31st International Student Conference of Jews, Christians and Muslims
Held Vallendar, Germany, 15 - 19 March 2004
For me the most significant experiences of this conference were the personal encounters: the conversations that arose over meals and around sessions, and the sharing of ideas and activity in 'discussion' and 'project' groups. I was moved by the deep sense of connection which arose through some of these encounters, and challenged by different perspectives and insights which shed new light on my own position and assumptions.
I re-encountered quite a number of people whom I met when I attended the conference in 2002. I was surprised at how quickly relationships were re-established with people that I had not seen for two years, and this brought home to me how strong some of the connections that I made then had been. This year I made more links with the Muslim participants, and was struck afresh by the stark contrast between the faith of the women with whom I talked and the image of Islam that is often presented by our media.
Previously the conference has been held in nearby Bendorf, but the closure of it usual home meant that new arrangements had to be made. This pushed back the organization and publicity of the conference, resulting in a slightly smaller gathering of about 60. This year around 50% of the participants were Christian, mostly from Germany. There was a mixture of Catholics and Protestants, but I was the only Quaker. The Jewish group came primarily from the UK, including a couple of people from the US and Israel currently studying in Britain. Most of the Muslims were German (and the majority of them were women), but there was also a small group from the UK including a couple of international students from the Centre for the Study of Islam in Birmingham.
The theme of the conference this year was "Interreligious Dialogue in Situations of Conflict: the contribution of religious communities to current socio-political challenges." The discussion groups were fed by presentations on the theme from each of the three faith traditions. We heard of a liberal Rabbi's developing understanding of her role in relation to the Jewish community and the wider world, of the experience of the Latvian Lutheran Church during the period of transition from Soviet rule, and four different perspectives on the challenges faced by Muslim communities in different parts of the world. All touched in some way on experiences of marginalisation. And all suggested that while religious groups may react to such experiences by turning inward and closing out the world, these experiences may alternatively lead to a deeper solidarity with others' suffering and opposition to all forms of injustice and intolerance. A challenge for those of us within religious communities is to find and nurture those things that enable us to move beyond the fears that can make us resistant to reaching out beyond the boundaries of our own group.
We reflected on the frequency with which differences of religion are highlighted within and used to inflame situations of conflict in our world. During her presentation, Rabbi Rebecca Birk encouraged us to challenge those who argue that religion is the cause of all evil. Such conflicts, she argued, are not the fruit of true religion, but often result from narrow and inflexible forms of tribalism which co-opts religion into its service. Through a focus on faith, kindness and commitment, in an ongoing dialogue between tradition and contemporary experience, she suggested, our religious communities can contribute creatively to the challenges facing all of us.
My project group, meditative dancing, provided space for a different kind of activity and reflection. What came through it for me was a teaching and practice of awareness and respect within the group that encapsulated what I felt was the fundamental spirit of the conference as a whole.
It is important to me that members of different faiths come together to build connections which recognise and include our differences. To worship together is a challenge given our different practices and theologies. Reflecting afterwards, I came to understand the invitation to stand alongside the worship of another faith tradition - even if I could not participate fully - as an invitation to witness to the faith of another and to hold to the belief that, despite our different forms of faith, we approach one another in our approach to God.
© C.M. Brewer 2004
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