Was habe ich gelernt? Unter Anderem: Nicht die Gebote
befolgen, DAMIT Gott mich liebt, sondern WEIL Gott die Menschen liebt und wir Gott
lieben wollen, mit ganzem Herzen und der ganzen Kraft unseres Glaubens, den er
uns geschenkt hat. Manches lässt sich nur mit dem Herzen verstehen und deshalb kaum
in Worte fassen. Und vielleicht sollen wir ja auch immer weiter im Gespräch
bleiben – auch wenn es ab und zu ein Streitgespräch ist. Aus zwei gegensätzlichen
Ansichten kann wieder Neues entstehen.
Ich habe wieder viel gelernt – in den Vorträgen, in den Gesprächen,
am Länderabend, in der liberalen Moschee … – über die Kulturen der „Anderen“
und über meinen eigenen Glauben. Mehr Zeit hätten wir gut gebrauchen können. Freizeit kam
diesmal arg zu kurz und wäre sicher genutzt worden, sich noch besser
kennenzulernen.
*** So much
diversity is unusual even for a European Bible Dialogue. 31 people between 19
and 80, from different professions (pastor, pedagogue, policeman, student…)
from Germany (east and west), Latvia, Estonia, Sweden, Syria, Afghanistan and
Bosnia and Herzegovina, mostly Christian but also some Muslim and one Jewish… I
cannot begin to tell of the diversity in personal biographies. English was the
language we used to build bridges of communication but we soon realized that we
shared a more universal language: our desire to learn and a kind of loving
curiosity for one another. So all puppies and kittens? Well, not quite. In
our discussions on what is new in our world, in our societies – which may be
irritating or even scary – we found a basis that connects us but also grounds
for dispute.
So what did
I learn? Among much else: Not to follow the commandments in order to make God
love me, but BECAUSE God loves us and we want to love God back with all our
hearts and minds and all the strength that our faith - which God gave us. Some things
can only be understood with our hearts, and so it is hard to find words. And
maybe we are meant to keep discussing even arguing. Two opposing views may yet
lead to something new.
There was
much to learn – in lectures, discussions, the shared experiences among this
group, at the liberal Mosque… - about the “other” cultures and about my own.
More time would have been good, there was so little free time which, I am sure
would have been used for getting to know one another even better.