Interfaith Activism:
A Sticky Situation for Christians

Christine Wilson 10.18.06

The recent conflict in Darfur has caused religious organizations across the world to speak out against social injustices. But with so many religious groups involved, collaboration with organizations rooted in other religions is being questioned.

“Working together is the key, but more than that is understanding each other,” said Melissa Fye, a Christian Ministry Leader from Hampton, Virginia. There is not a one size fits all. You have to be able to come together.”

Fye believes that when religious groups cooperate for social advancement, they have a powerful voice in society.

On the other hand, Pastor Dwight S. Riddick of First Baptist Church in Franklin, Virginia, feels Christian activists should set themselves apart from activists of other religions. He believes cooperating with unbelievers is not always the best way to achieve a goal.

“Just because people come together doesn’t meant they are working with the same goals in mind,” Riddick said. “It’s hard for two people to walk in the same direction unless they agree on where they are going.”

Pastor Riddick asserts that a Christian activist’s aim is not solely to provide food for hungry people, but to provide hope for their lives and salvation for their soul. He believes a Christian’s motivation for doing activities such as feeding the hungry is to give people an opportunity for salvation.

“If their main objective is to make sure the person isn’t hungry, and our main objective is to make sure the person is saved, we are going into the camp with two different objectives, Riddick said. “Often times that will cause more strife than it will unification.”

World Vision, a Christian activist organization, fights against injustice in many nations across the world. The organization is responsible for treating more than 150,000 patients in Darfur. Amy Parodi, a World Vision Spokesperson, said some interfaith cooperation is vital to affect such a diverse world.

“World Vision’s top priority is to speak out for the poor and to serve the poor tangibly,” Parodi said. “We do it organizationally, and most of our people do it because of our faith in Jesus Christ. That doesn’t mean we would ever get in the way of or turn down an opportunity to serve with somebody who is doing it with another motivation. The end result is the life of those who are poor is getting better.”

Parodi feels Christians should become active in any issues dealing with injustice, the oppressed and the poor. According to Parodi, The Old and New Testament teach that people who follow God should respond to these issues, even when dealing with multiple religions.

“Even where there are issues where there aren’t a lot of Christians involved, that makes it an even greater responsibility for Christians to come in,” She said. “Not to take over an issue or to put the Christian stamp on it necessarily, but to be obedient to the teachings in the Bible.”