Interfaith

Symbols of many religions are included in this design used for World Religion Day, a Bahá'í-initiated celebration of the role of religion in unifying humanity.

Interfaith or interreligious activities are ones that involve interaction and cooperation between representatives of more than one religion, faith, or community of belief. The term can be applied to a wide range of formal and informal gatherings which may include devotions, musical or other performances, speeches or presentations, dialogues, seminars, workshops, communal meals, collective acts of service, and more. In accordance with Bahá'u'lláh's explicit teaching to "consort with the followers of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship", Bahá'ís have been involved in interfaith activities since the early days of the Bahá'í Revelation.

Although some groups make distinctions between interactions within a certain tradition (i.e. between different denominations of the same religion) and those which involve other traditions, the terms "interfaith" and "interreligious" are generally synonymous from a Bahá'í perspective.

History

The origin of the modern interfaith movement is commonly credited to the World's Parliament of Religions which took place in 1893, at which the Bahá'í Faith was mentioned for the first time to a Western audience.

See also

• Comparative religion