About the Interfaith Listening Program

What is the Interfaith Listening Program?

Interfaith Listening brings together Presbyterians and persons of other faiths to meet and talk face to face. Interfaith teams visit local areas, and provide opportunities for Christians and people of other faiths to meet, to engage in conversation and to listen to one another talk about their faiths and their experience.

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)'s church partners in other countries will send a two-person team to the United States. Every team will include one of their Christian members together with a person of another faith community to whom they relate. Each team will visit congregations, presbyteries, colleges and local community groups to share their experiences of the realities and challenges of living amid religious diversity and of interfaith relationships.

Our hope is that as team members interact with each other and with us, we will be helped to explore the complexities of living in our multireligious world. We may find ways to accept God's call to work together for the well being of our communities, and for justice, peace and the healing of creation.

Why are we doing this?

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) will seek new opportunities for conversation and understanding with non-Christian religious bodies in order that interests and concerns may be shared and common action undertaken where compatible means and aims exist.

—Book of Order G-15.0104

In the aftermath of September 11, 2001, the need for Presbyterians to engage in interfaith conversation and to seek understanding became critically clear. The Worldwide Ministries Division's Interfaith Relations Office and Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, in partnership with Congregational Ministries Division's Presbyterian Peacemaking Program developed the Interfaith Listening Pilot Project, which first itinerated teams in 2002.

In 2004, the Interfaith Listening Program once again focused on Christian-Muslim relations out of the conviction that the need for Christians and Muslims to listen to one another and talk with one another is urgent. If this project is able to continue, a future year's focus may be on Christian-Buddhist, Christian-Jewish or another relationship. This project is a seed from which we hope dialogues and interfaith relationships will grow.

How do I apply to host a team?

Applications are not being accepted at this time. We expect to bring teams again in the fall of 2007.

If you have questions about the Presbyterian Interfaith Listening Program, contact Jay Rock, Coordinator for Interfaith Relations, at (888) 728-7228 x5289 or Karen Hood at x5351.

What are the criteria for selecting host sites?

Preference will be given to sites for the following reasons:

• Clear involvement of presbytery or two presbyteries working together.
• Teams will meet with Presbyterian young adults, faculty and students.
• Teams will meet with persons of other faiths and/or interfaith groups in the local area.
• Selection of the site will foster an interfaith network that already exists in the area; OR selection of the site will reach an area with no previously developed inter-religious relationships.

Sites will be selected to create a balance of rural and urban situations.