Last week in Washington D.C., amid national reflection prompted by the State of the Union Address, IA founder and president Eboo Patel spoke at the Washington National Cathedral.
In his address, entitled “Our Sacred Union,” Patel wove together parallel narratives: the story of religious diversity in the United States beginning with Roger Williams and the foundation of Islam and journey of the Prophet Muhammed. He invoked the depth of interfaith cooperation in this nation’s history and the sacred calling that draws him to this work.
“Diversity is a treasure, identity is a source of pride, equal dignity is the baseline, faith is a bridge, the common good is the north star,” he recited, summarizing the Prophet’s guidance to the diverse tribes of Medina and the principles that guide bridgebuilding work.
“Diversity is a treasure, identity is a source of pride, equal dignity is the baseline, faith is a bridge, the common good is the north star.”
– Eboo Patel
In two discussions that ensued, Patel offered a path forward for American democracy: a recommitment to the founding vision of religious pluralism.
Following the address, Washington National Cathedral Dean, the Very Rev. Randy Hollerith moderated a conversation between Patel, columnist Christine Emba, and writer Peter Wehner.
In response to Emba’s assertion that pluralism is not always easy and the Dean’s call for practical steps to “strengthen our moral framework,” Patel recommended cherishing the beauty in one another’s traditions and seeking inspiration from the scholars of pluralism who give voice to its rich intellectual tradition.
“The way you become good at pluralism is you practice every single day,” he said. “There is no other way to be America.”
Watch Eboo’s address at the Cathedral: An Evening with Eboo Patel on Faith & Democracy
The day after his address at the Cathedral, Patel joined Washington Post columnists Megan McArdle and Shadi Hamid in a panel hosted by Josh Good at the Aspen Institute’s Religion and Society program.
Highlighted by the New York Times’ Lauren Jackson as an “interesting debate on political pluralism,” the conversation addressed the intersection of political and religious identities, the rise of secularization, and a hopeful path forward for American institutions.
As the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Patel proposed that our nation is at “a hinge point.” He set forth a call to usher in a new chapter of our American story — an interfaith America, and one that builds on the nation’s legacy of religious diversity and cooperation across difference.
“What is more instructive in building an interfaith America than the history of religious diversity in this country?” he asked.
Watch the full panel, Our Sacred Union: A Conversation with Eboo Patel, Megan McArdle, and Shadi Hamid.
