海角视频

On January 9, 海角视频 hosted Dr. Eboo Patel for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Remembrance installment of the Colloquy Speakers Series. Patel, founder and executive director of the Chicago-based Interfaith Youth Core, is an interfaith scholar and member of President Barack Obama鈥檚 Advisory Council of the White House Office of Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

Patel鈥檚 presentation focused on the civil rights movement led by Dr. King in the 1950s and 1960s and the interfaith influences on Dr. King鈥檚 philosophy of non-violence. Patel illustrated how Dr. King 鈥渆xpands his idea of a beloved community鈥� by interacting with leaders of different religions, including Gandhi and Thich Nhat Hanh. Patel painted a vivid story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott and how non-violent protest over the 382-day boycott ultimately led the campaign to success in ending segregation on city buses.

Just as King interacted with those around him in interfaith dialogue, Patel encouraged students to engage in deep interfaith discussions, even though disagreement is unavoidable. 鈥淏ring it all,鈥� said Patel in describing how much of one鈥檚 beliefs should be shared with others.

Patel, a practicing Muslim, spent time acknowledging the important contributions Adventists can make when building a 鈥渨orld in common,鈥� especially noting the values of stewardship and diversity. Patel also gave the gathered audience a challenge: in a time of global religious conflict, to see faith as a 鈥渂ridge of reconciliation, not a bomb of destruction.鈥� Patel called on the students to be leaders. 鈥淏ridges don鈥檛 fall from the sky鈥攑eople build them,鈥� he added.

Just as Martin Luther King, Jr. took the opportunity to find inspiration in other faith communities, Patel argued for finding things in common with others by asking four questions: 鈥淗ow can I find something I admire, something in common?鈥� 鈥淗ow can I articulate my tradition?鈥� 鈥淗ow am I enriched and inspired?鈥� and 鈥淲hat can we do together?鈥� Asking these questions does not mean diminishing our personal religious tradition, Patel asserted. Dr. King had 鈥渋nterfaith wings, but deep Baptist roots.鈥�

In conclusion, Patel extended an invitation: 鈥淵ou bring your Adventist advantage, I will bring the mercies of my Muslim tradition, and together we will build a world in common.鈥�