Abraham Is Father of the Faith for Jews, Christians, Muslims

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2016 / THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS

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By Julie Zauzmer The Washington Post In 151 cities around the world, a Mormon temple stands as an icon ofmon- umental architecture, of bedrock faith and of inscrutability. Only Mormons can enter these strik- ing buildings in cities from Salt Lake City A month of to Silver Spring to Sao Paulo to Sydney. open houses But in Philadelphia, the 152nd city where gave the pub- the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day lic a chance Saints is opening a temple, members of to see inside the public had the rare opportunity to the 61,466- step inside. square-foot Philadelphia’s new temple, a 208-foot Church of granite edifice a block away from the Jesus Christ city’s grand Benjamin Franklin Parkway, of Latter- will be dedicated Sept. 18. Before its con- day Saints secration, the Mormons-only rule did not Temple in apply. A massive team of Mormon volun- Philadelphia. teers are eagerly seizing the opportunity The 152nd to show off their temple to outsiders, with Mormon tours for invited guests since late July and temple built a month of public open houses through- worldwide will out August. be dedicated A tour of the temple reveals not just the Sept. 18. lavish art and furnishings inside, but also (Katherine Frey/ the religious rituals the building’s layout The Washington shapes. Post) The temple contains no large worship hall as one in which a large church’s con- much the building cost, but spokeswoman gregation might gather. This is not where Kim Woodbury said it was paid for entire- Mormons hold their Sunday services; ly in cash, through members’ donations. those take place in chapels, open to any- Another primary purpose is weddings body. Instead, the building is filled with and other family binding ceremonies, small rooms, each decorated like a sump- such as adoptions, all called “sealings” in tuous hotel lobby. the Mormon church. In the sealing cham- ber, the couple getting married kneels on TOUR HIGHLIGHTS either side of a wood-and-marble altar, On the tour, a visitor passes a dizzying where they can grasp each other’s hands array of 62 chandeliers and 34 couches, while looking into two facing mirrors — not to mention countless upholstered creating the effect of an endless reflection, benches, chairs and pews. In contrast, the symbolizing that the spouses are bound to faithful who come to pray there are given each other for all eternity. identical plain white outfits to wear inside Temples tend to take architectural as they proceed through the rooms. cues from the cities in which they are On the ground floor: a baptismal font. placed. In Philadelphia, this is subtle (the Baptisms of Mormon children and of con- state flower worked into designs, stair verts take place in ordinary chapels, but railings inspired by those at the nearby Mormons may come to the temple to be Franklin Institute science museum) and baptized on behalf of their deceased rela- occasionally overt (a painting of local tives. They believe the relatives in heaven hero Benjamin Franklin signing the can choose whether to accept the baptism Declaration of Independence in the tem- and posthumously become Mormon. ple’s entrance hall). There’s an instruction room with an Morgan Miller, 20, another mission- organ, where Mormons can drop in any ary who came from Idaho to serve in time for a short worship service, usually Philadelphia, said the new temple will held hourly. Then, an all-yellow-and-gold offer more than the ordinary benefits of commitment room, where Mormons having a nearby shrine for any Mormon recite pledges to live by their faith. The baptismal font inside the new Mormon Temple rests on the backs of 12 bronze oxen, community. From there, visitors who come to pray which represent the 12 tribes of ancient Israel. The mural behind depicts the church’s It was in Philadelphia where two docu- at the temple proceed to the celestial founder Joseph Smith being baptized in the Susquehanna River — a scene chosen be- ments — the Declaration of Independence room, the only room without a ritual cause it happened in Pennsylvania. (Submitted by Welden C. Andersen) and the Constitution, with its Bill of Rights attached to it. Seated on one of the five enshrining freedom of religion — were flowered couches, beneath the glow of Tooele, Utah, to think. NOT PROSELYTIZING, BUT ... written, making Mormonism possible, as a two-story stained glass window and a “I could feel my heavenly father’s love While the tours aren’t meant for overt Miller sees it. Mormonism is a uniquely massive crystal chandelier, they spend for me in there,” she said. proselytizing, Fuelling said, many guests American religion, founded in upstate time in quiet contemplation amid the She decided to go — and was assigned have used the comment cards at the end New York with a theology that places the scent of huge bowls of fresh flowers. to serve her mission in Philadelphia. of the tour to ask for more information Garden of Eden in Missouri and believes Kaylie Brunsdale, 21, said she had Now, Brunsdale and her mission partner, about the Mormon church. Jesus traveled to America after his resur- a lot of questions for God while she Chelsea Fuelling, 23, of Sandy, Utah, stand The temple will be staffed almost rection. was consideringGrand Rapids serving Press a Mormon - 09/08/2016 outside the templeCopy explaining Reduced the to new80% fromentirely original by to a fit crew letter of 800page volunteers, most “The church itself wouldn’tPage be: B01 here mission. Every other week, she would building to curious Philadelphians and of whom put in five to 10 hours of work without what happened in Philadelphia,” go to a temple near her home town of inviting them to sign up for a tour. per week. The church won’t say how Miller said.

INTERFAITH INSIGHT Abraham is father of the faith for Jews, Christians, Muslims

By Douglas Kindschi you, and make your name great, sion to Allah and is considered scripture. Sibling conflict also the focus of our attention. But we Director, Kaufman Interfaith Institute so that you will be a blessing.” one of the prophets. As one of the appears between Isaac and also can choose to find what we udaism, Christianity (Genesis 13:2) most frequently named persons Ishmael, Jacob and Esau, and the have in common and seek har- Jand Islam are called the For Christians, Abraham is in the Quran, Abraham is called a brothers of Joseph who sold him mony, understanding and peace. Abrahamic faiths, because seen as the “father of the faith” friend of God and an example for into slavery. Much of what is at stake is each tradition sees Abraham as a and is honored for his obedience. all mankind. But we also note that within in reality more political than pivotal figure in its history. The Apostle Paul expands the If all three religions call each of the separate traditions religious. It is the task of the For Jews, Abraham is seen concept of being a descendent of Abraham the father of the faith, there are divisions that can lead interfaith effort to contribute as the one from Abraham when he writes in his howisitthatthese three “chil- to violence. Whether it is Sunni to the healing of some of these whom all Jews letter to the Galatians: “So also dren of Abraham” are so often in vs. Shi’a Muslims, or Catholics vs. divisions. While the political divi- are descended. Abraham believed God, and it conflict? Is it just sibling rivalry Protestants in Northern Ireland, sions might seem insurmount- Abraham is the was credited to him as righteous- or are the three in fundamental tensions within can be as volatile able, the religious divisions can father of Isaac ness.” disagreement? as conflicts between religious be addressed as we seek to rec- and grandfather Understand, then, that those communities. ognize the image of God in some- of Jacob, who is who have faith are children of SIBLING RIVALRY TURNS While one can find differences one who might not look like me, renamed Israel Abraham. Scripture foresaw God TO VIOLENCE between and within these three have the same color skin as me, and whose 12 Kindschi would justify the Gentiles by faith Jonathan Sacks in his recent Abrahamic traditions, there is dress like me or worship like me. sons represent and announced the gospel in book, “Not in God’s Name: also much in common. All three We are all children of God, the tribes of Israel. advance to Abraham: “All nations Confronting Religious Violence,” acknowledge God as the creator made in God’s image. We may Abraham is called by God to go will be blessed through you.” points to the stories of sibling of the universe, believe that not think alike or understand into a new land and in a covenant So those who rely on faith are rivalry and even fratricide in our humans are created in the image God in the same way, yet we are is declared to be the “father of blessed along with Abraham, the scriptures. In Genesis, we read of God, teach that we must be called to love each other. That is multitudes.” In Genesis, the first man of faith. (Galatians 3:6-9, NIV) of the first act of worship where kind to the stranger, and preach the core of interfaith understand- book of the Torah, God makes In Islam, Abraham, called the difference offerings by the humility and the importance of ing. this promise: “I will make you Ibrahim in the Quran, is honored two brothers, Cain and Abel, led love and forgiveness. The differ- — Contact: interfaith@gvsu. a great nation, and I will bless for his obedience and submis- to the first recorded murder in ences are apparent and can be edu