Catholic Sister Eileen Eppig reaches out to Muslims for interreligious dialogue and peace-building

July 7, 9:35 AMBaltimore Muslim ExaminerJ. Samia Mair

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Catholic Sister Eileen Eppig is someone whom you immediately like when you first meet her. Besides her warm smile and open demeanor, you get the impression that she is truly interested in what you have to say--a rare quality these days. Sister Eileen also has a thirst for knowledge and desire to bring people together--all good qualities for someone who has dedicated her life to the service of God and others.

Sister Eileen is a School Sister of Notre Dame, a congregation of religious women founded in 1833 by Mother Theresa Gerhardinger in Bavaria. Since 1992 she has worked at the College of Notre Dame of Maryland and now is an Associate Professor of Religious Studies.

A few years ago, she was presented with the opportunity to travel to Jordan to study Islam. She jumped at the opportunity and her life has changed forever. In an interview with examiner.com, Sister Eileen discusses her work, her interest in Islam, and promoting interreligious dialogue and peace-building.

1. Let's begin with you. Why did you decide to become a Catholic Sister?

When I was young, I attended Catholic school and had sisters (nuns*) as teachers. I wanted to be like them. From a very early age, I had a desire to give myself completely to God. At age 18 when I was ready to become a sister, I joined the School Sisters of Notre Dame because I had been taught by them and knew them and also because I wanted to be a teacher, and education is their main work.

2. You are currently an Associate Professor, College of Notre Dame of Maryland. What classes do you teach? What did you do before teaching at Notre Dame?

Presently, I teach courses related to religion and culture, namely, African American Christianity, American Catholicism, ecology and theology, Islamic perspectives on peace and conflict, and Liberation theology: black, Latin and feminist. I also teach introduction to biblical studies and occasionally, courses in Jesus Christ and the Trinity.
 
Before teaching at College of Notre Dame, I taught religion in high school, did some social work with migrant farm workers (mostly Hispanics) in Immokalee, Fla., and was a pastoral associate at St. Veronica Church (an African American parish) in the Cherry Hill section of Baltimore. I loved those ministries, and I love what I am doing now.

3. You once described learning about Islam as a "calling." Would you elaborate on this briefly?

In April 2006 I received an e-mail from our faculty dean asking if anyone on the faculty wanted to go to Jordan for three weeks to study Islam with other professors from the United States. I knew right away that this was what I was supposed to do.

I had to write an application saying how I was going to use the information I learned. I committed myself to teach a course on Islam, sponsor two workshops on Islam in the Baltimore area with the Islamic Society of Baltimore, and start a Muslim-Christian dialogue. I was accepted into the program, and all of those endeavors were not only completed but mushroomed into a very rich and full interaction with Muslims.

I believe that it was God who called me to this work of interreligious dialogue and peace-building.

4. When you first started learning about Islam was there anything that you learned that surprised you?

In the beginning, I didn't know that Jesus was important to Muslims. When a Muslim student signed up for my course on Jesus, I asked her if that was the only course available! I also did not realize that the Quran is so open to Christians and Jews and that there are many similarities among the three religions. I was also surprised that Muslims believe in the virgin birth of Jesus and that Jesus will come again on the Day of Judgment.

5. Has your understanding of the Prophet Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace, changed over the years?

Yes, it has. Before I started studying Islam, I had virtually no understanding of the prophet. Now, every time I learn of something he said or did, or hear a story about him, I grow in admiration for him. He was a real man of God. I even feel like I have something in common with him, since he liked to go off alone to pray, and so do I.

6. Islam and Christianity share many beliefs and values. Which of them stand out to you?

Those that stand out are the virgin birth of Jesus and the immortality of the soul. I think both Muslims and Christians believe that the purpose of life is a growing union with God that will be complete in the next life. I also appreciate the fact that both Islam and Christianity believe that God works in human history. God is not a distant God but is right here with us.

7. What are the major differences between the two religions?

Probably the most basic is that Christians believe Jesus' death on a cross resulted in salvation for all human beings. Muslims, of course, do not believe that Jesus died on a cross, that in fact Jesus was too good to die in this manner, and so God took him to heaven without death. Also, because of slightly different versions of the creation stories in the Bible and the Quran, Muslims believe that God forgave the man called Adam, and there is no need for salvation.

8. You have traveled to several Muslim-populated countries. Where have you traveled and for what purpose? In general, how have you been received?

The first Muslim country I visited was Jordan, for a three-week study of Islam in January 2007. A year later I co-led a study tour of Morocco for 23 people, sponsored by College of Notre Dame and Civilizations Exchange and Cooperation Foundation (CECF). Imam Bashar Arafat, the president of CECF, co-led the tour.

The purpose was to give participants a first-hand view of true Islam. A couple of weeks ago (May-June 2009), Imam Arafat and I co-led another tour of 33 people to Egypt and Jordan, to help participants distinguish true Islam from what may be cultural practices that are mistakenly considered to be part of the religion of Islam. 

In all of these countries, I was struck by how respectful and hospitable Muslims are. I don't think "respect" is a big value in the United States, but the Muslims I have met show great respect when meeting and welcoming you. In Jordan I met a young American woman studying there who told me, "Even if the Muslims hated you, which they don't, their sense of honor and respect would keep them from harming you." Wow! What a transformative statement.

9. Do you hear any recurrent misconceptions about Islam voiced by your students or other Christians?

Yes, most people think Islam is a violent religion. I once tried to dissuade a relative from this view, with no success. When people hear I am going to a Muslim country, they immediately ask me if it's safe, and they think I am a bit fool-hardy for going there because they assume it is dangerous. A Christian woman (and her family) in my Muslim-Christian dialogue have a young Muslim family living with them as boarders. Someone asked this woman if she was afraid that she would be knifed in the night. 

10. Do you hear any recurrent misconceptions about Christianity voiced by Muslims?

Something I have heard frequently from Muslims is the idea that Christians cannot pray directly to God but must go through a priest or minister. This is not true, of course, but a misunderstanding of communal prayer led by a priest or minister. Christians pray directly to God, even when praying in community.

11. Are there any questions about Christianity that you are commonly asked by Muslims?

I think the most confusing Christian belief for many Muslims is that God is a Trinity of persons. Muslims believe that Christians are monotheists but have a hard time reconciling that with the Christian belief that there are three persons in God.

12. What do you think is the best way to dispel the many misconceptions about Islam in the United States? 

I think the best way is to get to know some Muslims and find out that they are just ordinary people living ordinary lives like anyone else. Another way is through education at all levels. I believe that teaching or speaking about Islam is the most important thing I do right now. It is necessary to bring peace to our world. Muslims and Christians together make up more than half the world. If we can be at peace with each other, perhaps the world can be at peace.

13. What are your future plans with respect to travel? Learning about Islam? Interfaith dialogue? I hear you are writing a book.

In August I will be traveling to Turkey with the Rumi Forum to study Islam and interfaith dialogue. In January 2010 Imam Arafat and I are leading a study tour of Morocco and Southern Spain, followed by tours to Malaysia in 2011 and possibly Turkey in 2012. We are writing a theology book on how to conduct a Muslim-Christian dialogue that we hope will be used by churches, mosques and college professors.

Right now I participate in a Muslim-Christian dialogue composed of professionals and clergy. We have studied the document A Common Word between Us and You and hope to be a "common voice" speaking out for justice and helping youth to engage in Muslim-Christian dialogue.

14. Anything else you would like to add?

Thank you for bringing attention to the importance of Muslim-Christian dialogue to our world today.

* Although Catholic Sisters (or "sister" or "religious sister") often are referred to as "nuns", strictly speaking that is not the correct term. According to Sister Eileen, a nun is the female equivalent of a monk, someone who is cloistered in a monastery. Sisters have active ministries.  

Photograph above: Sister Eileen in Morocco

For more info: Muslims love Jesus (pbuh) too