Recently charted, Interfaith is a multicultural organization created to promote learning and understanding between faiths across campus.
Interfaith is a multicultural organization on campus that was just recently formally established when approved by SGA late last October. The goal of the club is to provide an intentional space on campus for students of varying faiths and religious affiliations to gather and make connections. President of the Interfaith club Sophia Rehman elaborates on Interfaith’s mission saying, “Our goal is to provide an opportunity for students of all different faiths a chance to build bridges with others by facilitating a space for them to discuss and therefore come to understand both their similarities and differences.” In this way, the club aims to foster strong relationships both on campus and within the Tulsa community, between individuals with differing beliefs. By creating a neutral and deliberate space for open dialogue between faiths, the organization hopes to emphasize understanding and learning from each other. The organization focuses not only on similarities that bind many communities together but also ensures to emphasize the differences between individuals and their beliefs with the idea that people can be brought together by understanding these differences.
The upcoming Interfaith dinner is an event aimed at exactly this objective. Scheduled for Monday Feb. 3 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Great Hall of the Student Union, this free dinner is open to anyone on the TU campus who is interested in participating in respectful and compassionate conversations involving different faiths on campus. The dinner will include multiple presentations from both students and faculty across campus of differing faiths, along with deliberate conversation cards created by organizers in order to curate meaningful and productive conversations between attendees.
As the Interfaith organization starts to expand, organizers hope to begin scheduling regular and consistent meetings, as well as larger, more frequent events. In the future, Interfaith executives have expressed interest in expanding many of their events to include more of the Tulsa community, intending to foster stronger and sustainable connections, not only between students but within Tulsa as well. In terms of their regular meetings, Interfaith organizers have also expressed a desire to dedicate certain meetings and events to specific topics to elevate differing and overlapping perspectives within the community.
In the meantime, Interfaith will be tabling at the upcoming Spring Activities Fair this Wednesday, Jan. 29 and encourages students to come by the Student Union from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. to introduce themselves and get involved in the organization. Anyone interested in Interfaith or those who have ideas and suggestions for events are highly encouraged to reach out to anyone on their executive board, including President Sophia Rehman at ssr3889@utulsa.edu or Vice President Aeric Beck at ajb2435@utulsa.edu.