One of the first things that I looked for when I arrived at Boston University was a religious community. I believed that finding such a group would serve as a great way to meet other students and ease the transition into university life. However, nothing could prepare me for the sheer number of groups that presented themselves as an option. Coming to college from a town where religious expression is mostly limited to cultural and familial obligations, seeing hundreds of my peers excited to talk about their beliefs was a bit of a culture shock. A meeting with a hometown priest during winter break caused me to realize that this was not the norm. Most people find themselves struggling to find and keep faith when immersed into a college environment, yet I had found an abundance.
As a Christian, I spent the first few weeks trying to find a group that I would enjoy. I eventually found my way to Marsh Chapel’s Episcopal ministry, and I have been a part of the leadership ever since then. Through that, I became aware of the Boston Interfaith Leadership Initiative (BILI), as several BU students active at Marsh Chapel were fellows. I had heard the name in passing but did not know much about it until I was invited to apply this fall. What excited me most about the opportunity was that the folks organizing it seemed to have a very good understanding of the need for interaction and interfaith dialogue in college settings.
I first began to notice the need for improved interfaith interactions on my campus when I spent a semester of my freshman year participating in a para-church Christian club. They had a very friendly, freshman-only Bible study. However, it seemed rather odd to me that there were so many other Christian groups on campus, yet they very rarely interacted. If students who have some amount of shared beliefs do not make finding community together a priority, what would my campus’ interfaith community look like? As I dove deeper into leadership with the Episcopal chaplaincy group, the struggle for finding cross-group communication was not alleviated. It was not that groups did not want to interact; in fact, many of the larger religious organizations on campus are very happy to host events and invite everyone to participate as guests, often creating experiences with the intention of inviting those who have no experience to learn something new. Rather, what was missing was the act of joint planning—working together to create something beautiful between communities. While I admire the efforts of those who plan events and invite others to be part of the experience, I recognize the difficulty of logistically trying to get different religious groups with entirely different structures together.
This was the position from which I entered BILI. I loved the experience of exchange and sharing that already existed in the BU community but wanted to know how we could, as organizations and individuals, work together in more joint and creative ways.
My experience as a fellow, however, has been much more expansive than my personal desire to event-plan and group-organize. Personally, one of the most astonishing aspects of the program has been meeting different individuals in the field of interfaith dialogue. I could have never imagined just how large this field truly is. So many people have found full-time careers in working through some of the toughest questions different faith groups have faced.
Another aspect of this fellowship that has really struck me is the ongoing discussion surrounding how we can be true to our faith while also engaging others. This fellowship opportunity came at a time where I was a bit volatile in my spirituality, going through what I regard as normal spiritual growth, but with the concern that it would be a hindrance to what I could contribute to a group of highly accomplished individuals. How could I represent my faith well if I was still trying to figure out how I want faith to look in my life? If I am still working to determine how my Christian identity fits within my total identity, would I be a good representative on this panel? But this experience has solidified some of my more practical views on the importance of my faith life. The significance of having a faith community, the benefits of spiritual practices, and the importance of having personal foundations have been enhanced by my conversations with those who share my views but with different faith communities, spiritual backgrounds, and personal foundations to rely upon.
Finally, one of my greatest experiences this past fall semester has simply been the exchange with the other fellows. My on-campus job relies on the significance in peer-to-peer exchange in academic settings, and I feel as though BILI has mastered that. The simple conversations we can have, whether informal or in the group setting, have done more to teach me about the expressions of other faiths than a class could. Seeing people bring in objects significant to them can be a great historical tool, but it also helps us see into the person that we are getting to know. Why is this significant to them? What importance does this object have for them as a person, as well as their faith? I cannot wait to jump into the next half of this semester for more of these kinds of exchanges.
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