Paul-Gordon Chandler is an author and interfaith peacemaker noted for using the arts to build bridges of peace. Chandler founded CARAVAN Arts and has dedicated much of his life to furthering understanding and harmony between peoples, cultures and faiths, both as an art curator and a minister. His vision for the future is shaped by a desire to see our world become a more harmonious place.
The Current State of Interfaith Relations
Let’s take a step back from everything happening right now and look at the bigger picture. People of different faith traditions are now a greater part of each other’s lives, thanks to the internet, social media, and other aspects of contemporary culture that we often take for granted.
However, prejudices and stereotypes remain among the greatest challenges facing the interreligious landscape. Despite these obstacles, there are more opportunities for connecting with and learning about each other’s faith traditions and cultures than ever before in human history. Chandler encourages us to take advantage of this unique place in time by intentionally and creatively exploring one another’s beliefs and cultures through the arts.
Chandler’s Vision of Interreligious Harmony
Paul-Gordon Chandler advocates for a stronger and more connected global interreligious community through much of his work. He believes this is founded on collaboration, respect, and shared values — all of which can be increased by thinking creatively toward facilitating greater understanding.
The Importance of a “Peaceful” Approach
During a time of escalating misunderstanding and tension, Chandler believes that we need to be involved in an all-out effort to help the “other,” by good will, appreciation, love, empathy…and even prayer, within our respective prayer traditions. He sees the need to intentionally eliminate all that creates further alienation, and instead advocates for a peaceful approach – and one that is entirely non-confrontational in nature.
Adopting a “Pilgrim” Mindset
Chandler believes that each of us should see ourselves as “pilgrims” – who are journeying in life, and not having arrived at our destination. So often religions teach that one should finally “arrive.” As a result, boundaries and borders are put around belief systems. However, he feels the analogy of a pilgrim is essential to interreligious peacebuilding. Chandler describes a pilgrim as someone always journeying, and therefore open to meeting new people, and even asking them for directions, even on how best to live the life they feel they are supposed to live. He sees it as having an attitude of openness, gentleness, and a willingness to allow those different from ourselves to enhance our own spiritual journeys. In this sense, he believes that it is only in the continual learning from different spiritual traditions and expressions that one’s own faith can be made most complete.
Exhibition the “Guest Posture”
Chandler also believes that a primary focus within interreligious peacebuilding is to build on all the commonalities that exist. He says, “We are too often so blinded by the constant illumination of our differences, that we can’t see all we have in common.” Chandler believes that our day calls for a new kind of movement: not of belief, or even of religious unity or cultural uniformity, but rather quite simply one that builds on what we hold in common. He believes that a starting point of seeking to discover the similarities results in us seeing the redeeming values in the other, as it fundamentally changes how we see each other. He suggests that we exhibit what he calls the “guest posture.” He describes the fundamental characteristic of a guest as being willing to receive from a host. Chandler calls for us today to allow ourselves to be each other’s guests, thereby enabling us to learn from one another. He sees this as a foundational posture that breaks down barriers.
A “Practical” and “Creative” Approach
Chandler believes that more than anything else, that interreligious peacebuilding requires that we focus on truly loving the “other.” His experience has shown that one of the key ways we can demonstrate this love is by being interested in what the “other” loves. This is most often their rich culture. This may mean their literature, music, film, dance, or cuisine. Or loving their sense of community. The objective is to build bridges, and minimize the differences. Learning to love aspects of their culture cultivates a profound sensitivity towards the other.
Chandler has focused intentionally over the years on visual art. He especially encourages people to embrace the other’s contemporary art, believing that it speaks to who they are and how their culture and tradition sees the world at this time. It helps us to put ourselves in their shoes. Chandler founded CARAVAN Arts, an international peacebuilding arts non-profit, after discovering that the arts can be one of the most effective mediums to build bridges between diverse peoples, cultures and faith traditions. His work in the arts has shown how the arts can enhance understanding, bring about respect, enable sharing, and deepen friendship between those of different backgrounds. He loves to draw attention to line written by the Lebanese born poet-artist Kahlil Gibran, who is best known for his book The Prophet; “Your neighbor is your other self dwelling behind a wall. In understanding, all walls shall fall down.”
Embracing Interreligious Interconnectedness
Challenge yourself to rethink how you approach interreligious relations and dialogue. Read how Paul-Gordon Chandler strategically approaches this.
Also Read: Dimitrios Kiourtziev: Professional Profile
