Campus & Community

7 Reasons to Attend Interfaith Exploration Week

Thursday, February 1, 2024, By Dara Harper

Hendricks Chapelillustration of a tree depicting many different faiths is celebrating religious and spiritual diversity and inclusion through Interfaith Exploration Week from Feb. 5-11. All students, faculty and staff are invited to participate in a series of gatherings that provide an opportunity to learn about diverse religious and spiritual traditions, rediscover familiar traditions, and build relationships and understanding across barriers.

Hosted by the chaplains of Hendricks Chapel, participants can attend Jumuah prayer, a Buddhist meditation, Catholic Mass, Shabbat dinner and more. The week will conclude with a special Interfaith Dinner and Conversation with the Student Assembly of Interfaith Leaders on Sunday, Feb. 11, from 5 to 6 p.m. The full schedule and details are available on the Hendricks Chapel website.

Here are seven reasons you may want to explore:

  1. Learn about other faith communities. You may have a Jewish friend who you met in the residence hall, but you don’t know a great deal about Judaism. Interfaith Exploration Week is a ideal time to learn about your friends and their beliefs.
  2. Deepen your sense of religious and spiritual diversity. If you have been raised in a particular faith community, attending university may be the first time you’ve met Buddhists, Muslims, Baptists, etc. One of the best ways to create understanding is to observe another’s practice.
  3. Find your own community of faith. Leaving home also means leaving your home place of worship. Finding a faith community at school can offer a home away from home. Additionally, you may find yourself ready to create new opportunities as you expand your center of understanding.
  4. Have fun. It’s just fun to be with new people in new places!
  5. Meet the chaplains. Did you know that our chaplains are confidential resources? If you are in crisis or just need someone to talk to, you can meet with any of our chaplains. Each chaplain is here to support our entire student body, regardless of your spiritual, religious or non-religious practice.
  6. Make friends! In these programs, you will meet new people. Perhaps you’ve seen them in your residence hall or in class but have never had a chance to connect. Now you’ll have an experience in common!
  7. Experience a “home for all faiths and a place all people.” With 15 chaplains and more than 25 student and religious groups, Hendricks Chapel celebrates and observes many traditions. At Interfaith Exploration Week events, you can ask questions, learn and experience concepts new to you!

“Interfaith Exploration Week is an opportunity to create and sustain curiosity, understanding and expression,” says Brian Konkol, dean of Hendricks Chapel. “We hope that all participants can learn about others, and also learn about themselves, all in service to our common good.”

Interfaith Exploration Week is organized by the Student Assembly of Interfaith Leaders (SAIL), chaplains, religious and spiritual life group advisors, and the staff of Hendricks Chapel.

To learn more about Interfaith Exploration Week, visit the Hendricks Chapel website, call 315.443.2901 or email chapel@syr.edu.