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‘faith250’ in the Pacific Northwest: Three organizations join forces to a time of community and conversation
Faith leaders gathered for faith250 in Washington, using America’s 250th to strengthen interfaith dialogue, civic trust and community ties.
By Rodric J. Hurdle-Bradford | For FāVS News
As America250 celebrations continue nationwide in honor of the nation’s Semiquincentennial, religious leaders across the country have localized the milestone through faith250, a series of interfaith events encouraging faith communities to act as “sacred spaces for listening to one another, clarifying our shared civic values, and celebrating our hopes for America.”
This year, faith250 built its national webinar around the May 7 National Day of Prayer, reflecting on the Gettysburg Address through the lens of faith. Interfaith America, the One America Movement and Braver Faith, among others, co-hosted the event.
“We took part in the faith250 webinar,” said the Rev. Terry Kyllo, executive director of Paths to Understanding in Lynwood, Wash.”We have helped connect faith250 with broader civic renewal efforts, including interfaith organizations, bridge-building initiatives, and democracy strengthening networks that are working to help Americans engage one another with greater respect and understanding.”
Communication has been central across faith250 events, both national and regional.
“We have participated in faith250 conversations that encourage faith communities to reflect on their role in strengthening our democracy, building trust across differences and fostering a sense of shared responsibility for our common life,” said Kyllo. “The conversations have demonstrated that while we may differ on many issues, there is a broad agreement that our communities are stronger when people know one another, trust one another and work together for the common good.”
Kyllo said the participants’ connections are rooted not just in a positive environment but in the real-world domestic and international problems the country faces every day.
“We are living in a time when many Americans feel isolated from one another and uncertain about the future,” said Kyllo. “Faith communities have a unique ability to bring people together around shared values such as human dignity, service, compassion, responsibility and hope,” he continued. “One of the most encouraging aspects of faith250 has been the opportunity to work alongside people from many traditions and perspectives.”
A Pacific Northwest roundtable
A week after the national webinar, the Pacific Northwest marked faith250 by hosting the Faith Leader Roundtable 250 on May 14. The Center for Ecumenical and Interreligious Engagement, the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle and Paths to Understanding hosted the event.
“Over 50 faith leaders representing five religions from across the Puget Sound region joined us to engage in text study looking at some of America’s sacred documents,” said Rabbi Jason Levine, associate director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle. “We talked about the blessings and the challenges our communities face, and planted the seeds for future connections and collaborations. All three hosting organizations work in the area of building community relationships, engaging people in dialogue across differences and finding common purpose to work together.”
Levine said numerous interfaith dialogue groups already exist in the Puget Sound region and have been more engaged than usual over the past year.
“This was a natural outgrowth of work already being done,” Levine said. “It has been a pleasure to be in partnership and relationship with these groups and many others to engage in joint purpose and determination to stand together and have challenging conversations that help us draw closer and benefit our shared community.”
“Our participants expressed appreciation for a space to share honestly about their faith journeys,” Levine said. “They talked about current struggles in American culture and openly discussed their joys and concerns for America at this 250th anniversary.”
Clergy and faith leaders from the Puget Sound region are planning several combined and spinoff groups and roundtables to keep the dialogue going well past America’s 250th birthday, the midterm elections and into the next decade. The leaders even signed a document affirming shared understanding, solidarity and commitment to one another.
“What gives me hope is that people from many different backgrounds increasingly recognize that our challenges cannot be solved by any one organization acting alone,” Levine said. “We need a stronger ecosystem of relationships, and faith communities have an important role to play in helping build that future.”
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