David Zvi Epstein, a 19-year-old student studying theology at McGill University, has kick-started interfaith religious dialogues at Concordia. He initiated a Jewish-Christian public forum at the beginning of this month and moderates the weekly discussions every Monday.
In the open forum on religion, Epstein is focusing on self-reflection and self-questioning in the context of religious activities and beliefs. Each forum focuses on a specific theme; the sessions include a half hour presentation and a 15-minute question-and-answer period. The inaugural meeting on Nov. 6 featured a parallel text study of both a Christian and Jewish holiday.
“My basic attitude towards interfaith dialogue has a lot to do with how we ask questions about religion,” said Epstein.
“There are a couple of ways you can ask a question,” he said. “In Judaism this comes across as, ‘Why am I doing this and not this? ‘ The second question gives you a better perspective because you are not just asking questions in a vacuum – you are asking them in relation to something else.”
For Epstein, the process of self-questioning is important in a society where there are so many choices to make. He believes that making choices based on religion build confidence if properly understood and shared within a community.
Julie Eisen, Concordia’s Hillel Cultural and Religious student association co-chair, firmly believes that learning about other religions promotes peace.
“In order for us to become more tolerant and respectful of each other, we have to learn all the religions around us,” she said. “In general, religious aspects tend to be ignored when [we] speak about solutions and peace, [but] religion is what unites us.”
Eisen attended the first interfaith dialogue to learn more about other religions, which she believes is important in a community. “There are many shared values between the two religions which we are not all aware of. I want to know more about Christianity and I want to share my religion [Judaism] with others around me.”
Epstein said that, “There are elements of Christianity which have defined themselves in relation to Judaism and vice versa.”
Although the forum focuses on religion, it does not address issues such as the Holocaust or religious persecution, but concentrates on the self in the context of religion and society.
“It [the forum] is beyond the persecution aspect,” said Epstein, who believes that they should avoid focusing on “politically charged issues” such as Judaism in the Middle East.
He admits, though, that politics are hard to avoid. “I think any time you sit with a group of people and talk about something that has to do with differences, there is going to be something political in the sense that you are talking to a group of people that are not you, and you have to see them face to face.”
Epstein wants to focus on Christian and Jewish theories, similarities and differences. “It’s important to me to not be taken up with Christian apologetics, or rationalization of why there was so much persecution in the past 2,000 years. [Those are] big issues, but it is not the focus. I want to focus on more religious aspects, putting it in those political terms ends up charging it and people having less to say.”