In 2014, Dr. Nancy Klancher participated in a Teaching Interfaith Understanding faculty development seminar, run in partnership between the Council of Independent Colleges and Interfaith Interfaith America, and generously funded by the Henry Luce Foundation. For information on future seminars, and to access more resources created by seminar alumni, visit The Council of Independent Colleges.

Dr. Klancher, Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Religion, has created these tools to be used in her Spiritual Autobiographies course at Bridgewater College. This course is considered a “Critical Inquiry in the Liberal Arts,” the broad goals for which include active listening, perspective-taking, reframing or seeking clarification, and public deliberation. The more specific goals for the Spiritual Autobiographies course include the following:

  • Engaging in productive civil discourse about spiritual commitments through consideration of
    one’s own and others’ spiritual journeys and identities;
  • Gaining active listening and perspective-taking skills; and
  • Engaging in public reasoning about how authentic encounters with religious Others can create
    a culture of peaceful pluralism.