Hardly a day goes by that something doesn't cause me to wonder about the nature of faith, something read or a casual remark overheard or an item on the nightly news. Sometimes, my spirit is plunged into new depths of frustration and concern. At other times I feel inspired toward nobler thoughts and greater service.

So, I wonder about the broad range of experiences related to religion. Many people have struggled with some aspect of organized religion; many are deeply troubled by the violence caused by a difference of belief; and many others have received strength and comfort from their faith.

One of the goals of the Interfaith Alliance Hawaii is to create more opportunities for a positive experience with religion. A bit of wisdom from a familiar faith tradition states that “;it makes no difference as to the name of God, since love is the real God of all the world.”; As you ponder the source of that phrase, I'll reflect a little more about the possibilities of unity amidst our diversity.

On the positive side, our island community has witnessed cooperation between religious groups who have different beliefs on some important common concerns, e.g. homelessness, eco-justice, domestic violence and anti-gambling. There has even been amicable conversation on the divisive issues of civil unions and physician-assisted dying.

On the negative side, we still hear statements that proclaim a particular belief system as having the absolute truth. This is why the separation of church and state is such an important concept or, as stated in this age of pluralism, the separation of religion and government.

As we move further into the 21st century, I hope one of the primary focal points of all religions will be how we can work together to create a better community. This is closely connected to another important emphasis: that is, having genuine respect for all faith traditions. For TIAH this means moving beyond tolerance to complete acceptance. We honor the truth found in all religions and embrace the wisdom of their teachings and the richness of their spiritual practice.

Individual members of TIAH follow their personal beliefs without any fear of their faith being compromised or diminished by this inclusive approach to religion. We have too much in common to be deterred by different expressions of belief. As His Holiness the Dalai Lama has said, “;My religion is kindness.”;

That brings me back to the statement about the name of God being love. It's an Apache proverb from the American Indian religious tradition. Kindness and love are values all religions hold in common and, as such, should provide a foundation for unity and for communities of justice and harmony.

The Interfaith Alliance wants to be a progressive voice in Hawaii promoting the positive healing role of religion in public life by encouraging dialogue, challenging extremism and facilitating nonviolent community activism.

The Rev. John Heidel is president of the Interfaith Alliance Hawaii, a United Church of Christ minister and a member of Christ Church, Uniting Disciples and Presbyterians, in Kailua.