Pilar: On October 2, with affection and reverence, India remembers Mahatma Gandhi, the ‘Father of the Nation.” This annual ritual could be turned into a real homage if only we imbibe some of his great qualities.
One of of them is his insistence on inter-faith harmony or ‘Sadbhav.’
Sadbhav (goodwill, harmony) between faith communities is the only way out for humankind, in today’s national and global context of misunderstanding and hatred between communities. We need to be creative and invent new ways of building goodwill and harmony. Fostering Sadbhav has to be our Mission.
The rise of religious fundamentalism has been a key source of inter-community conflict. Religious fundamentalists promote exclusivist and triumphalist attitudes. They encourage notions of superiority and ‘chosen-ness’ and lay absolute claims to truth. Such arrogance fuels militant and unethical proselytization and leads to bitter religious conflicts and violence.
In light of the above, the Federation of Asian Bishops Conferences (FABC) asserts that “As religious pilgrims we must walk together on the path of dialogue towards harmony”. Acceptance, appreciation of diversities and celebrating the goodness in other religions, will further genuine spirituality and give up the claim of one religion being the norm for all others.
Another cause of conflict, among followers of different religions, is lack of accurate knowledge of, and prejudice against, other religions. To liberate people from ignorance and promote communal harmony, religious and social organisations need to provide opportunities for people to learn about all religions without any bias.
In the context of Asia, the FABC recommended that the followers of Christ be allowed to deepen their understanding of the different Asian faiths and theologies.
It says “Basic knowledge about the beliefs and practices of other religions taken from reliable and objective sources, should form part of the catholic catechetical training. Catholic parishes too, should foster interreligious understanding and fellowship because the prime agent, of this new mission in dialogue, is the parish. By promoting such learning at the grassroots level of the Church, Christian parents, catechists and educationists will be enabled to “teach their children about God’s love for believers of other religions and about the many good and holy values in these religions.”
In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus appreciated and celebrated the goodness of the Samaritan, a non-Jew. Through the parable, Jesus presented the Samaritan, as the role model of genuine spirituality vis-à-vis the priest and the Levite who were Jews. While living the values of Jesus, his disciples need to genuinely attempt to understand and appreciate what is good in other religions.
Inter-religious harmony has been a heritage of India. Indian history is replete with examples of religious harmony because the core of India is pluralistic. The Upanishadic idea of “Ekam Sat Vipra Bahudha Vadanti”, which means, “That which exists is ONE; sages call it by various names” – has been motivating the people of India to accept, embrace and integrate other religions into its composite culture and civilization.
In our times, some communal organisations are spreading hatred, and are vigorously working to divide the people of India on the basis of religion. To counter such forces, it is imperative to promote goodwill and harmony among different religious groups, by adopting various strategies.
At the moment, Mother Nature through Covid-19, has re-ignited our desire for togetherness.
Amid the fear, dread and anxiety induced by the Covid-19 pandemic, there are ever stronger signs of solidarity and a shared sense of global community. May this spirit of global togetherness continue to grow in our world. May we strive to nurture the age-old vision of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (‘the world is one family’) and strengthen the ideal of harmonious living in our communities, neighborhoods, educational institutions, and places of worship.
(Father Elvis Fernandes is a member of the Society of Pilar. He has a doctorate in Clinical Counselling Psychology from Philippines. He is the Editor of “Fr. Agnel’s Call,” a monthly mission and youth magazine.)