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Within the Christian tradition, naming Jesus as a "great teacher" is less common than other titles. But could Jesus as "teacher" speak more to our time of great plurality in religious and spiritual traditions and practices and open more ways of talking and working together?

The most common descriptions of Jesus are as "Christ" or "Messiah" - Greek and Hebrew words meaning "anointed one;" "Jesus is Lord" - possibly the earliest creed of Christians; and Jesus as "Saviour" - maybe the most common description of Jesus for Christians in our time.

More recent scholarship has identified the extent to which these titles for Jesus were highly political in his time. In contrast to the Roman emperor who claimed to be saviour and lord, Christians pointed instead to an itinerant "rabbi" or teacher from Nazareth, Jesus, as Christ, Messiah, true Lord and Saviour of the world.

These titles are politically charged in our time, too. They can be identified with exclusive claims of Christianity over other religions and traditions. Without abandoning these titles for Jesus and their significance for Christians, what could Jesus as a universal teacher mean for our talking and working together in our multi-faith world?

The title of Jesus as "teacher" is prominent in the biblical tradition. Jesus is addressed again and again in the Gospels, by followers and those who questioned and opposed him, as "teacher." In the first chapter of Mark's Gospel, the people respond to Jesus with astonishment asking, "What is this? A new teaching - with authority!" In John's Gospel, Jesus says, "You call me teacher and Lord, for that is what I am." Clearly Jesus was seen and identified himself as a spiritual or religious "teacher."

What did Jesus teach? To quote the last sentence of John's Gospel, "there are also many other things that Jesus did; if every one of them were written down, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written."

But I hope it is faithful to say in general, Jesus, as a person of God, taught a way of being in the world and relating to others and everything around us that was intended and was received by many as life giving and life changing for good.

Is this "way" that Jesus taught something that is open enough for others, of other religious traditions or of no tradition, to consider and discuss alongside other great spiritual and religious teachers? Gandhi is quoted as saying, "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."

More than once people have said to me, "I like Jesus, I'm not so sure about the church." I understand, even if this isn't my experience of the church.

But I think our world needs the lessons of the great religious and spiritual teachers, including Jesus. I believe their message, lived and taught, can be life giving and life changing for the world, for good.

Lyle McKenzie is pastor of Lutheran Church of the Cross of Victoria, and part-time chaplain in Multifaith Services at the University of Victoria.