Teaching Tools: Engaging Religious Diversity in Health Fields
Teach students how faith identities and communities can and often do play a transformative role in health and healing.
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Our nation’s religious diversity is a key asset as we build healthier communities where everyone belongs. Interfaith America is working to leverage that strength throughout the health ecosystem.
Most of our neighbors see religion as a key part of their personal and social lives. And communities facing barriers to health care often turn to faith-based organizations to bridge gaps in information and access. Together, these indicators point to the need to engage our nation’s religious diversity thoughtfully and fruitfully in health-related settings.
At Interfaith America, we’re building communities of practice committed to unlocking the positive potential of religion in health-related settings. From undergraduate and graduate health professions programs to health-focused faith-based organizations to health system and public health leaders, we’re inspiring, equipping, and connecting those who are poised to bridge the gap between religion and health to promote individual and community flourishing.
Interfaith at work
The Interfaith Healthcare Cohort (IHC) includes over 75 young professionals working within the various intersections of faith and health. The IHC is a great place to build relationships with other folks across the country who are interested in interfaith and healthcare, further develop interfaith skills, and have access to resources to positively influence change.
“The most interesting intellectual work of my career has been working at the intersection of faith and health…for a pluralistic public.”
– David Tillman, Chair of the Department of Public Health, Campbell University
“We understand the importance of training religious leaders who have an awareness of social determinants of good health.”
– JONATHAN LEE WALTON, DEAN, WAKE FOREST DIVINITY SCHOOL
“I think about my work as a bridgebuilder in the world of public health [as] an opportunity to create a healthier society. If we can all cooperate with one another, and we can learn from one another, and we can change policy in a way that improves the health of everybody, we are doing bridgebuilding work.”
– Suraj Arshanapally
“The research is clear: integrating religion and spirituality in mental health care is essential. Now we need to spread that knowledge in curricula for health professionals as well as through professional education.”
– Thomas Schulze, MD, Upstate Medical University
Let’s build an interfaith America, where people of all beliefs work together for the common good.
religion in the workplace
We’d love to connect with you as we continue to expand our work at the intersection of faith and health.
Please contact us with any questions.
Nazish Rizwan
Program Manager
Interfaith America
