Introduction to Interfaith Dialogue

This book is a Module in the Theology as a Second Language Curriculum. This particular project was funded with a grant from the Louisville Institute to make it available to the larger faith community, but it started in a local church, namely, the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Owensboro. This is a 6-session module/book intended to form Ambassadors by teaching skills in group theological reflection, ethics for spiritual conversations, and basic knowledge of the issues of Interfaith Work. It presumes participants already have some knowledge of Traditions other than their own and focuses on their personal formation and skills. The back story: Our Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Owensboro, KY decided to engage our Theological Diversity with great deliberateness about ten years ago. We use this schema to describe what has grown from our work: EXPERT: One who knows his/her root tradition and current practice deeply. We expect this of our members and offer ways to strengthen it. MENTOR: One who helps another sort through theological and spiritual issues-in the Other's language and theology. This requires some theological flexibility outside one's own practice and experience. AMBASSADOR: One who can facilitate interfaith dialogue (on a small scale) outside the Congregation. This requires awareness of other theologies and larger interfaith issues- especially what one is not equipped to do! The special focus of this volume is the role of the Ambassador.