Where Risk and Reward Meet Interfaith Engagement and Learning

Authors

Andrew C. Reed

Keywords

Krister Stendahl, interfaith dialogue, holy envy

Abstract

The Lutheran Bishop of Stockholm, Krister Stendahl, sought to accomplish one grand thing in the world. He hoped to help human beings learn to see others, to use Elder Dale G. Renlund’s words, “through Heavenly Father’s eyes.”1 While that may appear at first glance simple enough, the practice of doing so presents real challenges. Learning to see others as God does requires a curious empathy, one that fosters a desire to both know and appreciate. Stendahl publicly modeled what would become known as his “rules” for interfaith relationships in 1985 when he stood up for Latter-day Saints and their desire to build a temple in Stockholm. In a later interview, Stendahl summarized those rules this way: When seeking information about another faith, we ought to “let the other define herself; compare equal to equal; and find beauty in the other so as to develop ‘holy envy.’”2 Stendahl modeled for those who heard him speak, and for us today, the most charitable way to engage honestly and with care toward people who believe differently than us.

Recommended Citation

Reed, Andrew C. (2025) "Where Risk and Reward Meet Interfaith Engagement and Learning," BYU Studies: Vol. 64: Iss. 2, Article 5.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byusq/vol64/iss2/5