The University of Toledo is celebrating the various religious perspectives of the campus community with Interfaith Week.
“There is a lot of diversity when you look at religious beliefs,” said Dr. Jeanine Diller, assistant professor of philosophy and director of the Center for Religious Understanding. “There are three layers there — your perspective, how you hold your perspective, and how you view other perspectives.”
Interfaith Week creates awareness about religion and religious organizations at the University. Events continue through Saturday, Oct. 26, and include a Religious Diversity Workshop led by Diller that will cover different religious stances people have, the basics of some religions, and the diverse ways people interpret their own religious beliefs. Discussion is encouraged throughout the event.
“There is a lot of misunderstanding about religion and a lot of pain that accompanies that misunderstanding,” Diller said. “I hope that a seminar like this can help reduce that kind of pain and give people perspective.”
Other Interfaith Week events include:
Monday, Oct. 21
• Interfaith Week Kick-Off Trivia, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Student Union tables.
• Meditation and Dharma Talk with UT Zen Buddhist Fellowship, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Interfaith Chapel.
Tuesday, Oct. 22
• Movie Screening: “Doing Time Doing Vipassana,” 7 p.m., Memorial Field House Room 2910.
Wednesday, Oct. 23
• Multifaith Experience Service Learning Experience, 2:30 p.m., meet at Student Union fountain. Read more here.
• Bowling with Hillel, 7 p.m., Bowlero Lanes, 4398 Monroe St.
• Soul Food Dinner and Faces of Faith, 7 to 9 p.m., Toledo Campus Ministry.
Thursday, Oct. 24
• Painting the Spirit Rock, 7 to 10 p.m., the Flatlands.
Friday, Oct. 25
• Multifaith Café, relaxed interfaith discussion over free coffee and food, 10 to 11 a.m., Phoenicia in the Student Union.
• Cooking for Tent City, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Corpus Christi University Parish.
• Religious Diversity Workshop, 1 to 4:30 p.m., Student Union 2592.
• Jumah (Friday) Prayer, 1:30 p.m., International House Muslim Prayer Room.
• Tent City, 5 to 9 p.m., Corpus Christi University Parish.
Saturday, Oct. 26
• Diya, a celebration of the Hindu holiday Diwali sponsored by the Indian Student Cultural Organization, 9 p.m., Student Union Auditorium.
The Religious Diversity Workshop led by Diller is offered as part of the UT culture building institute diversity certificate offered to faculty and staff to provide further education about diversity and engage the UT community in discussion of relevant issues.
Although the certificate’s sessions are usually open only to faculty and staff, the workshop was made open to the public as part of Interfaith Week. For more information on the diversity certificate, visit utoledo.edu/diversity/training.
Interfaith Week is organized by the Office of Student Involvement, the Center for Religious Understanding and the Office of Multicultural Student Success.
