Unity Unexpected
Steven Bell, the author of this piece (back row, second from left), with his group.
Steven Bell, CSP
The past summer, I was graced with the opportunity for ecumenical and interreligious education in two very different locations. The first was in Israel where I participated in a month-long summer program hosted by the Tantur Ecumenical Institute. The second came in Geneva, Switzerland in a month-long interfaith community- building program hosted by the World Council of Churches Ecumenical Institute at Bossey. The two programs were vastly different experiences; however, they had one thing in common: in each, an unexpected form of unity occurred. In this issue of Koinonia I will tell the story of my experience at Tantur, and in the Spring issue, relate my month at Bossey.
Israel
I passed through the second security access point at the airplane gate in Newark’s Airport to prepare to board the plane for my overnight flight to Israel. I was excited by the prospects and a bit anxious, yet curious, at not knowing what to expect. Once I cleared security, I walked into the crowded gate that was seemingly segregated by faith. A row of Hassidic Jewish Rabbis were praying, chanting, and rocking along the westward wall. In another corner, a group of Muslim men performing their salat prayer were kneeling on mats facing in the direction following the arrow on the northeast wall pointing to the Qibla. In another area was a small contingent of Christians who were praying in a manner akin to the Catholic Intercessory Prayer form, for after each intention uttered by the leader , the group responded with an “Amen”. It was truly a sight to behold!
My first days at Tantur were spent acclimatizing to my new surroundings, culture, and the wonderful ecumenical group of Christians with whom I spent my month. The group was comprised of clergypersons, teachers, lay ministers, professionals and administrators from Catholic, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Mennonite, United Church of Christ, and Orthodox traditions.
The ecumenical nature of the group was enhanced by its multiculturalism. There were twenty-three of us. We came from the U.S. (I was one of five), Canada, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, and England. It was a horizon- broadening opportunity on a multitude of levels.
The surprise for me, however, was that what was in the brochure—study program and tours of the Holy Land—became a profoundly personal experience. In the end, the unexpected gift was to discover the value of ecumenical friendships, and to grow in our appreciation for the gifts and ministries given to us in the one church of Christ.
During the orientation, we were told about the major program components: daily classes on themes in theology, religion, and spirituality related to the Holy Land; tours covering most of Israel; and entering into the prayer life of the house. We were informed that we would be working together to plan ecumenical prayer services. It would be an opportunity for all of us to benefit from the vast expertise of ministry represented within the group.
We would regularly gather for both formal meetings and after dinner conversation in the “Bethlehem Room,” so named for the picturesque view of Bethlehem through the large window.
Special Sites
In our tours of the Holy Lands, there were three sites that held special significance for me: the Haas Promenade, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and the Pool of Siloam.
Our tour of Israel began with a visit to the Haas Promenade which offered a stunning view of Jerusalem and the Old City, Mount Scopus, upon which the Hebrew University sits, and the amazing Mount of Olives. Haas Promenade is regarded as a special place among the Abrahamic religions. The Jewish people regard it as the place where Abraham was shown Mount Moriah, where he was to sacrifice his son, Isaac. The Christians regard it as the “Hill of Evil Counsel” as it represents the place where Jesus met with the Sanhedrin who put Him on trial. The Muslims regard it as the place where Omar first beheld the beauty of Jerusalem and considered it to be the city of God. I remember getting off the bus and seemingly hovering over to the edge to soak in the overwhelmingly surreal panorama. It was at this moment that I remember thinking and saying, “I cannot believe that I am actually here!”
Our tour of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher was the apex of our first look inside the walls of Jerusalem. Standing outside of the doors, I was awestruck at the fact that I was about to see the site where Christ died. I walked in the doors and up to see Golgotha, which was encased in fiberglass to prevent more chiseling thefts. The crest of the rock was under an altar which is traditionally reverenced by visitors. I continued to wander aimlessly along the corridors of the dark, yet profound, church, oblivious to the pertinent information from all of the tour guides. I wanted to simply be present in the space and moment.
I ended up at the remarkable tomb of Jesus. The line to get inside was wrapped around the tomb. I waited patiently in line and entered with a group of six Greek Orthodox priests who wanted to pray as a group inside the tomb. The leader of the group motioned for me to enter into the small inner sanctum of the tomb first. Then they filed in and knelt. The orchestration happened so fast I almost felt as if I were being trapped inside. I was jammed into the corner of the tomb while six priests began to pray in Greek. And, as quickly as they moved in, once they finished their prayer, they moved out.
There I was, alone in the space where Jesus rose from the dead. It was one of the most peaceful and powerful moments of my life! I thanked God for my life and my calling. I thanked the Holy Spirit for being my source of true love and liberty. I made my promise to Jesus Christ to be as a good a priest as he would empower me to be. Ironically, I was more alive when I walked out of that tomb than when I walked in! One privilege that I will never forget was singing a solo in a chapel facing the tomb for the Mass with students and faculty from Notre Dame about a week later.
About one year ago, excavators currently uncovering remnants of the City of David hit the edge of the supposed Pool of Siloam, which is referred to twice in the Holy Scriptures. Once as the emptying point of waters of Gihon Springs diverted through Hezekiah’s tunnel in Nehemiah 3:15, and again as the site where Jesus told the blind man to wash after the restoration of his sight in John 9:6-7. The pool is probably 1/3 excavated with the rest of the excavation halted due to property disputes. The Pool of Siloam became my spiritual oasis, the place where sitting and reflecting came easiest for me.
Special Experiences
The two experiences that most impacted me were shared prayer services and the 40th anniversary celebration held at Tantur.
As I stated above, our group was asked to pair off ecumenically and lead a prayer service during our time together. I was selected to be a partner to a Presbyterian minister, Rev. Elizabeth. We were initially drawn together by our love for singing. She, her husband (also a minister), and I became good friends over our time together. Rev. Elizabeth was a delight to work with. Our first service was an interreligious call to unity, where we took excerpts from the sacred writings and prayers of various religions that called for unity, and had them prayed antiphonally with a short sung refrain in between.
The second was a service that was to highlight some of the challenges to unity and a call for each of us to discern how we will respond to that challenge as pastoral ministers. The idea came to us from our visits to various churches of different Christian denomination and hearing details about how they manage in a land where unity can seem so distant. We both decided that the pursuit of unity had to be part of our pilgrimage and ongoing mission. It was my first time having a formal opportunity to organize an ecumenical prayer service with someone outside of my tradition. Both were prayerful experiences and provided me with a model to use in my future planning of such events.
The 40th anniversary of – depending on whether you speak from a Palestinian or Israeli point of view—the “unification” or “reunification” of Israel was being celebrated during our stay and Tantur was playing host to one of the larger celebration sites. Tantur’s neutral political position in Israel made it the perfect host for a creative and ongoing dialogue to unfold. The event was a collection of music, poetry, arts, crafts, and lectures that spoke of ongoing and burgeoning efforts of unity between the two nations and the continuing challenges they face. The exposition was powerful as mostly young adults creatively and poignantly expressed their difficult yet stalwart drive toward unity through song lyrics, film, oration, and craft. Through it all, hope shone through.
These events and places are but a few of the unforgettable treasures that stand out in my head and heart. Visit Israel at least once in your lifetime--it will change you for the better!
Paulist deacon Steven Bell, CSP, will be ordained this June in Washington. For more info on Tantur programs, see www. tantur.org
|
