Reporting November 24, 2009, for The New Your Times, Laurie Goodstein writes, "The minister said “unconditional love.” The sheik said “compassion.” And the rabbi said “oneness.” These core spiritual values animate what Spiritual Directors International members, Rabbi Ted Falcon, the Rev. Don Mackenzie, and Sheik Jamal Rahman describe as, “the spirituality of interfaith relations.”

Goodstein reports, "They call themselves the “interfaith amigos.” And while they do sometimes seem more like a stand-up comedy team than a trio of clergymen, they know they have a serious burden in making a case for interfaith understanding."

How did they get to this place?
What led them to engage and wrestle with their religious differences and become friends? Goodstein explains:

The three say they became close not by avoiding or glossing over their conflicts, but by running straight at them. They put everything on the table: the verses they found offensive in one another’s holy books, anti-Semitism, violence in the name of religion, claims by each faith to have the exclusive hold on truth, and, of course, Israel. ...
They began to meet weekly for spiritual direction, combining mutual support with theological reflection. Their families became acquainted over meals. They started an AM radio show, and they traveled together to Israel and the occupied territories. Recently, they wrote a book, Getting to the Heart of Interfaith.  

Interfaith Dialogue
Friends and members of Spiritual Directors International encounter Rabbi Ted Falcon, the Rev. Don Mackenzie, and Sheik Jamal Rahman through their contributions to the ministry and service of spiritual direction. The three have taught workshops at Spiritual Directors International educational events, write for SDI publications, and are featured in SDI YouTube videos.

In The New York Times article they explain, “One of the problems in the past with interfaith dialogue is we’ve been too unwilling to upset each other,” Rabbi Falcon told the crowd at the Second Presbyterian Church here. “We try to honor the truth. This is the truth for you, and this is the truth for me. It may not be reconcilable, but it is important to refuse to make the other the enemy.”

Their important interfaith dialogue and spiritual friendship nurtured through spiritual direction contributes to peace and justice in the world, growing compassion, love, and oneness in spite of differences. Our world is better because of their commitment to one another and their willingness to wrestle and articulate what they believe, "refusing to make the other the enemy."

What do you think?

Click here to read The New York Times article, Three Clergymen, Three Faiths, One Friendship. Please share your comments on this blog.

*Earlier this month, the "three amigos" were filmed for a PBS Religion and Ethics spiritual direction segment that will air in early 2010. A reflection about the filming is posted on the SDI blog. Read the SDI blog post.