Interfaith Engagement + Faith Communities

Buddhism is a nontheistic religion founded on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, or the Buddha. The purpose of one’s life is found in attaining enlightenment. Buddhism stresses the importance of self-awareness and virtuous living.

Christianity dates back to the first century and is centered on the person and work of Jesus Christ. Christianity has three main branches of belief and practice: Catholicism, Protestantism and Eastern Orthodoxy. Christians worship one God as the Holy Trinity, consisting of the Father (creator of the universe), Jesus Christ (the savior of the world) and the Holy Spirit (which has worked to sanctify and transform lives throughout history and continues to do so today).

The Catholic Church has communities around the globe. Its governing center is Vatican City in Rome, Italy. The Pope is recognized as the leader of the Catholic Church. In addition to the Roman Catholic Church, there are many other Catholic Churches in “full communion” with Rome. Some smaller, independent Catholic Churches exist without recognizing the authority of the Pope.

Hinduism is a monotheistic religion that believes in God as the one source, having numerous manifestations. As a divine being, God transcends every being and object, and one’s purpose in life is to become aware of the divine. Worship rituals and meditative practices within Hinduism are intended to lead the soul toward direct experience of God or self.

Atheists do not believe in any gods or the supernatural. Humanists emphasize the common humanity of all, placing moral values solely within the human realm and not the divine. Moral and social uplift occurs by the efforts of human beings.

Islam is the second largest religion in the world after Christianity, with about 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide. Although its roots go back further, scholars typically date the creation of Islam to the 7th century, making it the youngest of the major world religions. Islam started in Mecca, in modern-day Saudi Arabia, during the time of the prophet Muhammad’s life. Today, the faith is spreading rapidly throughout the world.

The Jewish people have been in existence for some 4,000 years, and consider the Biblical patriarch Abraham to be the first Jewish person. In the Jewish story, God created a covenant with the Jewish people, first with Abraham, and then reiterated with Abraham’s descendants, all the way to Moses.

The Orthodox church, or the Eastern half of the Christian church, split with the Roman Catholic Church in 1054 A.D. Orthodox Christians are incredibly diverse and among the nationalities and cultures represented are Antiochian, Carpatho-Russian, Greek, Romanian, Russian, Serbian and Ukrainian.

The Protestant church formed in the 16th century, separating from the Roman Catholic Church over disputes about faith and justification. The Protestant church is further divided into denominations, including (but not limited to) Presbyterian, Episcopal, Lutheran, Baptist, Methodist and Wesleyan. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, or the Mormon Church, is another branch of Christianity that was founded in the United States in 1829 by Joseph Smith.

Sikhs believe in One Immortal Being. To be a Sikh is to be a learner. Sikhs make no distinctions between gender, class or race, and all Sikhs are to be committed to being saint soldiers. “Saint” indicates the importance of spiritual discipline, and “soldier” indicates one’s readiness to fight oppression. Sikhs are committed to meditation, earning an honest living and sharing wealth with the community.