Interfaith Digital Dialogue

by | Jun 8, 2020 | Home, Important

Are you yearning for new connections? Is it time to see the world in new ways? Would you like to increase your understanding of other faiths and cultures?

Then come join us at CIC’s Interfaith Digital Dialogue!

Meet someone from another faith. Experience a virtual conversation turning into a real learning experience. Let an initial meeting become a meaningful relationship and expand your spiritual horizons.

Sign up here – https://form.jotform.com/201633653984158

Given the necessity of social distancing, the CIC aims to continue its goals of increasing religious literacy, building empathy, and facilitating interfaith encounters through the CIC Interfaith Digital Dialogues. This program pairs interested participants with peers from another faith tradition in order to have a virtual “coffee date” and get to learn about one another’s faith traditions. By signing up, you are indicating your interest in being paired with a peer for conversations about your religious traditions. Anyone is welcome to participate in this dialogue, but minors require parental permission. 
Once you sign up, you will be sent contact information for a dialogue partner from a different faith tradition.  It will be up to you and your partner to set up a time to talk for 30-60 minutes.  You can speak by Zoom, Google Meet, WhatsApp, phone, etc.  When you engage in dialogue it is important to keep in mind the following Digital Dialogue Norms in order to have a fruitful and compassionate conversation:

  • Be an expert in your own experience and a student of others’ experience
  • Use “I” language, speak for yourself, not your entire community
  • Be an active listener, be curious 
  • Express your interest by asking questions compassionately and with an open mind
  • This is a Process, not a Product: the conversation itself IS the full goal
  • Be mindful of time; respect the commitment and expectations shared up front – these conversations are designed for 45 minutes (ish)
  • You have the right to not answer or pass on any question asked of you
  • You commit to being honest and recognize that you are sharing your experience of a religious tradition in a truthful and personal manner
  • The conversation should not be political or divisive in nature

Discussion Prompts:

The following questions are meant to be launching pads of discussion.  You don’t need to answer all of them, go in any order, or be constrained to only these questions.  We hope they get you started in the process sharing. 

  • If you were caught on candid camera over the course of a day or a week, what would be caught on film that identified you as a member of your religious tradition? (Practices, service, community connections, food, etc.) 
  • What was your experience of growing up in your faith tradition or the journey that brought you to your current religious identity? 
  • What do you love about your religious tradition?  What do you struggle with about your religious tradition?
  • What is a favorite text, teaching, or ritual that comes from your religious tradition?  Why do you like it?  
  • If there was one misunderstanding that you would like to clarify about your religion to others what would it be?  
  • Based on our conversation today what are some commonalities and differences among our faith traditions?

Following your dialogue you are asked to fill out a feedback survey that will help us improve the program and let us know if you would like to be paired up with another dialogue partner.  The feedback survey can be found at this link. 


Thanks for your interest in CIC Interfaith Digital Dialogue!  We hope you will join the conversation!