All in Good Faith

Author(s): Jean Potter, Marcus Braybrooke
Publisher: World Congress of Faiths

Page 26

Development of Interfaith Prayer and the Discussion
the Chief Rabbi would attend the Commonwealth Day Observance held in Westminster Abbey. but was not ready to participate in it by taking responsibility for a reading. The passage from the Jewish scriptures had instead been read by a Reform Rabbi who took a different view of the matter. The former Chief Rabbi had also been present at the memorial service held in a Christian church for those killed in the Lockerbie air disaster' (42).
Progressive Jews are happy to take part in interfaith services. Rabbi Dr Albert Friedlander, in a letter to The Times, in response to the 'Open Letter' said 'An approach to God which is unable to see other religions reaching towards the infinite is a very fearful and weak faith. believe totally in an interfaith approach, though one of course, that runs parallel to and does not conflict with the prayers in my own community. One does not surrender integrity and authenticity by meeting on separate occasions with one's neighbour and sharing prayers and goals which reach out towards the One God. God responds to the genuine quest within all human beings who prove by their actions that they believe in the vision of the Divine Kingdom which is open to all in the course of time' (43).
Besides the growing number of occasions when Jews and Christians meet for study and discussion together in Europe and North America (44), there are also personal occasions that bring Jews and Christians together. Although 'marrying out' is becoming increasingly common in the USA and in parts of Europe, it is discouraged by Jewish authorities. Some rabbis in the USA will take part in a religious ceremony, but the practice is not encouraged (45). In the USA, also, Christians and Jews sometimes come together to remember the Holocaust and have produced appropriate liturgies (46).
The Views of Members of the Different Faiths
The Inter Faith Network meeting, which has already been mentioned, was especially valuable because it provided participants with the opportunity to hear the views of members of several religions. In much of the previous discussion in Britain it is only Christian opinions that have been presented.
Councillor Amarjit Singh, a Sikh, spoke of his time as Mayor of Newham. As Mayor, he had tried to represent all the people of the borough, whatever their faith and had been happy to participate in the worship and celebrations of different communities. When he took up office, he arranged a civic service in his own local gurdwara. During this, there were readings from all the great religions. Dr Mrs Subadra Siriwardena, a Buddhist, pointed out that as Theravada
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