Sponsored by the Appalachian Interfaith Alliance, a local organization which promotes interfaith unity through community service, the “Building Bridges” gathering at Bluefield College is designed to help increase the understanding and appreciation of all the different faiths in our community.
Bluefield College professor Dr. Rob Merritt, who has been studying interfaith understanding and attending seminars on “Teaching Interfaith Understanding,” will serve as BC’s host for the event.
“We learn about our own faith when we treat it not in isolation, but in relationship with other beliefs,” said Dr. Merritt. “There seems to be such a lack of dialogue on the global and local levels. If people don’t try to understand each other — not convert each other — and find some common ground, America can be torn apart. Having a dialogue about different religions makes you think more clearly about your own faith in looking at it and explaining it to others.”
The “Building Bridges” gathering is open and free to the community. Complimentary foods from around the world will be served. For more information, contact Dr. Merritt by email at [email protected] or by phone at 276-326-4270.