Pastor Gerald Durly is one of Atlanta's greatest leaders in promoting peace and understanding among all monotheistic religions today. Durley retired from the pulpit last year after a remarkable career leading the congregation of Providence Missionary Baptist Church, but he is by no means "retired."
For the past seven years Durley has been in involved with the World Pilgrims Interfaith
Community Institute. Members of the Institute travel to Israel, Morocco, Turkey and learn
from the Torah, the Koran and the Scriptures. "Our goal is to break down barriers
between Jews, Muslims and Christians," explained Durley. There are so many bad
stereotypes out there. We are all under one God."
Durley is keeping the interfaith dialogue alive and well at home too. A frequent
guest at Temple Sinai in Atlanta, Durley will be addressing the congregation during this year's
special Shabbat service honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He says he plans to read King's
famous prayer for Israel.
Pastor Durley wasn't always so tied into the Jewish Community. It was his work in the Civil
Rights Movement sixty years ago and the influence of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that
changed his world view and lead him down the road he is travelling today.
Pastor Durley remembers having little to no interaction with Jewish people growing up in
California. It wasn't until he joined the Civil Rights movement during college in Nashville
that he realized there were other White people also seeking to end discrimination. "I saw the diversity of the movement. I met Jewish students for the first time. I had never before appreciated the anti-Semitism and the persecution Jewish people faced in society."
In 1963 Durley headed to Washington to take part in Dr. King's famous march. "King's march
on Washington was a turning point for me. I was in awe of Dr. King's front line. People of
all faiths and races were marching together. I saw how Dr. King could pull everyone
together."
It's been six decades since King's famous march on Washington and the Civil Rights Movement, but Pastor Durley says we need to heed the lessons of King now more than ever. "Unfortunately, we are going through a period of distrust. There is so much ignorance and fear. The more we can understand the concerns of Israel, the more we can appreciate them. Dialogue between all faiths is critical. Communication is based on three things: understanding, respect, and trust."