Tapestry of Faith: A Chorus of Faiths: A Program That Builds Interfaith Youth Leaders

Introduction

Our first task in approaching another people, another culture is to take off our shoes, for the place we are approaching is holy. Else we find ourselves treading on another's dream. More serious still, we may forget that God was there before our arrival. — Max Warren (1904-1977), General Secretary of the Anglican Church Missionary Council

O mankind! We created you of a male and a female, and have made you nations and tribes that ye may come to know one another. — Quran (Hujurat 49:13)

This workshop provides an opportunity to think about the practices and beliefs of other faith traditions and the Unitarian Universalist commitment to antiracism, anti-oppression and multiculturalism. Due to the sensitive nature of the topics, participants are likely to make mistakes. Help them work through these mistakes in an atmosphere of forgiveness and grace.

Goals

This workshop will:

  • Help participants build leadership skills for interfaith work
  • Develop participants' sensitivity around religious and other kinds of difference
  • Expose participants to issues of cultural misappropriation.

Learning Objectives

Participants will:

  • Build their religious literacy and acquire tools to seek information about different religions in the future
  • Learn how to recognize and work through mistakes they might make while working with interfaith and multicultural groups
  • Explore the challenges of working in groups with diverse and occasionally contradicting beliefs
  • Experience and reflect on an opportunity to use someone else's story
  • Reflect on ways to create a safe space for interfaith work.