Islam and the West: Annual Report on the State of Dialogue

Box 6.2
Commonalities Across Traditions
Peter Bisanz
Peter Bisanz is <strong>the</strong> director of ONE, a documentary film that explores <strong>the</strong> contemporary role of faith in <strong>the</strong> world.
He is a Young Global Leader of <strong>the</strong> World Economic Forum.
Human beings are unique among creatures in <strong>the</strong>ir capacity to create meaning out of <strong>the</strong>ir life experience. We weave
stories that inform how we interpret our existence, <strong>the</strong> civilizations we form <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> natural world around us.
For <strong>the</strong> production of <strong>the</strong> documentary film ONE, I had <strong>the</strong> fortunate opportunity to interview religious leaders, politicians
<strong>and</strong> luminaries from all over <strong>the</strong> world about difficult questions facing our age today.
As <strong>the</strong> former president of Iran, Mohammad Khatami, noted: “All of <strong>the</strong>se religions – Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism,
<strong>Islam</strong> – are <strong>the</strong> religions of peace. So we have to get out of <strong>the</strong> conventional approach to religion to get to <strong>the</strong> roots
of <strong>the</strong>se religions. We all share <strong>the</strong> one <strong>and</strong> only thing, which is peace <strong>and</strong> stability for all human beings, free will of
humankind; so we will be able to live, all of us, in a more secure, in a more better-deserved way of life. For everyone.”
If religions agree on common guiding principles – to honour <strong>the</strong> dignity of all human beings – <strong>the</strong>n why has <strong>the</strong> face of
religion been disfigured, in <strong>the</strong> modern age, to represent violence, corruption, <strong>and</strong> extremism in <strong>the</strong> eyes of many ?
The disconnect that exists between <strong>the</strong> peaceful crux of religion <strong>and</strong> widespread contemporary perceptions of it as
intolerant <strong>and</strong> potentially violent has everything to do with politics.
Nationalism <strong>and</strong> national identity often overshadow religious identity. Political conflict often masquerades as religious
<strong>and</strong> ethnic intolerance. Wars are often waged over <strong>the</strong> inequitable distribution of resources yet blamed on alleged cultural
<strong>and</strong> religious differences. Supposedly fixed identities are <strong>the</strong>n used as a way of dehumanizing <strong>the</strong> enemy.
Some of this dynamic is evident at <strong>the</strong> level of personal identity. Rabbi David Rosen elucidated this issue in my interview
with him when he said: “Because religion seeks to give meaning to our lives, it’s bound up with all <strong>the</strong> components of
our underst<strong>and</strong>ing of who we are; as individuals, as members of families, of communities, of nations, peoples; even
as part of <strong>the</strong> whole cosmos. And when, in those contexts, we feel threatened or under siege, or lacking in respect or
alone <strong>and</strong> humiliated, <strong>the</strong>n we will utilize that which seeks to give meaning to defend ourselves.”
Much of this complexity is lost when contemporary <strong>Islam</strong> is under discussion. Ra<strong>the</strong>r than focus on <strong>Islam</strong>’s message
of peace observers highlight fundamentalists <strong>and</strong> extremists who lash out against <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong>. John L. Esposito, University
Professor <strong>and</strong> Founding Director of <strong>the</strong> Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Underst<strong>and</strong>ing at Georgetown
University noted in his interview: “For many people when <strong>the</strong>y think of <strong>Islam</strong>, <strong>the</strong>y think of <strong>the</strong> deadly minority of extremists
within <strong>the</strong> tradition. And <strong>the</strong> vast majority of Muslims are seen through that lens, which is a distorted lens. Now we
don't do that with Judaism <strong>and</strong> Christianity. When acts of extremism are committed in <strong>the</strong> name of Judaism <strong>and</strong>
Christianity, most people don't say, 'There go those Christians <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>re go those Jews again.' They may say, 'There
are those extremists'.”
Thus our challenge in <strong>the</strong> modern age is twofold – to reclaim <strong>the</strong> roots of religions as an access to spiritual principles
of unity <strong>and</strong> peace, <strong>and</strong> to facilitate progressive dialogue between <strong>Islam</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong>. Both challenges are related.
And <strong>the</strong>y must be met head-on.
<strong>Islam</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong>: <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> on <strong>the</strong> State of Dialogue Education <strong>and</strong> Intercultural Underst<strong>and</strong>ing
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