As a western culture, we have isolated ourselves from religion in many ways. Our constant push for Social Darwinism has undermined the sense of purpose on this earth as anything but that of survival. Religion has been pushed out of our daily lives while science continues to dominate every forefront of society.
I was never necessarily a huge proponent of religious studies. With a history of terrible attendance of religion classes and never getting my Confirmation, I always brushed Catholicism away from repertoire and dismissed religion as a whole. I stopped going to after school religion after 6th grade because I felt a sense of deception by my teachers who seemed to contradict one another. Throughout high school, I felt jaded by religious traditions, prayer, and G-d. I gave up essentially all faith in the institution of religion and just slapped on agnostic to capture my indifference and what I later found was misunderstanding.
I always attended public school free of any religious curriculum save for different mentions in history class in the context of influence, war, and imperialism. This was the only context of religion that seemed to surface in discussion with many people. There is no excuse for the people who lost their lives in the war of religious indifference, but religion cannot be simplified as a means of rule and power. It’s multidimensional in nature, and so for many it is personal power, inspiration, and motivation.
For college, I decided to attend Manhattan College, a Roman Catholic College located in Riverdale, New York. I knew I was going to study engineering and assumed it would consume my life and be my only academic interest. Shortly I found out that three religion classes were required for every major and naturally I dreaded just the thought of it. As a freshmen, I took a class titled, “The Nature and Experiences of Religion” which gave me an understanding of several religions including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism. Reading several texts that revealed journeys of different faiths and their transformations gave a new light to religion. Religion was not just dogma, but became a spiritual spark for compassion.
As a current sophomore, I am enrolled in two religion courses, “Religion, Ecology, and Food” taught by Amy Meverden and “Urban America and Catholic Social Teaching,” a class with weekly service work in the Bronx taught by Lois Harr. These classes perfectly compliment each other in many ways and highlight the significance of our human responsibilities in religion.
Looking closely at different religions, namely Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, there is a responsibility we have to our Earth and to the people who are living on it written in spiritual texts. Through close and thorough analysis of the Torah, Qu’ran, and the New Testament, these texts all have messages of preservation and the sustainability of this Earth. They all have similar messages of love and justice that should not be lost.
“Let not the hatred of a people swerve you away from justice. Be just, for this is closest to righteousness…” (Qu’ran 5:8)
“When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.” (Proverbs 21:15). “You shall not harden your heart” (Deuteronomy 15:7), “but you shall surely open wide your hand unto him” (Deuteronomy 15:8)
So where do these messages get lost?
It is easy to take any text out of context and swing them in our favor to confirm a personal agenda. Religious texts are no exception and seem to fall victim to this quite often. Following this, religion is a target because of hatred and bigotry through falsified messages due to misinterpretation. There are scholars and religious figures that are constantly trying to revoke stigmas and redefine what it means to be a follower of a religion in order to promote justice and well-being for humanity, which is what I have found through both my courses at Manhattan College.
Catholic Social Teaching is at the crossroad of religion and compassion. It is a defiance of religious dogma and promotes the ideas of social justice and human equality. It establishes a multidimensional relationship of humans to G-d on one plane and humans to humans on another, emphasizing the importance of establishing equality and good relationships amongst one another and how it is equally important to our relationship with G-d. Although I personally do not have a relationship with a higher being, I do feel that through theology I have realized and expanded my full compassion and love for others. Catholic Social Teaching reaches out to Catholics by giving them a guideline of what is important in their faith. Again, as someone who has been far removed from Catholicism for several years now, it still calls to my roots and has altered my misconception of the Catholic faith. As a student learning about CST and volunteering at a shelter for women and children, the service aspect of that class incorporates what happens when religion is met with compassion to achieve justice.
Learning about the interconnectedness of food, religion, and ecology, has greatly deepened my knowledge of religious importance and purpose. It is a religious responsibility to take care of our land and ensure that it is free from exploitation, destruction, abuse, and misuse. The creation account of Genesis gives humans the role of dominion of the land for which we are to ensure that we are mindful of all animals and plants. The Qu’ran establishes our relationship with animals that are in communities similarly to us, and that we must understand that they are not just for our use, but are a part of everyday interaction (Qu’ran 6:38). The Qu’ran also states, “Make not mischief on the earth” (Qu’ran 2:11) once again reminding humans of their G-d given responsibility to be mindful and protect the land. In the New Testament, Revelations 11:18 and 19:2 states that the destroyers of Earth will be destroyed.
Studying theology is granting access to careful analysis of what a lot of history is comprised of. It is understanding the one uniquely human trait that is cultivating a sense of metaphysicality. Whether it makes you a person of faith or not is not the ultimate goal, but it evokes thought and allows you to give insight from firsthand experience with context and textual analysis rather than a quasi understanding through the pervasive secular media.
I believe that through expanding my religious awareness I have acquired a better comprehension of human nature, thought, and action. Religion is neutral in its existence but has the power to be used both positively and negatively. The constant repudiation of religion in Western society is in turn a repudiation of an innately human way of thinking, feeling, and processing our world and beyond. Maybe a better cognizance of religion would eliminate the xenophobia that has especially plagued our nation over the past decade as a result of any suspected terrorism linked to Muslims. Perhaps America would not be so quick to invade Eastern countries to promote democracy while dismantling religion to replace it with what we perceive as right, effective, useful, and sensical. Religion can be both the question and answer, but should be given equal contemplation for both.