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Interfaith Harmony Week Commemorated in Munich and Stuttgart
Written by UPF - Germany
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Munich
UPF-Munich hosted an interreligious meeting in commemoration of World Interfaith Harmony Week on February 1. The topic was "The Mysticism of Religions: Fathoming the Heart of God."
The first days of February are dedicated not only to the UN World Interfaith Harmony Week but also, especially in Munich, to the world-renowned Munich Security Conference, where prime ministers, foreign and defense ministers meet, and to the not less famous Munich Peace Conference, initiated by various peace organizations.
Thus, it was very good that the local UPF chapter opened these meaningful days of peace for the world with an interreligious meeting. In terms of numbers, this gathering may have been smaller than the other two, but the words that were spoken were surely not less important. And these words were not shallow or empty but a beginning that will soon be reality.
The motto of World Interfaith Harmony Week is "Love God and Love Your Neighbor." And because of this slogan, especially the first part, to "love God," the topic of mysticism was chosen. Mysticism is a search for God and an encounter with Him, and out of this arises a love for humankind and lasting peace.
After some introductory words by the UPF moderator, Volkan Türlü Hoca, the imam of the Turkish Muslim Community of Munich West (Pasing), spoke to the audience of 30 Christians, Muslims, and Unificationists about Islamic mysticism, in particular about the traditions of the Sufi order. He said that the journey to God is a journey to the inner self and that God is an eternal treasure longing to be discovered. God expressed in a revelation [hadith] about the purpose of creation: “I was a hidden treasure and wanted to be discovered, therefore I created man.” In the Qur'an God reveals to the believers: "I have inspired your soul into you through my breath." That means every individual contains something divine within and has received the gift to (discover God) and become aware of God.
The Sufis emphasize that every human being has a unique relationship to God. God reveals Himself to everyone who seeks Him in a unique way. Therefore, everyone has a unique individual experience and relationship with God. The quest for God takes place in the innermost heart of the believer. In the external realm you can come to know the works of God and His attributes (in His creation). However, God's nature can only be perceived in your own heart. How much God reveals to you depends on how much space you prepare for Him in your heart and on how much closeness you seek. The aim of the Sufis is to merge into God. That means to cleanse the heart from egotism and selfishness so that the ego surrenders and that the divine can enter into even the smallest cell. Then the seeker realizes that his own existence was only an illusion (a deceptive appearance) and that in reality only God is real, because only God is self-existent. Thus the way of the mystic is absolute devotion, trust in God, and love.
Next, Dr. Alfons Wellenhofer spoke about aspects of Christian mysticism. The term mysticism signifies a hidden, invisible, spiritual divine reality, not understandable by the intellect alone. One essential aspect of mysticism is that it seeks union with God and that this union can be experienced in the here and now. The mystic is a voyager. He or she isn’t inactive or passive and doesn’t hover in lofty mystical emotions. There is a three-fold path from the material to the spiritual realm. This threefold path is the path of purification (via purgativa), followed by the path of enlightenment of the mind (via illuminativa), and finally union with the divine. The Christian mystical way begins with the striving for moral perfection as a preparation and foundation for the spiritual way. We are a temple of God, and this temple has to be cleansed. Through keeping moral rules such as commandments and through religious rituals, a transformation and a catharsis can be reached.
In Greek Christianity these steps are considered to be aligned as on a ladder: humility, the pure spiritual prayer, warmth of the heart, purity of the heart, and perfection. Around the year 1000, Orthodox Christian monks began using the image, popular with all mystics, of diving into the divine ocean of love. Mystics seek to submerge into the divine ocean of light, where the whole world and also the intellect disappear. Ultimately, the mystic wants to be free of all human attributes and characteristics and wants to gain the divine attributes and characteristics. This desire to become divine is a very beautiful and real aspect of mysticism. The Bible says to "Be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect" (Matt. 5:48) and become a dwelling place of God. In Genesis it is already written that we are made in the image of God.
Through the mystical path, people of different religions can come closer to each other, because there are many parallels and common points.
In the final part Robert Bentele of UPF spoke about aspects of mysticism in the teaching and work of UPF Founder Rev. Sun Myung Moon. In his encounters with God, he often senses a deep loneliness hoping that His counterpart, humankind, will respond to Him. God, heaven, and earth need one another in order to experience love. The loving God can be liberated when His object of love responds; thus, reciprocal relationships are essential to happiness, for humans and also for God. "Therefore, you can affirm with conviction that God cannot be happy without you!" he concluded.
The discussion of this topic indicated ways in which religious people can come closer to each other because there are many parallels and common points. It was a very moving interreligious gathering, and participants expressed interest in attending the next meeting.
Stuttgart
The Christian Science Church hosted the newly-established "House of Religions" of Stuttgart in celebration of the World Interfaith Harmony Week on February 4. The church building is situated on a hillside looking over the city center. It has a very impressive meeting hall for their services, and the only decoration in the front of the room is a sign with the words Gott is liebe [God is Love] written on it. A banner donated by UPF-Stuttgart proclaimed World Interfaith Harmony Week.
Even though this part of Europe is experiencing temperatures far below zero, over 40 guests attended the program. Volker Steinlein, a representative of the Christian Science Church, greeted all those attending and gave a short introduction, reading from the Bible and explaining a bit about their religious community.
After a song played on the organ, Hubert Arnoldi started his presentation. He is the chairman of UPF-Stuttgart, founder of the Interreligious Roundtable in Stuttgart, and the first chairman of the House of Religions in Stuttgart. He talked about the development of the House of Religions and explained its concerns. Cooperation and dialogue between the various religious groups are fundamental to the process of learning from one another, supporting each other, and generating trust. Mr. Arnoldi cited parts of the Manifesto of the Ecumenical Church Days in Munich last year which the House of Religions has integrated into its principles. Amazingly enough, the UN General Assembly also included these principles in their Resolution for the World Interfaith Harmony Week.
Following his talk, there was a special candle-lighting ceremony with seven representatives from different religions, accompanied by beautiful music on the organ. Mr. Samir El Midani, Muslim representative, closed the ceremony with a prayer.
Lutz Leverentz, representing Christian Science, then gave a PowerPoint presentation about their understanding of God. They believe that God is love, father and mother, life, mind, soul, spirit, and principle - the all in all. Goodness is real and evil is nothing. Sin is life without God. Jesus is a human being absolutely one with God's character, therefore giving him the ability to heal. Death, evil, sin, and sickness have nothing to do with God. Christian Science is based on four fundamental statements about God. Mary Baker Eddy used these four principles to develop the Christian Science teachings in the 19th century. The Bible is the foundation of their belief. He then went on to explain about her life and work. He also mentioned the role of prayer, repentance, baptism, and giving.
Volker Steinlein then ended the program with the Lord's Prayer.
Everyone enjoyed wonderful refreshments lovingly prepared by the women from the congregation.
For more information about World Interfaith Harmony Week, click here.
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