Supplementing Education about Muslims, Christians, Jews, Buddhists, and Hindus and their Religious Perspectives

How do adherents of different religions live out their beliefs, practices, and values in their busy lives in the contemporary world? In this panel discussion, representatives of the major world religions begin briefly introducing their beliefs and practices before describing how they live their faith. These Interfaith panel discussions specifically draw on their understanding and experiences living in America today.

Religions and cultures differ, but all the major world religions share key values. In this panel discussion, representatives of the major world religions offer a brief overview of their beliefs and practices and discuss their shared human and ethical values. Through this discussion, they will demonstrate that, despite profound differences in beliefs and practices, all their traditions promote common values that are critically important today.

How do different religions view the beliefs and practices of other traditions? Is adherence to one religious tradition compatible with respect for the many other religious traditions and convictions in our world? In this panel discussion, representatives of the major world religions begin with a brief overview of their beliefs and practices before addressing these questions and explaining how they adhere to their religious convictions while taking a positive and respectful stance toward the diverse beliefs and practices of others.

Various forms of extremism pose a problem in all religious traditions and communities. In this panel discussion, representatives of the major world religions begin with a brief overview of their beliefs and practices before discussing the various forms that extremism takes in their communities and how they meet the challenge posed by such distortions of their beliefs.

Three religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—are considered “Abrahamic” faiths because they consider themselves descendants of Abraham, described in both the Bible and the Quran as the founder of monotheism. This panel discusses the similarities and differences between these three faiths and how their religious practices impact their lives.

Religions have sometimes promoted and sometimes limited the rights and power of women. In this panel, representatives of the major world religions discuss how their faiths have impacted and continue to impact women negatively and positively and how religion can affirm and support women as they seek equality and freedom.

Although religions promote peace, religion has often been enlisted to support wars. In this panel, representatives of the major world religions discuss teachings that support peacemaking from their faith traditions and how religion can contribute to peace in the world.

The idea that religion is obsolete and incompatible with science and that society would be better off without it has now become widespread. In this panel, representatives of the major world religions respond to this critique and demonstrate how their faith can address contemporary concerns and challenges and contribute to human betterment.

While environmental issues are a new concern in their present forms, religious traditions have long addressed how humanity relates to and interacts with the environment. Environmental degradation and climate change have become major global concerns that threaten our existence on this planet. In this panel, representatives of the major world religions begin with a brief overview of their beliefs and practices before discussing their religion’s conservation and environmental preservation teachings.

Most religions observe special days to celebrate aspects of their teachings, history, or values. In this panel, representatives of the major world religions discuss how their holy days are celebrated and their significance for the individuals and communities participating in them.

Relations between religious institutions and state power have been a source of controversy and conflict throughout human history. In this panel discussion, representatives of the five major world religions provide a brief overview of their beliefs and practices before discussing diverse ways that their religious community has interacted with the state both historically and today.

Recent Supreme Court decisions about abortion and prayer in schools have elicited varied responses from different religious communities. This panel features representatives of the five major world religions providing perspectives from their religious traditions as they relate to these topics, as well as how their respective communities have responded, been impacted, or have concerns about their impact.

This panel moves Muslim-Jewish American conversations past the Middle East conflict towards common interests we share as Americans, addressing topics such as anti-Semitism and Islamophobia and the challenge of maintaining a religious identity as two of the largest religious minorities in the United States.

If you are looking for a topic not included above, you may request a custom panel. After you make this selection, we will contact you to discuss the details of your custom panel. To schedule, please complete the form at the bottom of this page.

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