Category: Interfaith Fellows’ Blog Posts

Blog posts written by fellows of the Interfaith Fellows Program.

What’s in a Name?–Tegbir Chawla

“Order for Teeg?” “Tigbar, right?” “ohh beer…like the drink?”  These are just a few of the common mispronunciations or misconceptions that I have heard about my name when placing an order or introducing myself to someone. Whether it’s due to the length or the appearance of sounds and letter combinations typically not found in English, …

Faith in Silence–Jaden Schultz

In September of 2016 my biggest fear came true, and my life changed forever. After a lifelong battle with cancer, my dad passed away, leaving my entire family devastated. The loss was unimaginable. I cannot accurately articulate the pain and grief we experienced in the days, months, and years following; any description I can manage …

Love and Grace, a Christian Perspective on Abortion–Marie Meyer

I grew up looking at a framed image of Dorothy Day which said, “We cannot love God unless we love each other, and to love we must know each other. We know Him in the breaking of bread, and we know each other in the breaking of bread, and we are not alone anymore.” The …

Reflections on Interfaith Dialogue–Shahid Ahmad

As I reflect on this semester with the Interfaith Fellows Program, I realize how much it has shaped my understanding of religion and my relationship with my faith within a community and world context. Entering the program, I came with a curiosity about other faiths and a desire to find commonality between different perspectives. I …

At Least I Have My Hijab: My Journey to Fearlessness and Faith–Awa Phatty

I started wearing the hijab in third grade, long before I fully understood its meaning. It was simply a norm in my community, and I liked how it felt when I put it on. It gave me a sense of identity, even if I couldn’t articulate that at the time. As I grew older and …

My Journey of Faith from Nepal to the United States–Shashank Pokhrel-Joshi

Growing up in the far western region of Nepal, I was raised in a household where my parents did not engage in everyday religious practices; instead, we celebrated only major festivals. Despite this, religion was a notable part of my family and life. Yet, unlike my extended family and cousins – who prioritized religion and …

Growing Up Seventh-Day Adventist–Faith Nyabuto

Every Friday evening, as the sun set below the horizon, my family would come together to embrace the Sabbath. This wasn’t just a change in time; it was a shift in perspective—a pause from the hustle and bustle of daily life to immerse ourselves in worship. The harmonious sound of hymns filled our home with …

Walking With Pride–Baljinder Singh

Walking with pride means something unique for every single individual. I walk with pride while wearing a Sikh turban commonly referred to as a Pagri, a piece of cloth dating back centuries, representing sacrifice and honor. My decision to wear my turban every day reflects my identity but is also a tribute to my ancestors …

Performative Grace–Axell Boomer

I first remember learning the story of Jonah and the Whale in Sunday school. Jonah’s actions were taught as a lesson in why we ought to follow God’s command. Past that point, I put it out of my mind, until I recently discovered The Mountain Goats’s song “Mobile.” “Mobile” has generated, for me, a new …

“What’s That on Your Head?”–Tegbir Singh Chawla

In the Sikh faith, it is customary to keep one’s head covered out of respect for the spirituality of our unshorn hair, one of the five articles of faith that Sikhs must maintain. Young boys tend to tie a patka while adolescents and older men wear a pagh or dastaar, which is often referred to …