As Americans gear up for the Thanksgiving holiday many ecumenical, and in some contexts, interfaith celebrations are organized to demonstrate that there is some common ground among faiths. Gathering in one voice seems to state that, we can all agree that as people of faith we all give thanks to a higher power. It seems that if there is a day or time of the year in which people of different faiths would gather together in prayer it would be for Thanksgiving.
This is a National holiday and secular holiday. Is there a concern that the time in which we are most likely to gather together it would be on a secular holiday?
Is there a danger that by gathering this time of year promotes "civil religion" or "patriotism" over the diversity that exist in the unity God has given to us?
Our worship does have ethical implications. If in any given community, the only time and reason various Christian traditions and other faiths gather together is for a single prayer service only to retreat to our separate quarters when it is over says more about our division than our unity.
Maybe what these celebrations are trying to emulate is what happens in many homes throughout the country on Thanksgiving Day. If this holiday, is a day in which we gather and eat with family and friends we normally can not stand, and this feast serves as a day in which we demonstrate tolerance towards those who normally annoy us. Judging by how many faith communities fail to engage each other as sisters and brothers or even as neighbors, the common prayer service around Thanksgiving then becomes more about tolerance than a celebration of unity.
As Christians, we are called to be peacemakers and are entrusted to be ambassadors of the ministry of reconciliation. As we reflect on all that we have to be thankful for may it motivate us to create tables of dialogue, common service and witness in the community throughout the year.
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