The Mezquita, Temple Beth Emeth (Ann Arbor, MI), and St Clare's Episcopal Church (Ann Arbor, MI)


In Ann Arbor, Michigan, there is a Reform Jewish synagogue and an Episcopal church on Packard Street. They share the same worship space. They even hold joint services on some occasions, like Thanksgiving. There's a rotating panel in the sanctuary; on one side is a sculpture of a cross, on the other side a scuplture of the Torah. Whichever congregation is using the space will rotate the panel to the symbol of their own faith. It really makes you feel warm and fuzzy.

Meanwhile, in Spain, there's a movement to allow Muslims to pray at the Mezquita (Spanish for mosque), which is the Cathedral of Cordoba. The Roman Catholic bishop of Cordoba, Juan Jose Asenjo, has so far refused. The Mezquita in fact started life as a mosque, and was built over two centuries, while the Moors were in Spain. Unusually, it faces North-South instead of East-West (Muslims usually pray facing Mecca, to the East). It is a masterpiece, and it is a cultural treasure.

And around the 13th century, the Moors were ejected from Spain, and the mosque was converted into a cathedral. In 1492, the last Muslim territory in Grenada, Spain, fell, ending 8 centuries of Muslim presence there. Now, about a million Spaniards out of 44 million are Muslim, mainly immigrants from North Africa.

I'm sorry to take so many swipes at the Roman church ... but face it, they deserve it. I believe the Roman church should recognize that the Mezquita is not just their property. It is a cultural treasure, and as such it is the property of the whole human race. Additionally, it was constructed by Muslim hands. They should have a share in it. If we can get Muslims and Christians to pray peacefully in the same space, we will have taken one small step down the road to peace between our two religions. At the very least, it would be good PR. But Bishop Asenjo said that the joint use of temples and places of worship would only generate confusion amongst the faithful. How stupid does he think the faithful are?

I believe the Roman Catholic Church in its current incarnation is far too arrogant to allow this. However, I invite them to make me eat my words. I will be very, very glad, and these words are not written on paper, anyway.


MSN article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12023329/

History of the Mezquita: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordoba_cathedral

St Clare's: http://www.st-clares.org/
TBE: http://www.templebethemeth.org/tbe/home