By Sam Aitchiso
The Church is Alive!
It was just a regular lecture hall on a chilly Wednesday night, but what happened inside wasn’t expected. About 60 college students gathered for an interfaith panel. As Muslims, Hindus, Jews, Protestants and Catholics started sharing their experiences of faith, the room felt different. I anticipated learning information about the beliefs of other religions. Yet I left that evening with my faith stirred and strengthened in ways that weren’t planned.
I was one of the people asked to speak on the panel. To prepare, I reviewed the core concepts of Catholicism and thought about the best way to explain the faith to a room of folks who may not be familiar with the Church’s teaching. When the time arrived for the panel, each person — representing a different faith tradition — summarized the core beliefs of their faith and answered what religion means to them personally. We were also asked to share what our ritualistic practices look like and common misconceptions about our respective religions.
What I thought was going to be an informative, educational hour turned into an experience that deepened my own faith. Hearing others’ personal experiences with God and how their motivation comes from a place of faith was nothing short of inspiring. One Muslim student shared how praying five times a day keeps her grounded and helps her be more loving. A Presbyterian shared that he seeks and receives much comfort and peace from Sunday services. A Jewish student talked about serving the poor regularly because of feeling called to share God’s love with others.
It’s difficult to encapsulate in writing the authenticity and passion the panelists shared. Hearing others’ beliefs and their own faith journeys allowed me to reflect on my own, and on the ways I both succeed and fail in living the Gospel.
Part of the panel was a discussion on interreligious dialogue and how respect and mutual understanding can be fostered on our campus and in the community. It’s no secret that different religions and different sects of Christianity have differing beliefs, rituals, and ways that they each try to live. Yet on this evening, I realized that we have much more in common than we think. The central, core beliefs of our religions involve peace, harmony, love, and a relationship with a higher being. It was profound for me to experience this closeness.
The final question asked was “Do you feel your faith is welcomed on our campus?” My answer was an affirmative yes. Saint Louis University is a Catholic, Jesuit school, so my answer came as no surprise to myself or others. However, as every other panelist shared that they too felt welcomed and supported in their own faiths on our campus, I was happily surprised. I could imagine that less prevalent religious groups might feel differently or left out on my campus, given that we’re 70% Christian and 55% Catholic. But hearing how administrators, campus ministers, and students all respected and made people from other religions feel not just tolerated but truly accepted was heartwarming.
The original idea of a university was a place of learning, discovery, and discourse. Maybe my school’s interreligious dialogue evenings provide an example of what honest, respectful and enriching conversation can look like. I wonder how transformative these types of conversations could be to our communities and nation.
Our Catholic faith affirms that God can be found in all things — in the pews, nature, a random conversation or a cup of coffee. I had an experience of faith by learning from my Jewish, Hindu, Muslim and Protestant brothers and sisters. Seeing the significance their faith had and how they live it out in words and deeds inspired me.
We don’t have to look far in the news to see religious divides and divisiveness. This evening of interreligious dialogue gave me hope for a future of peace, respect, and mutual understanding. How might we, in the remaining weeks of Advent, be people of hope? How can we express respect and openness with those whose religion differs from ours?
(Sam Aitchison is a senior at Saint Louis University studying business and theology. He can be contacted at samaitchison6@gmail.com.)
