Breakout Session: Inclusivity and Respect: "Us vs. Them" Becoming "I and Thou"

A Muslim mystic told Father John Dunne of the University of Notre Dame, “You don’t have to become Muslim to know Allah. Go deep in your own tradition, and we’ll meet there, in the depths.” The poet Rumi wrote, “Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I'll meet you there.” In that spirit, in the spirit of Vatican II’s Nostra Aetate, let’s celebrate and honor the diverse religious perspectives and experiences of our student body. Let’s fully shift from our religious, theological, spiritual “us vs. them” lens to an “I and thou” worldview. Imagine unapologetic, faith-filled Christians authentically celebrating other faith experiences and wisdom traditions and seeking wisdom from them. Imagine how valued our non-Catholic sisters and brothers will feel. Imagine how deep the bonds could grow in such a community, and imagine how such a sisterhood and brotherhood could serve the world. In this breakout session, participants will discuss what this would look like in our religious studies classrooms and look for interfaith organizations we can collaborate with to be of service in our small corners of the world.