by Finn Williams, ’24

When reflecting on my internship at the Center for Interfaith Cooperation, I find myself at a crossroads. My time here has offered me a litany of amazing opportunities, and helped me gain a considerable amount of vocational insight, but more importantly has supposed a plethora of challenges for myself moving forward: namely, outside of professionally organized settings, how can I lead a life congruent with the ethos and mission of sincere, productive, and practical interfaith work? Surely the wisdom I have gained from this experience is pertinent, and the relationships I have made will be invaluable in my service of such a notion, but outside of the forums presented by the CIC I can no longer rely on the guardrails that were previously at my disposal, and thus am challenged to live a life which honors its desires; a notion much easier said than done.

My experience at the CIC has taught me that interfaith work is entirely difficult. That is not to its detriment, but it is certainly the reality: interfaith work can be taxing at several points. However, the fruits of such an experience are entirely evident: the creation of a community which truly values its neighbors across spiritual, racial, and economic barriers. Such an imperative is one which anyone could identify merit and value, however it comes at the cost of encountering conversation which calls into question the very claims which one holds to be ultimate. Such a notion at first glance appears terrifying, but in hindsight can easily be viewed as beautiful: to grow stronger in one’s faith at the hands of an entirely different one, while additionally introducing a sincere and sustainable bond with another across personal spiritual divides, is a notion which I believe anyone would identify as being inherently virtuous.

This notion, however, requires a sense of humility and empathy which many are taught to avoid in the context of inter-religious experience. Thankfully, my time at the CIC has helped me to continue to cultivate such virtues in my daily life. It has challenged me to identify where I may fall short within such work, and how I can move forward to rectify my prejudice and biases. It has challenged me to be diligent, respectful, and honorable in all work that I do. It has shown me, above all else, that love is a beautiful tool when wielded with sincerity and vulnerability and can enable you to journey across barriers you previously thought were impenetrable.

I look forward to continuing my interfaith journey, and I thank the Center for Interfaith Cooperation for being my guide, albeit ending far too soon.