Each year, the Boston Interfaith Leadership Initiative (BILI) hosts an interfaith retreat designed and carried out by its student fellows. This year, as we began to plan our interfaith retreat, the other BILI fellows and I discussed the various goals we could set and objectives we could seek for the event. As we explored our options, I think we realized that we all have different perspectives about what the concept of an interfaith retreat entails. Acknowledging that we all have different interests and goals, I consider below several types of retreats and their characteristics. Each have their pros and cons, but overall, all offer valuable experiences for participants.
Spiritual Practice Focused
The first kind of retreat that comes to mind when I think of the word “retreat,” emphasizes spirituality in the form of meditations, prayers, and returning to the self. In an interfaith context, a retreat of this type involves observing the similarities and unique traits of different practices and faiths. In such a retreat, participants might be guided by practitioners, then encouraged to engage in a group reflection on what they experienced. Activities could include guided readings and songs, meditations, prayers and dances. The goals here are to reconnect to one’s spiritual center and to understand how others do the same. I consider this type of retreat to be highly interactive and dependent on finding students or speakers willing to share.
Identity Focused
Another type of retreat focuses on personal stories and how religion, spirituality, or other belief systems have impacted all of us through our life experiences. In the context of interfaith gatherings, attendees at this type of retreat would discuss why their beliefs or practices matter to them or have helped them through life. The goals here are to learn about how people from different backgrounds think about their religion and understand the similarities in what our belief systems can do to help us. This way of returning to and thoughtfully observing how we interact with our own beliefs can be enlightening and enriching. I consider this type of retreat to be very engaging and rather personal; establishing trust and a safe environment are key to its success.
Organization/Solutions Focused
A retreat focused on organization could emphasize building coalitions to tackle issues that affect the faith or non-faith communities. It might also involve simply bringing together groups to promote interfaith engagement or helping students bring interfaith attitudes back to their schools. This type of retreat would include instructions and conversations about organization at whatever level the participants need. Such a retreat could also involve looking at institutions or policies that marginalize communities, discussing how we can combat them together. The goals could widely vary but would likely involve actionable items following the retreat and striving to make external changes. This type of retreat would involve a lot of critical thinking, problem-solving, and motivation and may be very rewarding for participants.
Communication Focused
The theme of communication emphasizes building safe yet courageous conversations on interfaith topics. These topics could include intersectionality, building relationships with fruitful conversations, or engaging community organizations. Communication is pivotal to coalition-building and establishing new relationships. This type of retreat would help attendees hold conversations that can connect and empower people. The goal would be to give attendees an empowered sense of ability and motivation to engage with the many faith and non-faith communities. I see a retreat of this kind being very informative and rewarding, with a particular emphasis on highly interactive discussions.
Hybrid
I expect that the final plan for the BILI retreat will be some combination of these different categories. Combining elements from the many types of retreats has the benefit of breaking up any monotony and providing something for everyone. For instance, although a retreat focused on organizing might emphasize spurring on action, discussions of identity and value are necessary for deep connection and therefore spiritual impact. Interfaith engagement and belief systems in general are very nuanced, and a retreat may benefit from a multifaceted approach.
In the process of planning this retreat, the other BILI fellows and I have had many discussions about possible themes and focus areas. In keeping with the theme “Religion at the Dinner Table,” building conversations around interfaith to promote tolerance and understanding will be a main goal. However, I expect that our consideration of the many possible elements that might be included in retreats will be helpful to select the best activities for our participants.