Religion is like science: It has the power to change the world in both wonderfully profound and highly divisive ways. Religion has been the catalyst for many of the great social movements of this past century. A pastor, Martin Luther King, Jr., led the nonviolent civil rights movement, while a devout Hindu, Mahatma Gandhi, led the nonviolent Indian independence movement. Furthermore, religious institutions are a major provider of social capital for active citizenship. With that being said, it is undeniable that people are murdered daily in the name of religion and that even more people face bigotry because of their faith or beliefs. So, how can we approach these problems?
I argue that ignoring or, worse, eliminating religion would be as ineffective as placing limits on scientific progress, an impractical position that will lead to more harm than good. We must seriously consider our beliefs, whether they lead us to pursue a religious tradition or not, so that we can reflect on their benefits and faults. And just as scientists must come together to monitor the uses of their findings, diverse people must come together to multiply the good and combat the bad that originate from their faiths and beliefs.
Interfaith action and discussion are the goals of the interfaith movement, which is brewing in the highest offices of our government and in the smallest communities of our country. The interfaith movement strives to bring diverse people to act together not only to multiply social capital, but also to create conversations and enrich relationships among diverse people, which, in turn, lead to a greater respect for all faiths and beliefs. These three characteristics — respect for identity, mutually enriching relationships and common action for the common good — are the characteristics of a pluralistic community: a community that views diversity as a positive. This movement welcomes everyone, from those who are deeply devout to those who don't subscribe to a faith at all. The underlying principle of the movement is that each person has values that should be respected and shared, and that each person has an interest in living in a pluralistic community.
However, there are certainly some challenges the movement must address. We all have multiple identities, and we may not consider our beliefs to be our most prominent identity. However, pluralism is not just about faith; it is about common action by people of all identities. The model of interfaith cooperation can be used for interracial or international cooperation. Furthermore, faith is often treated less seriously than the identities of race, ethnicity or sexual orientation, a fact that doesn't correspond with domestic and foreign realities. In fact, studies show that between 70 and 90 percent of Americans are confident that a god exists, one of the highest percentages worldwide.
A second problem is that pluralism might seem nearly impossible in some locations because of the historical and political realities of these regions. Renowned academic Samuel Huntington predicted that this problem would eventually lead to a Clash of Civilizations. As an international relations major, I agree with Huntington's thesis that "violent conflicts between groups in different civilizations are the most likely and most dangerous source of escalation that could lead to global wars." However, more important to world affairs is Huntington's lesser known conclusion that "for the relevant future, there will be no universal civilization, but instead a world of different civilizations, each of which will have to learn to coexist with the others." Therefore, promoting pluralism (which is a step beyond simple coexistence and tolerance) is exactly what we should do to mitigate the clash of civilizations on the campuses of U.S. universities and in conflict areas worldwide. On Sunday, Oct. 25, I attended the three-day-long Interfaith Youth Core Biannual Conference along with more than 600 other participants, including members of the Obama administration, directors of major non-profits such as the Tony Blair Faith Foundation, evangelical pastors, orthodox Muslims, rabbis, humanist chaplains, college students and many more. Each individual at the conference was confident that the interfaith movement would create positive changes by promoting pluralism, from bettering our local neighborhoods to tempering the Clash of Civilizations.
A powerful example of how respect for identities, mutual relationships and common action for the common good can prevent a local clash exists right here on the Tufts campus. Following developments in the Gaza conflict last year, our student body could have fragmented like many other universities around the world. However, six groups — the Arab Student Association, Friends of Israel, Hillel, the Muslim Student Association, New Initiative for Middle East Peace and the Pathways/CAFÉ (Conversations, Action, Faith and Education) interfaith program — decided that cooperation was the best response. This new Middle East Coalition ran a series of heated dialogues about the war, which ultimately unified rather than divided the students. It also organized the Middle East Fair, which showcased the unique cultures of the region while selling T-shirts and food to raise funds for a peaceful non-profit. This was by far my most enjoyable experience of last year, and it serves as an example of faith and non-faith groups coming together to make sure a conflict abroad did not turn into a conflict at Tufts.
I will close by making two simple suggestions. First, the next time you are practicing active citizenship, ask the person with whom you're working what beliefs led him or her to serve others. A commitment to service is a value held by practically every religion and philosophical tradition and one that could be the foundation for cooperation among various groups. And second, I ask that if you hear a bigoted comment about a faith or belief, whether it is about evangelical Christians or those who don't believe in God at all, challenge it. By refusing to be one of the three-quarters of Americans who say that they would remain silent, you will better the lives of Tufts students while helping the university transform diversity into pluralism. Many social movements start in college campuses, and with your actions Tufts can be a leader in the interfaith movement.
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Daniel Resnick is a sophomore majoring in international relations. He is the co-president of Tufts CAFÉ.
