As part of Boston University’s first annual Unity and Community Week, students, under the guidance of a rabbi and a priest, examined peace through the lens of religion Thursday evening at the Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground.
Originally billed as a talk between religious leaders from three of the world’s most prominent religions, “A Rabbi, Reverend and Imam Talk About Peace” was without its imam following a scheduling issue.
The talk clarified many of the unifying characteristics between the two remaining influential creeds, and among them was the pursuit of peace.
HTC Director Katherine Kennedy said human beings strive to achieve peace in all aspects life and, at the event, attendees were encouraged to approach peace religiously.
“As human beings we all say we want peace, whether that it’s a reverend or a contestant on the Miss America contest who, when they ask what they want, they say ‘peace,’” Kennedy said. “It is something from the beginning of time all of humanity has sought, fought and died for.”
The desire for peace spans time and culture, Kennedy said, and has long provoked passionate advocacy.
Reverend Julian Cook, a Master of Divinity candidate at the BU School of Theology, spoke at the event and highlighted Christianity’s longstanding tradition of social justice and the pursuit of equality. He implored the audience to recognize the less fortunate.
“On a daily basis, who do we pass by, on a daily basis, on our way through life, that we never seem to help,” Cook said. “Whose humanity is so base, that we do not see them in our daily lives? Whose lives are so invaluable, that dogs pay them more attention than us?”
Cook added that he recognizes the ill effects religion has had on society, but cautioned against writing off faith completely.
“We have to be very careful, and mindful, that there are some things that can be very problematic, very destructive,” Cook said. “Religion is so powerful, for good and for evil — because it is one of the deepest cries of the human heart. You do not get a Martin Luther King, you do not get a Howard Thurman, without a strong religious background.”
Rabbi Yehoshua Dovid Schwartz also spoke at the event, saying that he values religious conversation that does not devolve into arguments.
“Unity means we can recognize the basic values that we agree on, and we don’t have to pick apart the things we don’t,” Schwartz said. “On a global scale with a lot of dispute between these three groups, I think at their core, we probably share a lot more in common than we have to dispute.”
BU Hillel Director of Student Life Ethan Sobel said that this is the kind of dialogue he hoped students would have. He said students must not shy away from discussing polarizing topics.
“I hope that students figure out that this is their time, that this is their community, and they get to make it what they want it to be,” Sobel said. “We’re not here to try to make BU a perfect place, or even to make the [United States] a perfect place. Students have to realize that if they’re not speaking out, they’re not part of the conversation. If you’re silent, you’re letting other people run your community, your life, and that’s certainly not what BU’s about.”
Several attendees said the event illuminated the shared values between sometimes seemingly oppositional religions.
Taiba Zahir, a junior in the Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, said she felt welcomed into the space and conversation.
“I learned a lot about values that are universal, values that come in all religions,” Zahir said. “I think it was a reminder of how important it is to just be a good person.”
Amal Hechehouche, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences, said she received knowledge from the UCW, regardless of the fact that she does not consider herself a religious person.
“It’s always interesting to hear different interpretations about things we have our preconceptions about,” she said. “You can’t just judge someone by your immediate reaction. You have to get others’ perspective, and think about what religion was really meant to be, and what can we take away from it that’s positive.”
TeAndrea Jackson, a junior in CAS, said though she is also not particularly religious, she appreciated the talk’s educational value.
“It’s always interesting to see Abrahamic faiths come together to find common ground. It’s really important for me to hear how other people view their faith,” Jackson said. “As an outsider, it’s very interesting to see how people think about their god.”
