Episcopal bishop John Bryson Chane of Washington recently visited Iran to discuss the points of contact between Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and found among the theology students there an interest in peaceful reconciliation.
In a profile published in the San Diego Union-Tribune, James Giannini of the Copley News Service writes:
Between trips to the Middle East and Africa to across the United States, John Bryson Chane, Episcopal bishop of Washington, D.C., and former dean of St. Paul’s Cathedral in San Diego, has been busy.
His most recent venture: Iran, where he met with religious officials to discuss similarities between Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
“We’re all monotheists, and that means we share a tremendous amount theologically in common, which I find fascinating,” Chane said. “The Virgin Mary is venerated more times in Iran than in the gospels, and they celebrate Jesus Christ’s birthday.”
Chane was amazed at the interest in theology among students he met at Iranian universities. While Iran is seen as being hostile toward the United States, he said he found people in search of a peaceful relationship. Chane plans to return in April to continue discussions on religion and terrorism.
Read: “Episcopal Bishop Reaches Out for Peace.”
Read more, including links to audio interviews about the relationship between Islam and Christianity here.