Interfaith America

10/09/2026

Interfaith America is hiring a Program Manager, Campus Partnerships.

This role will support colleges and universities in advancing worldview diversity, interfaith cooperation, and civic pluralism on campus. The position works closely with campus leaders and external partners to help strengthen higher education's commitment to engaging religious diversity.

If you're excited about creating more welcoming and inclusive campus communities, explore the opportunity and apply today.

Learn more: https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/Details/4562718/Interfaith-America/Program-Manager-Campus-Partnerships

10/09/2026

Faith, service, perseverance, and the pursuit of justice have long shaped the Sikh American experience.

As part of Interfaith America's Faith-Specific Convenings initiative during America's 250th year, Sikh leaders from across the country gathered in Houston to discuss religious liberty, pluralism, civic participation, and the future of the nation.

In a new reflection, Dr. Hamdeep Singh explores how Sikh values such as seva, equality, and standing up for the rights of others offer important lessons for strengthening the common good.

Read the full article here:

https://youtu.be/RthZsRtly5g?si=BCGCu871Znc3XwudThe story of America is a story of many people seeking the freedom to worship, live, and express themselves…

10/06/2026

Only a third of Americans say most people can be trusted.

At the same time, loneliness, distrust, and division continue to shape how we relate to one another. But disagreement itself isn't the problem. A diverse democracy was built to survive disagreement.

The deeper challenge is that too many of us have become strangers.

In a new column for Religion News Service, Simran Jeet Singh and Mary Ellen Giess reflect on what it takes to rebuild trust, practice peacemaking, and create a more neighborly America.

Read "America: Don't Be a Stranger."

All told, only 34% of Americans — barely a third — say most people can be trusted. There is a path to a more neighborly America.

10/05/2026

As Americans prepare for this November's elections, many are questioning whether the process will be free and fair. In a new opinion piece for The Fulcrum, Scott Rasmussen shares why faith communities can be a powerful force for building trust, reducing division, and helping neighbors engage elections with confidence.

Through conversations across differences, local civic engagement, and a commitment to the common good, faith communities can help strengthen both democracy and pluralism.

Read the article: https://thefulcrum.us/elections/faith-communities-restore-trust-americas-elections

How have relationships in your community helped build trust across differences?

Faith communities strengthen trust, reduce division, and help Americans engage elections with confidence

10/02/2026

Twenty-five years after 9/11, some experiences still linger beneath the surface.

In a new reflection, Ali Khaleel shares memories of watching family members be singled out at airports after 9/11, the confidence he spent years building as a Muslim American, and the surprising moment when old fears resurfaced before a September 11 flight.

His story is an honest look at identity, belonging, and the reality that healing rarely follows a straight line.

Read "25 Years Later, I'm Still Shaving for the Airport" here:

Writing my speech felt like healing. Shaving my beard felt like a reminder that healing is not linear.

10/01/2026

Three friends met for dinner near their alma mater and left asking a bigger question: How do we measure the value of a field of study?

For Shradha Jain, Hayley Segall, and Shannon Smith Page, the answer is clear.

Religious studies helped them develop the skills to build relationships across differences, communicate with empathy, think critically, and lead in complex environments. Today, those skills shape their work in corporate strategy, nonprofit development, and parish ministry.

Three traditions. Three careers. One shared conviction: understanding what people believe, value, and hold sacred is an essential human skill.

Read their reflections:

Now more than ever, our country needs graduates who can build relationships across identities, interpret differences with care, and put knowledge into practice. Religious studies forms exactly these capacities.

09/30/2026

Can Reading Make Us Better Neighbors?

This fall, Weave: The Social Fabric Project at the Aspen Institute and Interfaith America are inviting people across the country to participate in Weave’s first ever BIG READ, a shared experience centered on David Brooks’ book, “How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen.”

Learn more about ways you can participate at weavers.org/bigread/.

A shared reading experience of “How to Know a Person” by David Brooks. October 1 – November 5, 2026 Join us for the BIG READ Kickoff Livestream | Oct. 1 at 1:00pm ET Why are we doing this now? We live in a moment marred by deep and growing division, loneliness, and an erosion of the social tru...

09/29/2026

College students are asking some of life's biggest questions: What gives life meaning? Where do I belong? How can I make a difference?

In a new IA Today article, campus religious, spiritual, secular, and interfaith leaders share what they're seeing among today's students and how colleges can better support young adults as they search for purpose, build community, serve others, and navigate a complex world.

From creating spaces for reflection to fostering service opportunities and meaningful conversations across differences, these campus leaders offer insights that can benefit all of us.

Read more:

Learn how campus life staff can support students of diverse worldviews — a large percentage of whom are non-religious — as they explore their passions.

09/28/2026

No one is expected to remain in a situation that is unsafe or demeaning.

One of the most common questions about pluralism is whether it asks people to expose themselves to harm by engaging with those whose views feel disrespectful or dehumanizing.

The answer is no.

Pluralism is an invitation. Every person has the agency to decide when and how to engage across differences. While it's important to acknowledge real risks, it's also worth remembering that we often make assumptions about what others believe or how extreme their views may be.

Sometimes curiosity reveals opportunities for connection, understanding, and cooperation that we didn't expect.

Explore this question and others in our new Frequently Asked Questions About Pluralism resource: https://www.interfaithamerica.org/resources/frequently-asked-questions-about-pluralism/

09/25/2026

Interfaith America is proud to partner with the State University of New York (SUNY), the nation's largest public university system, to launch a new pluralism initiative spanning 10 campuses across New York. Over the next 18 months, senior leaders from participating institutions will develop and implement campus-specific strategies that foster mutual respect, build meaningful relationships across differences, and advance shared goals.

Each campus will receive support and funding to strengthen pluralism through leadership, curriculum and scholarship, capacity building, and co-curricular engagement.

Partnering Campus:
Participating Campuses

Binghamton University
Buffalo State University
Stony Brook University
SUNY Brockport
SUNY Cortland
SUNY New Paltz
SUNY Oneonta
SUNY Plattsburgh
SUNY Purchase
SUNY Rockland Community College

Read more about the initiative:

Interfaith America (IA) and the State University of New York (SUNY), the nation’s largest public university system, recently announced a partnership that brings together ten campuses in a cohort dedicated to equipping senior leaders to develop and implement sustainable pluralism strategies.