Bibimbap, meaning mixed rice,
is a common Korean dish. A bowl of warm rice is topped with seasoned
vegetables, chili pepper paste and, usually, an egg and ground beef,
tossed together before eating. On the left, representatives of seven of the largest religious groups in Korea gather before a container of bibimbap ingredients ready for mixing."
There was enough bibimbap for over a thousand in attendance at a field meet of the different religious groups which were later divided into a white and a blue team.
The white team was called 'communication'; the blue, 'harmony'. The
usual games and sports helped to break down some of the walls between
the different groups.
This is
the first time in Korea that such an event was held and it is a good
sign of what the different religious groups want to see happen. The
bishop-president of the Committee for Promoting Christian Unity & Inter-religious Dialogue for the Catholic bishops was elected
president of the Korean Conference of Religion and Peace (KCRP). At that time he said society has difficulty in accepting people in religion who are in conflict with each other. The different representatives all have the desire
that with these meetings there will be more activity in breaking down
some of the misunderstandings among religious people and nurturing more respect for the different doctrines and faiths.
The executive director of the KCRP told
those present that the meeting together of the different religions will
help build a religious culture that will strive for understanding of
one another.
The
Christian efforts at ecumenical meetings have been ongoing but meetings
of non-Christian religious orders with Christians is not something often
seen.
In the diocese of Incheon this month, the Anglican, Methodist, and Catholic choirs got together
at the Catholic cathedral for a concert. The Methodist choir sang for
the first segment of the concert, the Anglicans followed, and then the
Catholics. The fourth segment included the three choirs singing together. This will be repeated in November at the Methodist Church and then at the Anglican Church.
Efforts at trying to break down the walls between religions seem necessary if religion is to be a
force for understanding and love, something not readily seen in the
world today. These efforts will not go unnoticed and hopefully will be
imitated in other parts of the world.
The fear of many, of course, is that what is considered truth by one group may be compromised. Pope John
Paul said, however, that all religions should be saying: Yes, we
believe with our whole heart, but we do not want to impose anything we
propose. What is proposed should always be
offered with love and respect.