Monday, October 19

Then Peter began to speak to [the Gentiles]: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.”
—Acts 10:34-35

I’m more comfortable with people who use entirely different names to speak of the mysterious loving energy I call Father, Son and Holy Spirit, than I am with some of my own brother and sister Christians who use our holy words to condemn, divide, judge and even curse.

When we see the ravages that religious division has wrought upon our planet’s history, I find it impossible to condemn the skeptic who has given up on religion and instead is nourished by “the beauty of nature, the mystery of music, the creativity of fresh thinking, the intimacies of personal relationships, and the courage with which [humans] have faced difficult times.” (Jay McDaniel, Living from the Center, p. 27).

When St. Paul says, “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” there is no implied Christian monopoly over such divine indwelling (Galatians 5:22f).

It seems to me that there is a great fraternity of large-hearted people who are able to recognize the web of spiritual interconnectedness between spiritual traditions and religious systems. They approach each other with openness, eager to learn from one another, while moving deeper and growing within the inheritance of their own particular tradition. They are not alike, but they are kin.

And they recognize that God is greater than any particular human religion or revelation. Their respect for the mystery of the ultimate humbles their claims. They can be peacemakers.

Creator God, your presence fills the whole creation and you reveal your Spirit in every place, grant us open hearts to recognize your spiritual gifts in those who follow another way to you, and give us glimpses into your ever-present mystery.

These Signposts were originally published on explorefaith.org in 2005.