Skip to main content

Talking Faith

May 20, 2015
Jeffrey Bos (bottom right) guides the group discussions

Jeffrey Bos (bottom right) guides the group discussions

A group of 15 college students sit together in a circle on the floor. This group of friends represents three different faiths—Christians, Muslims, and Hindus—but it was not until recently that they could discuss the taboo subject of their differing beliefs with one another.

Over the past year, Jeffrey Bos, a CRWM missionary serving in Bangladesh, has been meeting with this group and guiding their discussions in partnership with a local organization. Together they are deepening their friendships by exploring one another’s scriptures.

This approach, known as Scriptural Reasoning, seeks not agreement but understanding and friendship. "As group members read scriptures together, they learn through other interpretations and discover how to articulate the power of their scriptures and build peaceful relationships," said Bos.

A recent session begins with some uneasiness. As the facilitators welcome the group, a few students mutter a response. It’s time to find a new way to break the tension.

The group splits into pairs, and soon the room comes to life with chatter and laughter. This continues until someone rings a bell. Now, as a larger group, participants share how they are feeling, many mentioning the initial feelings of tension.

The group then begins the Scriptural Reading process with a passage from the Quran. This particular passage mentions Moses and Isa (Jesus) as it discusses the theme of pride.

After the reading, Muslim students explain the meanings of Arabic terms and other background information that might be necessary. Christian students respond by sharing what the Bible says about this topic and how they interpret this Quranic passage.

"Interestingly, Christians were interpreting the Quran in the presence of Muslims," says Bos.

Next, the group reads a biblical passage about pride. A Hindu student responds, sharing that she appreciates how this particular biblical passage is clearer than the Quran.

"It was striking that one would venture such a critique and also an appreciation of another tradition's scripture," says Bos.

After the Bible reading, the group enters into a deep discussion. Participants from all three faith backgrounds contribute to the conversation and listen intently to each other's responses. They begin conversing about pride through other scriptural stories.

The facilitators also ask students to share personal stories that deal with pride. After a slight hesitation, a girl begins telling her story of how her pride separated her from other students. As she let go of this pride, she became more social.

This personal confession leads others to share their examples of wrestling with pride.

"The storytelling, explanations, and corrections went around like friends in conversation," says Bos. "These were friends, young people not formally educated in religion or overly versed in study of scripture. And they were digging into the texts, finding inspiration and mutual illumination and being transformed by reading each other’s scriptures together."

The group continues to meet every month with new topics and discussions. As the friends continue to deepen their relationship with one another, Jeffrey Bos sees these discussions as an opportunity learn more about what it means to be a witness in a pluralist and multifaith world.

"Both in the Bible and in history," he says, "God has used encounters with outsiders and other nations to call his people back to himself so that they can fulfill their missionary task to the world."

"Perhaps," he added, "our interfaith encounters and experiences in dialogue, such as with this group of friends in Bangladesh, can lead us to a deeper understanding and faith in Christ that will in turn enable us to befriend others and become witnesses to Christ with them."