<Opening Presentation to Interfaith Thanksgiving Service>
As we gather to give thanks in this Interfaith Service,
It’s clear from the very name
That we’ve made our spiritual homes
in different faith communities.
For many of us the choice was made
for us, by our birth into a particular family.
For all of us, we firmly believe that
our own particular faith is the right
faith,
Or we would have moved on.
But we also believe in religious
tolerance,
And we believe in loving our brothers
and sisters regardless of their religious beliefs
—and even if they have no religious
beliefs.
What I’d like to read for you are
excerpts
from a Catholic document regarding
different groups within the People of God.
It came out of a worldwide meeting of
bishops in 1964—the Second Vatican
Council.
So it is, of course,
written from the Catholic perspective.
But I think if you reorder the groups
according to your own perspective,
You’ll see it’s a good expression of
an interfaith spirit
and a hope for a common spiritual
home that we can all share.
The document is called Lumen Gentium, Latin for The Light of the Nations.
Its official title is the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church.
And the section I’m quoting from is
titled The People of God:
It says:
At all times and in every race
God has given welcome to whosoever [respects]
Him
and does what is right.
God, however, does not make men holy
and save them
merely as individuals,
without bond or link between one
another.
Rather has it pleased Him to bring men
together as one people,
a people which acknowledges Him in
truth
and serves Him in holiness.
Though there are many nations there is
but one people of God,
which takes its citizens from every
race,
making them citizens of a kingdom
which is of a heavenly rather than of
an earthly nature.
And there belong to or are related to
it in various ways,
the Catholic faithful,
all who believe in Christ,
and indeed the whole of mankind,
for all men are called by the grace of
God to salvation.
They are fully incorporated in the society
of the Church who, possessing the Spirit of Christ, accept her entire system
and all the means of salvation given to her.
The Church recognizes that in many ways
she is linked with those who,
being baptized, are honored with the
name of Christian,
though they do not profess the faith in
its entirety
or do not preserve unity with the [Church
of Rome].
They share with us in prayer and other
spiritual benefits.
We can say that in some real way
they
are joined with us in the Holy Spirit,
for to them too He gives His gifts and
graces.
Finally, those who have not yet
received the Gospel
are related in various ways to the
people of God.
In the first place we must recall the [Jewish]
people
to whom the testament and the promises
were given
and from whom Christ was born according
to the flesh.
[This] people remains most dear to God,
for God does not repent of the gifts He
makes
nor of the calls He issues.
But the plan of salvation also includes
those who acknowledge the Creator.
In the first place amongst these there
are the Mohamedans,
who, professing to hold the faith of
Abraham,
along with us adore the one and
merciful God.
Nor is God far distant from those who
in shadows and images
seek the unknown God,
for it is He who gives to all men life
and breath and all things,
and as Savior wills that all men be
saved.
Those also can attain to salvation who
through no fault of their own
do not know the Gospel of Christ...,
yet sincerely seek God
and ... strive by their deeds to do His
will
as it is known to them through the
dictates of conscience.
Nor does Divine Providence deny the
helps necessary for salvation to those who, without blame on their part,
have not yet arrived at an explicit
knowledge of God
[yet] strive to live a good life.
