In A Sourcebook for Earth's Community of Religions, published in 1995, editor Joel Beversluis made it clear that there are countless possibilities for cooperation among members of the world's religions and spiritual traditions. Brother Wayne Teasdale has written extensively over the past few years about what he calls the age of interspirituality where transformation is the holy grail and mysticism is the tie that binds us together.
In 1989 Jeffrey Moses found 30 principles shared by all religions and put them together in a book with an introduction and a special prayer by Mother Teresa and a testimonial from the Dalai Lama. In this new edition, the author has done more research and come up with 64 common principles found in the scriptures of Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikism, Confucianism, and others. Among the thematic sections are love thy neighbor, do not harm anything, blessed are the peacemakers, judge not, love your enemies, wisdom is better than riches, speak truth, keep company with the wise, honor the elderly, and there are many paths to God.
In the chapter on the spiritual practice of hospitality, Moses writes: "Practiced in many traditions as a way to increase spiritual progress, hospitality is a principle central to all religions. We are all travelers in this world. The more we lighten the load for others, the easier our own path becomes." Here are shared tributes to this practice:
"Hospitality should be shown to even one's foe when he comes to one's house." (Hinduism)
"In all the world there is no such thing as a stranger." (Shintoism)
"Neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers." (Judaism)
"Then consider that visiting friends are a necessary custom, whatever they be, on foot, or mounted. And if it be an enemy, this act of kindness is still good, for many an enemy by kindness becomes a friend." (Islam)
"Let brotherly love continue. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." (Christianity)
