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May 5, 2010 – News of Abrahamic Interest

In this edition, we offer two profoundly introspective essays from the BTI Magazine, Spring, 2010, issue. One is by a Muslim, the other by a Jew. Both were part of a single interfaith panel at a conference, “Educating Christian, Jewish and Muslim Leaders in an Age of Religious Diversity,” on the Hill in Newton, MA, organized by the Boston Theological Institute (BTI), Andover Newton Theological School and Hebrew College, June 15 -16, 2009.

The first piece is by Dr. Abdel-Rahman Mohamed, lecturer in the BTI course, “Toward an Abrahamic Family Reunion,” which was inspired by our Abrahamic Family Reunion project. It is a wide-ranging, historically focused look at the ethnic diversity and equality of Islam as a faith and a community from its beginnings, and the clear influences of Jews and Christians (People of the Book) on the world view of Prophet Muhammad. It also provides moving and disquieting perspectives on the strong role of historical memory, often painful, on contemporary identity.

The second essay, by Rabbi Art Green, rector of the rabbinical school of Hebrew College, is a deeply personal statement on the moral meaning of being Jewish in the 21st century. And it embraces engagement with Muslims and Christians not only in dialogue but also in collaborative actions to confront the sobering social and environmental challenges of our time.

We recommend that both articles be printed out and used in classroom and interfaith dialogue work and actions. They are important fonts of wisdom.

Valuable articles by two Christians,  Harvard Divinity School Professor Diana Eck, and Dr. Jennifer Peace, managing director of CIRCLE–Center for Interreligious and Communal Leadership Education, at Andover Newton Theological School and Hebrew College, can be accessed in the same issue of BTI Magazine, at bostontheological.org.

The following article is a moving story of a collaborative Jewish-Muslim effort to help rebuild part of the home of a disabled Christian in Maryland. And it is completely consistent with Abrahamic moral values, especially helping those in need.