How to get started in interfaith relations
Finding ourselves in faithful company
It may seem complicated and daunting, and it will require a few new skills, but getting started in exploring other faiths or in building interfaith relationships is well within your reach! Here are some thoughts and suggestions to help you get underway.
Loving our Buddhist and Muslim neighbors
How can we live faithfully as Christians in a world of many religions? By Terry C. Muck from the April 2008 Presbyterians Today magazine.
Building Bridges of Understanding
Concise introductions to five of the major religions of our neighbors were a part of the resource, Building Bridges of Understanding, produced by the California Council of Churches (Copyright 2002, 2003, all rights reserved.) You may use with their permission and proper citation.
Buddhism
A helpful guide for understanding Buddhism.
Download
Christianity
A helpful guide for understanding Christianity.
Download
Hinduism
A helpful guide for understanding Hinduism.
Download
Islam
A helpful guide for understanding Islam.
Download
Judaism
A helpful guide for understanding Judaism.
Download
Sikhism
A helpful guide for understanding Sikhism.
Download
Giving Thanks with our Interfaith Neighbors
This resource offers some ideas about whether, and how, to pray with men and women of other religions. (See the Respectful Presence resource in the Workshops and Further Study section of this tooklit, for a fuller discussion of this.)
Strategies for living together as friends
They were women and men of six religious traditions — Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and Native American — Americans of diverse ethnic backgrounds — African, European, Japanese, Mexican, Native, Palestinian, South and Southeast Asian. Many issues were discussed, and ideas for woking together were developed. Learn more about their basic strategies for living and working together.
Christians and Muslims in Dialogue: Facets of a Relationship
Description of activities of Presbyterians in the United States, fundamentals of Islam and recommended steps for beginning relationship. $3.00. Order PDS #74-292-02-001.
Bulletin insert
This brief resource gives reasons for Christian engagement with neighbors of other faiths, based on the policy statement of the member churches of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.
Resources on Forgiveness and Reconciliation
Good materials for starting conversations are available at the Fetzer Institute website. Watch videos about forgiveness, love and reconcilation featuring the thinking of the Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, Jonathan Sacks and others. Learn about the Charter of Compassion.
