If we are to define ourselves, as Thomas Merton suggests, in relation to the world, then that definition should reflect the diversity that is the current state of the world. Perhaps decades ago it would have been possible to have a homogenous definition of oneself that reflected individual communities. Today, however, that is not the case. With the spread of world-wide communication technology and the migration of people to every corner of the earth, we no longer exist in isolated societal, ethnic or religious enclaves. This means that as we educate each other, we must do so in a way that allows us to respond to and reflect the changing world.

For Christian religious education, this translates into a drastic shift in the way that churches help individuals to define themselves in light of their faith. We could re-write Merton’s definition of education to read, "The purpose of Christian education is to show people how to define themselves authentically and spontaneously in relation to a pluralistic, or inter-religiously diverse, world. . . ." The religious education that people receive from their churches should equip them to live in communities filled with multi-cultural and inter-religious variety.

The trend in the United States, however, sees education of this kind originating in secular institutions of higher education rather than from within its natural home, the church. Colleges and universities across the country are actively looking for ways to respond to the issues of education in a religiously multi-faceted world. In 1998 a new initiative in spirituality and education out of Wellesley College in Massachusetts set off a furor of inquiry within American academia. The Education as Transformation Project "seeks to define a vision for education as a transformational process in which students are educated to be global citizens with an understanding of the diversity of religious traditions and with strategies of pluralism that engage diversity in creative and productive ways." The pilot program was inundated with over 700 university students, professors and administrators who understand both that religious diversity on campus is a modern way of life and that no education can ignore the nurturing of the spirit alongside the mind.

Smaller regional conferences, such as one hosted by the Temple of Understanding in New York City, have sprung from the initial program. These events aspire to capture the enthusiasm of the original Wellesley Conference and channel it into grass-roots education initiatives through local universities. The conference in New York, for example, saw participants raise questions on topics such as inter-faith service learning, methods of meditation and inter-religious insights on non-violence. Participants challenged the traditional American separation of spirituality from education and invited reflective thinking and faith issues back into the academic arena.

Yet, these issues (which the church has raised for years) are coming to the forefront outside of the church’s domain -- not in religiously affiliated schools, but in public universities. Sadly, the church seems to have taken less of an interest in addressing the needs of the inter-religious communities in which it now finds itself. At the same time, inter-religious education is increasingly essential for equipping people to be citizens of the world. As mainstream culture begins to recognize a growing need for inter-religious understandings and endeavors, the church must follow suit; otherwise, it runs the risk of falling behind. Unless it actively invites inter-religious inquiry and education, the church will be forced to follow the lead of secular society and spend years "catching up" to the educational initiatives created there.

One place to begin this inquiry is in seminaries and church-schools. The church must begin by educating its educators. Our seminaries and religious schools must incorporate interfaith learning, dialogue and exchange in their theological training techniques. The church will, in this way, be granting its leaders permission to explore inter-religious avenues. In so doing, the church will also be sanctioning similar exploration in its constituency so that it both encourages interfaith dialogue and teaches people appropriate forms of exploration. When our Christian clergy and laity are comfortable with the art of dialogue they will make their parishes safe havens for inter-religious inquiry.

A good example of this step into inter-religious education comes in a New York-based program, Seminarians Interacting. This program brings Christian, Jewish and Muslim theological students together in a setting of mutual engagement and exchange. Students and staff of various theological schools spend several days visiting each other’s institutions. Here they immerse themselves in classes, worship and dialogue. At the end of each seminary exchange, the students come together for an intensive weekend of debriefing. They share what the experience meant for them both personally and in light of their own religious tradition/training. Obviously, the students learn as much about themselves and their own tradition as they do about the "other", because they are forced to work ecumenically as well as inter-religiously. The students find unexpected allies in other faiths as they recognize common challenges in explaining doctrine and policy. The past year’s program, for example, saw tensions rise as gender discussions divided the room of Muslims, Reformed/Reconstructionist Jews and Catholic/Protestant Christians into surprising allegiances.

Important to both the Education as Transformation project and the Seminarians Interacting program is the participation of faculty and staff from each school. This affirms the importance of inter-religious dialogue throughout the institution and encourages participation by students. A varied constituency is a first step in breaking down the institutional hierarchy that often precludes the involvement of women and young adults in such events. The Education as Transformation Project and Seminarians Interacting are not products of Christian outreach; rather they are programs of independent non-profit organizations. Yet, they can serve as models for our churches as they look for ways to enter into inter-religious education through community exchanges, immersions and honest dialogue. People look to the church as a model for dialogue, and the church must lead by example.

This directive becomes even more challenging when approached in conjunction with issues of gender and age. While women and young people seem to come easily to the "interfaith table", the structures that promote dialogue often seem reluctant to bring them there. However, in my experience, it seems to be women and youth who are most actively engaging in daily inter-religious activities. From the Christian and Jewish mothers who talk while their children play together in the park to the Muslim and Hindu university students sharing dormitory housing, women and young people seem to be engaging in interfaith living in tangible ways. Initially, I would argue that the role of women in religious education should be no different than that of men. Understandably, however, there are communities and circumstances where the role of women must be at least subtler than that of men.

Similarly, as young people continue to respond to the reality of the diversity surrounding them, the church runs the risk of losing its youth as they gravitate toward traditions that offer better answers to their questions. These young people are the ones who will be instilling religious values in the future generations. Already much denominational understanding is weakened -- if not entirely lost -- among this generation. The church must decide whether it wants Christian understanding lost as well. The church has the ability to accept and respond to the changing religious landscape in the world. Whether and how it does this will shape the future of interfaith education.

Christy Lohr is the Project Director of the Temple of Understanding, a global interfaith organization which promotes interreligious dialogue and education. Previously, she served for two years as the young adult intern in the US Office of the WCC. She currently serves as the chair of the Young Adult Committee on the North American Interfaith Network’s Board of Director and is on the advisory team for a faith-based international service-learning initiative, the Interfaith Youth Core. .