To those involved in religious education on the local level, a common observation is that there does not seem to be enough time to teach young or new members about the essentials of their own faith, let alone learn or teach about another person's faith. To engage in interreligious dialogue and learn about another religion and to teach about those beliefs seems to go beyond what is ordinarily required of a believer. It is no exaggeration to say that for the first time in two millennia, Jews, Christians, and Muslims have the opportunity to put aside their divisiveness and seek reconciliation and understanding. This is an ideal time to remember the past and renew hopes for the future. An important means to pave the way for reconciliation and change is to learn and educate about the other.

As an academic and research division of Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, Connecticut, the Center for Christian-Jewish Understanding (CCJU) promotes forums for dialogue and study in order to advance greater knowledge, understanding and harmony among religions. The Center wanted to make the most of this moment in history and proposed five conferences on the topic, “What Do We Want the Other To Teach About Us?” This four-year effort began in 2000 in Jerusalem and Edmonton, Canada, followed by conferences in Rome, Italy (2001), Bamberg, Germany (2002), and Fairfield, Connecticut (2003). These conferences are based on the mission of the CCJU which advocates a respect for the dignity of all people, acknowledges a special relationship between Jews, Christians, and Muslims and works to further interreligious dialogue.

From this new seed of mutual respect, learning together, and teaching authentically about each other can come a living relationship to serve as a model for all who believe that God desires human beings to live together in friendship and peace. The movement from defensiveness and distrust to friendship built on security and equality is still a long way from being realized, but has its hope of success in dialogue.

As the number of people involved in interreligious dialogue continues to grow, more people need to accurately understand the “others” and they also desire to be understood and presented correctly by the others. Through these conferences and the model employed, the CCJU advocates that the process of dialogue should flow in that order—understanding others to being understood by others. After respecting the genuine needs of the others first, and attempting to understand them on their own terms, only then, as friendships and relationships mature, as each asks the other sincere questions, will it be important and appropriate to honestly share and reveal one's self and tradition.

When the question, "What do we want the other to teach about us?" is asked in the context of interreligious dialogue, an answer in the form of a reflection on faith or belief will be given. But that answer or reflection, de facto, becomes an invitation to another question, which generally implies, "Now that you have heard my response, what do you think?" And so a dialogue begins where each trusts the other enough to be honest and say what he or she does not understand. Each perceives the other's faith as a vocation, literally a calling from God who dialogues with humanity.

Jewish, Christian and Muslim experiences of the Divine all point to God as One who teaches. It is, in turn, expected that followers will study what God has revealed and teach such revelations and commandments to future generations. Dialogue and education are tools for each to approach the other as people in relationship with God, first, not as objects spouting abstract beliefs. Happily, there is some truth to the notion that one learns something well when asked to teach it. In this sense, teaching demands more of a commitment to the other and his or her beliefs, than knowing or learning about the other might require.  

An important feature of this process is that when one authentically teaches what the other wants to be taught, the teacher also communicates through his or her method and example, the convictions of respect, reverence, scholarship and friendship for the other as a son or daughter of God. By influencing how other religions are taught in each religion's formal educational structures or through prayer and liturgy or by publications about the other or by the deliberate efforts made to include others at festivals or appropriate celebrations, the dignity of all can be affirmed.

This volume is a collection of papers by religious leaders and scholars who are actively engaged in interreligious dialogue and are faithful believers in their own religious traditions and who participated in a CCJU-sponsored conference. These essays are meant to inspire continued dialogue and education in parishes, synagogues and mosques as well as be a resource for those who seek understanding, truth, and who work for peace through dialogue. Judaism, Christianity and Islam teach that it is God's will that all people live in peace with each other. Peace will be advanced only when religious people and religious institutions are involved in intelligent, honest, respectful dialogue with each other and are integral to the processes of social justice in their communities.

--David L. Coppola, Ph.D. (From the Introduction)

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