One of the challenges in a global world is managing diversity. Diversity in geographies and time zones. On a deeper level diversity in language, culture, core beliefs, faiths and religions.
BRIDGING DIVERSITY
In the corporate world we see technology bridging diversity and differences. Take for instance how an email and Skype conversation can bridge distances in cyber time. A field growing in popularity today are training programs for cross culture management, gender sensitivity, living ethics based on the value on strong respect for the individual.
One interesting and equally important field is inter religious dialogue. As one author remarked emphasizing the value of inter religious conversations, ” How many wars have been fought in the name of religions? And the opposite is true, how many good fruits result from understanding each other’s religion?
INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE
One global exponent of inter-religious dialogue is the Focolare Movement, found in 170 countries, whose charism is to make the happen the words of Jesus, “Father that all may be one”.
Recently I had the grace to attend the Pan Asiatic conference held in Tagaytay City sponsored by the Focolare Movement’s School for Oriental Religions on the theme of “love of neighbor in Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and Christianity”. The over 150 participants coming from all over Asia ended the 3 day workshop feeling truly blessed.
The main element of the dialogue was placed in the context of the universal plan of love of God who embraces all mankind. It was a dialogue of love, as Chiara Lubich says, as “a concrete testimony of the love taken directly from the gospel, to which everybody is open, as it were the answer to the natural vocation to love of every human being”.
POWERFUL LESSONS
The seminar gave me a number of powerful lessons.
One is the appreciation and admiration for the ideas and practices of the other great religions and the deep conviction to live Christianity ever better.
Two, are the similarities in thought and beliefs that can unite us. For example among Buddhist there is a concept on love of neighbor that is the Buddha’s compassion. It is the spirit of friendship that gives pleasure or joy to others. It also means taking away suffering and giving happiness.
In Hinduism, the belief is all of us are children of God. So we are related to God and all other living beings because all of us are created by God. If we love God we love His creation. This is how love of neighbor is understood.
In Islam, love of neighbor is understood in the context of the need for people to understand one another. Neighbors are the immediate people near us other than ourselves and our families. Traditionally, it would mean forty houses around the circumference of the family residence.
In Christianity, love of neighbor is contained in the greatest commandment, to love God, with your whole heart, soul and mind and to love the neighbor as yourself. It is a love that leads to mutuality of love.
Three, is the realization of the immense love of God for humankind. Through the centuries, He planted the seeds of truths in major faiths and religions that have guided men through the centuries. When people live their faiths with sincerity and authenticity then they journey towards discovering the Source of all truths.
ALL PART OF HUMANITY
At work with people, discovering how we are similar and diverse allows us to grow in respect for the love of God who created unique designs for all of us. At the same time all of us are part of humanity.
If we Filipinos want to leverage the opportunities that an Asian century promises, we cannot help but learn how to appreciate the faiths of people in our neighboring countries. In every training or consulting engagement, we can engage in respectful dialogue confident that as we live our faith, we can honor other people’s faith as well.
[Tita Datu Puangco is the President and CEO of Ancilla Enterprise Development Consulting, an innovative provider of Organization Development and Training solutions in the ASEAN region. These solutions include strategy development and execution, managing change breakthroughs, brand management, innovation and human resource systems. For your letters/ feedback, kindly email: tita.datu76@gmail.com). For other inquiries, please call 8810-3129/0920-9218332/0917-8348176]
