(Unsplash/Alex Shute)
As a woman religious and spiritual leader of global significance, Sr. Joan Chittister came into contact with members of other faith traditions around the world. One of the results was the book, Welcome to the Wisdom of the World and Its Meaning for You, which understands those traditions in contemporary circumstances.
In this episode Joan describes how she came to understand the significance of other traditions. "These are the deepest, most ancient religious and spiritual traditions that the world has to offer. And in every one of them, you have to ask yourself: 'Do you believe in God?' If you believe in God, so do they, and how, if you believe in the one God, how can you not imagine, then, that God is speaking to every one of us in another tongue, in other symbols, at other moments of both asceticism and celebration."
Those convictions carry with them practical implications. In Joan's case, one of the most visible is the Global Peace Initiative of Women, involving women religious leaders from a range of faith traditions. The organization has been responsible over decades for meeting with women of different cultures and faith, including those in conflict with one another.
Advertisement
Sister Joan's understanding of the wisdom of the world carries practical implications for each of us.
"Risking the Questions" is a joint project of Benetvision and NCR. This podcast has been made possible in part by the generosity of Bill and Jeanne Buchanan.
How to Listen
Click the "play" button inside this article to start the show. Make sure to keep the window open on your browser if you're doing other things, or the audio will stop.
From your mobile device:
You can listen and subscribe to "Risking the Questions" from any podcast app. If you're reading this from an iPhone or other Apple mobile device, tap this link to listen in Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available on Spotify, at this link.
If you prefer another podcast app, you can find "Risking the Questions" there.
