Created in 1978, the InterFaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington (IFC) brings together eleven historic faith communities to promote dialogue, understanding and a sense of community among persons of diverse faiths and to work cooperatively for social and economic justice in metropolitan Washington.
The following is from the July 2010 InterFaith Connect E-Newsletter published by the IFC. Additional information can be found on their website http://www.ifcmw.org
Interfaith dialogue can be approached from various perspectives. For example, it can be an intellectual exercise in which representatives of particular religious traditions describe the beliefs or practices of their faith with those of different faiths. Another approach is to experience the ritual or prayer of another tradition in order to “feel” what it’s like to observe or participate in that tradition. On a different level, one can emphasize similarities or one can focus on differences among diverse faith traditions.
The IFC approaches interfaith dialogue using each of these approaches, depending on the speakers and the setting. For example, our Amazing Faith Dinner Dialogues to be held on August 8th in homes across the Greater Washington DC area will bring together small groups of people from diverse religious backgrounds living in the same community to share their faith experiences. These dialogues are bound to include both “head” and “heart” sharing, as well as to address the areas of agreement and disagreement among the traditions represented.
There are three ways to join in:
- Be trained as a facilitator
- Provide a host home and meal
- Come as a guest
I encourage you to participate in this event by clicking on the link below.
https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dGk3MlZIU1lDMUhWYmdTLVQ5aTgyRUE6MQ
Facilitators and those volunteering to provide a host home should sign-up as soon as possible. Guest registration will be open through July 30.
David Robert Lambert 