James Talarico

That is revolutionary.

It is radical in the true meaning of that word, going to the root of all of our lives and our problems and our dreams.

And to me, that is the spirit of our tradition of breaking these chains, of breaking out of these systems.

The word church in Greek means to be called out of, called out of our culture, called out of our economy, called out of our political system.

That is what religion, I think, at its best does.

It's what I was given that kind of religion.

just because I happen to be growing up across the street from this incredible church.

I believe Christianity points to the truth.

I also think other religions of love point to the same truth.

I think of different religious traditions as different languages.

So you and I could sit here and debate what to call this cup.

And you could call it a cup in English.

You'd call it something else in Spanish and French.

But we are all talking about the same reality.

I believe Jesus Christ reveals that reality to us, but I also think that other traditions reveal that reality in their own ways with their own symbol structures.

And I've learned more about my tradition by learning more about Buddhism and Hinduism and Islam and Judaism.

And so I see these beautiful faith traditions as circling the same truth about the universe, about the cosmos.

And that truth is inherently a mystery.

And I think the most destructive thing is when religion becomes an end in and of itself.

That's when religion implodes.