Throughout history, religion has driven conflicts, from the crusades in medieval Europe to the Rohingya crisis in modern-day Myanmar. According to the United States Institute of Peace, religious restrictions and hostilities, including violence toward minority religions, have steadily increased worldwide over recent decades.

Over the past year, U of M has been a place for students to express their views on the Israel-Hamas conflict, including events like the Students for Justice in Palestine encampment on campus this past summer and October vigils to honour Israelis and Palestinians lost in the war.

Despite tensions, efforts are being made to encourage mutual understanding between religions. The U of M Spiritual Care and Multi-Faith Centre, for example, has hosted Common Grounds, which are interfaith student gatherings, on campus for the past few years.

According to Edgar French, the U of M Spiritual Care and Multi-Faith Centre coordinator, the goal of these meetings is to deepen students’ beliefs and value systems and to provide a space for people with different religious backgrounds, and viewpoints, to be heard and understood. The result is dialogical expression.

In an email interview, French explained that these gatherings typically consist of a small group of students from diverse religious and spiritual backgrounds who wish to improve on their communication skills and develop a deeper understanding for different belief systems. Discussions are often based on topics of interest suggested by students.

“Gatherings typically start with a sampling of a coffee blend from a particular region of the world/country, and a discussion around a related topic that students have expressed interest in,” said French.

The first couple of sessions include introducing participants to one another and re-emphasizing respectful and effective dialogue. Though sessions are student-led and flexible, a structured discussion model helps facilitate effective conversations.

“The dialoguing methodology employed is described as reflective structured dialogue (RSD), a model of dialoguing designed to lessen emotional reactivity, enhance self-awareness and lead to more productive communication,” he said.

According to a literature review conducted in 2019, the RSD model reduces polarization and improves relationships among participants by encouraging thoughtful speaking, careful listening and reflection.

When asked why interreligious dialogue is especially important on university campuses, French highlighted that being able to talk through disagreements is a crucial skill in the workplace and in our daily lives but is often relegated to the margins of educational programs.

“Learning to dialogue is an essential human skill that not too many people learn in intentional and active ways […] Look at most professional job postings and you will find expectations that people be good communicators, problem solvers and address inter-personal conflict. But how often are students given the opportunity to actively learn and put into practice such skills before employment?”

He also noted that it is imperative for us to find common ground with each other given how groups are increasingly radicalized against each other in the modern era.

“I think it goes without saying that our society, university campuses included, is in desperate need of finding ways to communicate and understand each other better. The degree of polarization that shapes our perspectives, on a host of matters, seems unprecedented,” French said. “It’s our isolation from one another that is also a big part of the problem. As historian and philosopher Hannah Arendt once said, ‘isolation breeds radicalization.’”

“Interfaith dialoguing, I believe, can become a means of affirming our unique experiences and personal beliefs while opening ourselves to that of others. In the process one may be able to grow in empathy and compassion for others, develop connections and perhaps even friendships, while still holding to our deepest held values.”

Common Grounds interfaith student gatherings will pause for the fall term and are expected to resume in winter. For more information about the U of M Spiritual Care and Multi-Faith Centre, visit umanitoba.ca/student-supports/spiritual-services or follow them on Instagram at @um.spiritual.care. If you are interested in participating, e-mail spiritualcare@umanitoba.ca.