - An Altar in the World (Taylor) is an answer to the question she was asked: What is saving you now? The practice of living with purpose, feeling pain, saying no, etc.
“the divine practice of encounter”
When you see someone, really see them—make eye contact—don’t start building a story around them—to see and be seen - interaction is key — the most common link is humanity—
Assignments: get over yourself, love God,
Catherine Thomas - The God Seed - to look another in the eye is to connect souls - every soul is precious to God
This is "Jesus Work" - helping others to feel seen without strings attached
Sometimes we don’t know what to do between seeing someone and being a missionary
People in the service industry are sometimes invisible —they wear a name tag so say their name
Sometimes puts a server’s name in her phone so she can call her by name when she returns to the restaurant -
Catholics are tactile - the cross, praying the rosary, lighting candles, crossing themselves, etc.
Churches in France - candles, incense, singing,
Church of England - Evensong is restorative
Call to Prayer - Islam faith - five times a day - the beautiful practice of reminding us to connect with God
Prayer rooms in Oman - in stores, etc. throughout the city
Prison to Praise - a Methodist minister who is in prison and then becomes a minister - has learned to praise God more because of this book -
Barking to the Choir by Gregory Boyle
Queen Elizabeth’s statements on Christ - http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/dec/24/queens-christmas-message-article-of-christian-faith
The Faith Club - three mothers in NYC after 9/11 - Muslim, Jewish, Christian - a book about what united them. They each had to confront their own personal prejudices.
Accomplishing the Impossible - pray to be united with the Lord’s anointed and with others -
Work to quote others in meetings such as religious scholars, evangelists, etc.
Emily Bell Freeman - blessing from two non-LDS men while touring Jerusalem
Would like to learn more from our Eastern friends about meditation and being in the moment
Michael Wilcox - Out of the Best Books
It’s not us versus them -
Be more careful with our language - the Atonement is an action that Jesus performed, not an entity.
Taking the name of Jesus Christ upon me -
A friend: I was washed in the blood of Jesus Christ
YouTube: Christianity and Women: Beth Allison Barr with Elizabeth Schrader Polczer
Cindy’s necklace charms: a cross, ox (Ephraim), two discs “Let God Prevail,” and the seal of Melchizedek
Essays
“The Seal of Melchizedek” https://latterdaysaintmag.com/the-seal-of-melchizedek-history-meanings-and-mysteries/
"The Seal of Melchizedek?"by Alonzo L. Gaskill https://rsc.byu.edu/vol-11-no-3-2010/seal-melchizedek
Books Mentioned
Holy Envy: Finding God in the Faith of Others by Barbara Brown Taylor
An Altar in the World: A Geography of Faith by Barbara Brown Taylor
The God Seed: Probing the Mystery of Spiritual Development by Catherine Thomas
Prison to Praise by Merlin R. Carothers
Barking to the Choir by Gregory Boyle
The Faith Club: A Muslim, A Christian, A Jew: Three Women Search for Understanding
Out of the Best Books: Eternal Truths from Classic Literature by S. Michael Wilcox