Our Sectors

Faculty

A growing group of educators are creating and teaching innovative interfaith curriculum, preparing a new generation of civic leaders to engage across lines of religious difference.

Higher Education

Teaching Interfaith Understanding Faculty Seminar

In partnership with the Council of Independent Colleges, Interfaith America hosts an annual weeklong faculty seminar, taught by Laurie Patton and Eboo Patel, on teaching Interfaith Studies.

WHAT IS INTERFAITH STUDIES?

A New Field

Scholars and educators interested in exploring the dynamics of religious interaction have claimed a new field of Interreligious/Interfaith Studies. Interfaith Studies programs seek to develop civic leaders who are prepared to positively engage religious diversity and build interfaith cooperation in communities and professions throughout the country.

WHAT IS INTERFAITH STUDIES?

Definition

In partnership with scholars in the field, IA offers the following working definition of Interfaith Studies:

“Interfaith Studies is an interdisciplinary field that examines the multiple dimensions of how people who orient around religion differently interact with one another, and the implications of these interactions for communities, civil society, and global politics.”

WHAT IS INTERFAITH STUDIES?

Join Us

IA seeks to convene and connect scholars interested in this work. Though the field largely began among those studying religion, we work with faculty in a myriad of fields including nursing, business, education, languages, and biology.

Whether you have long been engaged in interfaith work or are just beginning, we hope you will join our network. Read on for resources and opportunities.

Featured Grants & Programs

Religion and Health Curriculum Grant

Partner with another faculty member to create religious diversity curriculum for courses in health fields.

Institute on Interfaith Excellence

Develop context-specific plans for integrating interfaith cooperation in sustainable and far-reaching ways in order to cultivate new generations of civic interfaith leaders.

Resources for Faculty

Experiential and Engaged Learning in Interfaith and Interreligious Studies Courses

Learning through engagement brings to life some of the concepts that students learn in the classroom.

Case Studies: Engaging Religious Diversity in Health Fields

Written in partnership with health fields faculty, medical practitioners, and bio-ethics students, these case studies describe real-life scenarios from health care settings in which religious identity plays a significant role.

Case Studies for Exploring Interfaith Cooperation: Classroom Tools

How does interfaith cooperation work in tricky situations? Explore these case studies.