Contradictions between the various faith traditions

A rather interesting question was posed to me:  "The various religious faiths of the world hold beliefs that are literally contradictory and mutually exclusive. For example: The Jewish belief that the Messiah is yet to come, the Christian belief the Jesus Christ was/is the Son of G!d and the Savior of the world, the Moslem belief that Jesus was one of the prophets in a line in which Mohammed was the Seal of the prophets). How do you reconcile these contradictions? How do you minister to someone whose beliefs differ from your own?"

In the first place, I have no need to reconcile the contradictions brought about by mutually exclusive religious beliefs. I am a religious pluralist, and believe Judaism, at its core, supports religious pluralism as well. Religious pluralism goes beyond mere tolerance. As The Pluralism Project states, “Mere diversity or plurality alone, however, does not constitute pluralism.”

Toward the beginning of our story of creation, we find a remarkable statement. Genesis 1:27 tells us about the creation of humanity. Vayivra Elohim et ha-adam b’tzalmo, b’tzelem Elohim bara oto. “And G!d created the human in G!d’s image… male and female G!d created them.” B’tzelem Elohim––in the image of G!d. The rabbis expounded on this: “For when a human being strikes many coins from one mold, they all resemble one another, but the Supreme Ruler, the Holy One, fashioned every person in the image of Adam and yet not one of them resembles another. Therefore every single person is obliged to say: ‘The world was created for my sake.’” (B. Sanhedrin 37a). Our ancestors understood this diversity both in the form of a challenge and as the source of great blessing.

Very certainly a challenge, for according to the Midrash (Tanhuma on Num. 24:16) we learn that as Moses was about to die, he said to G!d: “Master of the Universe, You know the opinions of everyone, and that there are no two among your children who think alike. I beg You, after I die, when you appoint a leader for them, appoint one who will accept each one of them as he/she thinks.” Moses understood that the power of individuality poses a serious challenge to any leader’s attempt to unify a people.

At the same time, the rabbis understand this fundamental diversity as a source of great blessing. The Talmud (Berakhot 58a) teaches that upon seeing a large gathering of Jews, one must recite the blessing: “Barukh hakham ha-razim, she-ayn da'atam domeh zeh la-zeh, v'ayn partzufayhem domim zeh la-zeh. ––Blessed is the one who discerns secrets, for the mind of each is different from the other, just as their faces are different from each other.” Pluralism is not just a matter of tolerance, but an imperative that our differences should be a source of blessing.

In the Jerusalem Talmud, we find a dispute between two rabbis on the most important teaching of the Torah. Rabbi Akiva states that “v’ahavta l'reakha kamokha––love your neighbor as yourself” is the central principle. Ben Azzai replies that the verse from Genesis: “This is the record of Adam’s line” represents an even greater principle. While Rabbi Akiva’s position emphasizes respect and love for one’s neighbor, an imprecise, ambiguous term, Ben Azzai wants none of this ambiguity. He points us to the text which asserts that all of humanity was created equally in G!d’s image, and therefore deserving of our love and respect.

Pluralism, then, is the ultimate ethical and spiritual challenge. Both the positions of Rabbi Akiva and Ben Azzai require us to go beyond our own self-centered interests and egocentricity to become more G!d-like in accepting diversity.

I would be remiss if I did not also bring to mind the famous Talmudic story about the disagreements between the major schools of thought in rabbinic times. “Rabbi Abba stated in the name of Samuel: For three years there was a dispute between the School of Shammai and the School of Hillel, the former asserting, ‘The law agrees with us’ and the latter contending, ‘The law agrees with us’. Then a Heavenly voice announced, ‘The utterances of both are the words of the living G!d, but the law agrees with the School of Hillel’. Since ‘both are the words of the living G!d’ what was it that entitled the School of Hillel to have the law fixed in agreement with their rulings? Because they were kindly and modest, they studied their own rulings and those of the School of Shammai, and were even so [humble] as to mention the opinions of the School of Shammai before their own. (B. Eruvin 13b)”

The goal of true Jewish learning is to educate people to be open to learning from others, like the School of Hillel, and to respect those with whom they disagree. Elu v’elu (“These and these…”).

Rabbi Elliot Dorff writes, “G!d as understood in the Jewish tradition wants pluralism to force human beings to realize the limits of human knowledge in comparison to that of G!d. One must recognize that a passion for the truth does not mean that one has exclusive possession of it; indeed, it is humanly impossible to have a full hold on the truth.”

Pluralism results from the religious humility to recognize the limitations of our own knowledge in comparison to G!d’s greatness and infinitude. In the face of the infinite variety of human thought and experience, how dare we imagine a one-size fits all approach to truth or religion. It not only diminishes us, but our concept of G!d as well.

Pluralism is not the same as moral relativism, the idea that all religious views are equally valid. As a pluralist, I do have personal beliefs, especially in the core values of Torah. But at the end of the day, we need each other, because ultimately, we DO influence each other, and G!d.

How do I minister to someone whose beliefs differ from mine? As a pluralist, I affirm that more than one set of beliefs or practices can be, at least partially and maybe even wholly, true simultaneously. I hold personal religious beliefs, while concurrently appreciating, respecting, and valuing those who have different religious beliefs. These differences can exist without adversely affecting my care as a clergy person. Friberg, in The Role of the Chaplain in spiritual care, argues: “With growing populations of immigrants and adherents of religions not previously seen in significant numbers in North America, spiritual care must take religion and diversity seriously. Utmost respect for the residents’ spiritual and religious histories and orientations is imperative”.