August 3, 2009

Southern California has long been on the front lines of religious and cultural diversity and the challenges and promises that brings.

Like the Iberian Peninsula in medieval times, where Muslims, Jews and Christians enjoyed periods of peaceful coexistence punctuated by war and intolerance, the record in Southern California has been mixed.

After the Sept. 11 attacks, Muslims and Muslim Americans across the country were subjected to threats and derogatory remarks, investigated by law enforcement and had their faith characterized as a "terrorist religion."

Locally, interfaith strains surfaced in 2006 when Jewish leaders objected to plans by the Los Angeles County Human Relations Commission to honor a prominent Muslim leader, Maher Hathout, who had spoken critically of Israel. Christian and Muslim leaders came to Hathout's defense, saying that he had long backed interfaith engagement and had spoken out against terrorism and radical Islam. The award was ultimately upheld, but some tensions remain.

Nonetheless, Southern California's Christians and Jews have spoken out in defense of Muslims on local issues, such as building a new mosque. Religious leaders have also joined a national campaign taking the U.S. government to task for what the leaders call state-sponsored torture. Catholics and Muslims have discussed immigration and the Koran's reverence for Jesus and Mary. Muslims have joined other faiths in programs that serve the poor, the hungry and battered women. Jewish organizations have helped fund education programs in Catholic schools. Religious leaders of all stripes meet together regularly

A new effort is unfolding among Christians and Muslims to build additional bridges at a time when President Obama has made reaching out to the Islamic world a national priority.
 

Click here to read the rest of the article