In this season of Christmas, my spiritual practice focuses on the primary teachings of Christianity and the way all faiths can transform our living. As a Christian minister, this has always been my goal. For many believers, the following statement will appear heretical but please hear me out.

It is well-documented that the Buddha wasn’t a Buddhist, Jesus wasn’t a Christian and Muhammad wasn’t a Muslim. However, they were each trying to reform the prevailing spiritual practice of their respective culture and provide guidelines for being a better person. It was their followers who created belief systems and religious institutions.

Zealous believers, particularly Christians, tried to convince the followers of other faith traditions that their way was the only way and others were wrong. Thus, Christians from the Middle Ages established the Inquisition and the protestants of early America the witch trials to coerce people into accepting the correct belief. There are other horrible examples, like the German churches’ support of the Holocaust and the American churches’ support of slavery, but there were some Christians in opposition, so hope for justice was kept alive. Unfortunately, America is suffering through another period of religious polarization and divisiveness.

This digression into the forces of evil was intentional — but I want to return to the season of Christmas, which was originally celebrated as a season of light and peace (before it was overwhelmed by the interests of Santa and commercialism).

Light is an important symbol during December and not only for Christians; Jews light Hanukkah candles and some African Americans light candles during Kwanzaa.

The concept of peace is more elusive and during this time of COVID, extreme weather, violence, economic disparity and too many social injustices, it’s difficult to keep the hope for peace alive. However, the primary reason why I’ve always liked Christmas better than Easter is because of the message of peace. There is a lot of misunderstanding and disagreement about the nature of peace and it’s why I have an adverse reaction to the connection between patriotism and militarism.

I’ve always been guided by the description of peace that was first penned by the British playwright and activist, George Bernard Shaw, and later adapted by Martin Luther King Jr.: “True peace isn’t the absence of tension but the presence of justice.” King replaced “tension” with “war.”

I’ve also been guided by this thought of the Zen Buddhist Thich Nhat Hanh: “There is no way to peace. Peace is the way.”

I’m greatly alarmed by those who claim we’re in a time of peace simply because there isn’t a proclaimed war going on — somewhere — while there is rampant injustice, oppression, corruption and violence happening in too many places around the world.

True peace goes beyond the basic human necessities of personal safety, shelter, pure water and enough to eat. It also contains the promise of certain freedoms: what to believe, what to say, how to vote, where to live, and whom to love. It also includes our stewardship of the environment and all creation. I’m learning how to be more comfortable with spiritual uncertainty and to base my personal spiritual journey on moral principles rather than the beliefs established by male theologians 1,500 years ago.

So, it is my hope this Christmas that people will begin to treat each other (and all Creation) with kindness and respect.

This, by itself, will give peace a chance.

Kailua resident John Heidel is a retired Christian minister, social justice activist and interfaith advocate.