*2.2. Models of Interreligious Prayer* Guest/Host

In the guest/host model, a person from one religious tradition is the guest at a gathering that is organized and led by persons from a different religious tradition. I attended the daily puja (prayer) at a Hindu monastery on the island of Kauai in Hawaii. I could choose to be an observer or I could participate to whatever degree I felt comfortable. While the host welcomed non-Hindus and the website gave some background on what was appropriate to wear, etc., in order for me to participate in the puja (since I did not understand the language), I needed to be attentive to what others were doing (postures, emotions, symbolic actions) and model what I observed. I chose to participate to the degree I could because simply observing the sounds and sights alone did not convey for me a fuller sense of the spirituality. Participating in the movements and symbolic actions helped the experience to be embodied. While things were not explained in English (verbally or in written form), there was still a warmth of hospitality in that I felt welcomed and accepted regardless of anything I did "wrong" during the times I was trying to participate. In some guest/host situations, there are more accommodations for the guests (information, guidance, etc.) which may allow for fuller participation but participation is not necessarily expected.

In other gatherings, being an observer may be all that is intended by the host. It is often hospitable to not require anything of the guest. The host is simply appreciative of their presence. In "Receiving the Stranger: A Muslim Theology," Tim Winter states that "hospitality is only authentic if it respects rather than compromises the rights of the guest" (Winter 2015). However, there are also "rights" of the host. Ruth Langer, in "Parameters of Hospitality for Interreligious Participation: A Jewish Perspective," reminds us that "guests who do not respect the 'rules of the house' violate the proffered hospitality." It is helpful if the "rules of the house" and the expectations of both guests and hosts are clarified in advance.
