MINISTER’S REFLECTION

"Friends Talking Faith"
by the Rev. Bryan Fulwider

As with many endeavors, it began as a topic of casual conversation: "we should look at doing a radio show together," said Rabbi Steven Engel, Senior Rabbi of the Congregation of Reform Judaism in Orlando. We were seated together at the Park Plaza Gardens restaurant in downtown Winter Park for one of our regular lunch get-togethers. For about a dozen years, Imam Muhammad Musri, the Senior Imam of the Islamic Society of Central Florida, Rabbi Steven Engel and I had shared in many areas of interfaith work in our community. One of our regular activities together has included shared speaking engagements where we dialogue out of our Jewish, Christian, and Muslim faith perspectives. The Imam and I agreed, believing this could be a very good thing for our community.

With the unending, and sometimes overwhelming, demands of ministry in our local congregations, it remained only an idea. Then, Dr. Sandra Barker, Molly Conole and Barbara Liston heard about the idea – and as the old saying goes, "the game was afoot!" Following a meeting with WMFE radio early in 2011, arranged and attended by Sandy Barker – also attended by Molly, Barbara and me – we met with the station General Manager, José Fajardo, and also Patrick Dalton who, after hearing our concept for the show, said, "bring us a 30-minute pilot, and we'll see." In the fall of last year, the pilot show for Friends Talking Faith with The Three Wise Guys was delivered to WMFE. Our first full-hour show will be scheduled to air statewide on NPR in April or May of this year with Barbara Liston as the host, Molly Conole as the Producer, and José Fajardo as the Executive Producer, with Patrick Dalton providing technical production guidance.

My mother always told me, "son, you have a face for radio!" The rabbi's wife suggested that we create a bobble-head doll with a single body and our three heads bobbling on the top. Needless to say, we've had a lot of fun thinking about this endeavor. However, all levity aside for a moment, the true joy of this project is the opportunity to be part of something important for our larger community. In many ways the title of the show says it all:

Friends Talking Faith

It's the whole point of the show: three clergy from different faith traditions sitting down as friends to talk together about important things from the perspectives of our different religions. In our world, where the most prominent examples regarding religious people – captured and promoted through a 24-hour news cycle by the media, most often highlighting the ways in which people of differing faiths act in violence, disrespect and disdain, and apparent malevolence toward one another and others – we need a strong voice that provides a counterbalance to this very warped view. We believe – in fact, we know – that the vast majority of people from varying religious backgrounds, and those who claim no religion at all, are people of peace, kindness, goodwill, and compassion for others.

Our goal through this project is to educate, enlighten, inspire, and model a kind of interreligious dialogue that builds community and creates a world that is fit to live in for all of us. We believe this is God's calling for people of all faith traditions. We believe God intends for each of us to find ways to build bridges and create greater understanding for the people and nations of our world. We believe that God never calls any of our religions to behaviors of violence or destruction of the other. We are fully aware that there is "bad religion" in our world – there always has been; however, there is far more "good religion" in our world. Good religion works for peace, respects and values the other person regardless of their religious perspective (or no religion at all), and works through acts of compassion to make the world a better place for everyone.

For each of us – The Three Wise Guys – it is this understanding of God which binds us together as the best of friends. In some small way, through this endeavor together, we aim to make a difference for good in our community and in the world. By the way, it turns out that putting together a radio show is a lot of work! All of us working on the show would be so grateful for your prayerful support as we move ahead.

Peace and blessings to all, Pastor Bryan