Interfaith Service at the 2025 IARF EME Conference

Description

Held during the 2025 conference of the International Association for Religious Freedom's Europe and Middle East region, this interfaith and multilingual service was a profound exploration of liberal faith in a complex world. Opening with a candle lighting ceremony dedicated to freedom, humanity, and tolerance, the gathering featured a central sermon that challenged attendees to grapple with the "paradox of tolerance" and embrace a faith of active repair, accountability, and honest self-critique. The service beautifully wove together diverse spiritual threads, including readings from Khalil Gibran, a Muslim prayer and a call of radical welcome inspired by Rumi, and reflections drawing from Jewish, Christian, and Islamic mystics. Through communal singing of hymns like "Dona Nobis Pacem" (Give Us Peace) and the anthem "Die Gedanken sind frei" (Thoughts Are Free), the service culminated in a powerful call for participants to become the "human hands, human courage and human caring" needed to answer the world's suffering and build a legacy of engaged, compassionate action.