This year Holy Week for Christians (Catholic, Protestant, and Eastern Orthodox) coincides with Passover for Jews and comes shortly after the conclusion of Ramadan for Muslims. The convergence of sacred times for Christians, Jews, and Muslims is a three-fold blessing.…
The following is a letter from IFC Fellow Jeremy Cannon, who recently moved to an Episcopal Benedictine monastery in the Hudson Valley of New York. It is a response to the following message from his friend Jimmy, a parishioner at…
In every faith tradition and spiritual practice, there exists a guiding principle on how to respect one’s community. Precepts such as the Golden Rule exhort religious followers towards an acknowledged interconnectedness and a pursuit of harmony. Yet, while such…
My father, Dr. Bahman Abadian, was a remarkable figure whose life journey shaped…
We live in perilous times: it is increasingly evident that our societies, local, national and international, are being rent asunder. The corrosive forces of prejudice whether nationalistic, political, religious, economic, racial, ethnic, or gender- based are eating into the very…
It is becoming increasingly obvious that the interfaith movement is headed towards a radical paradigm shift. As young people around the world exhibit a rapid decline in religious affiliation, important questions arise not only regarding the sustainability of the movement,…
It all started for me when I joined hospital-based Chaplaincy services as a pastoral volunteer. I felt apprehensive about being a misfit in the program as I am from a different faith of which there is very little awareness. I…
In the sacred tapestry of human existence, there are moments of profound significance that transcend the boundaries of faith and culture. I’m thinking of the fasting and “sacrificing” of food and turning heavenward to forces greater than ourselves. I’m thinking…
One of the joys of participating in IFC programs is the inspiration we receive from learning about each other’s holy days and celebrations, many of which have origins and meanings that deeply reflect our connection to all elements of the…
Over the summer, along with nine other amazing people across the country, I was named a 2023 BJC Fellow. It is a tremendous honor to be a part of such a select group of scholars, practitioners, and community leaders of…