By Diana Dworin different religions.” PHOTODISC
Interreligious explorations
Discovering different religions promotes understanding
K
ids are naturally curious about the world and others around them. They can be especially full of ques- tions about people from cultures and ethnicities dif-
ferent from their own. This same sense of natural-born curiosity spills over
as children grow and take notice of differences among religious traditions. A Lutheran child might ask why a Jewish friend doesn’t celebrate Easter or Christmas. Or a teen might wonder why a Muslim student wears a hijab (head scarf) to high school. Tapping into questions like these can be an important way for parents to deepen their family’s interreligious connections in an increasingly diverse world, said Keith R. Anderson, pastor of Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Woburn, Mass. “When adults walk alongside kids in their questions about other religions and they experience these questions together, it helps kids see more clearly what other faiths are about and how it connects to their own faith,” said Anderson, who is raising four children with his wife, Jenny, who is Jewish. “The world today is too small and too diverse for
people not to be engaged with these different traditions,” he added. “I don’t think you can really raise kids to understand the world without understanding more about
Parents help children grow in their views about other religions when they: • Deepen interreligious friendships. Look for ways to extend hospitality to others who have different religious traditions and backgrounds. Invite a co-worker to dinner or arrange a play date for your child with a friend from school. “These little conversations on the playground or at the dinner table are the things that change the world,” Anderson said. • Experience different religious traditions firsthand. Invite friends from various religions to attend worship or special holiday event at your church, and express an inter- est in doing the same at their tradition’s gathering place. Take time to talk with your family and friends about the things that were similar and different. Look for ways to keep the conversation growing. Consider visiting differ- ent religious services from time to time as a way to keep learning more about other traditions.
Tried & true
Parenting resources that work
A Faith Like Mine by Laura Buller (DK Publishing, 2005). This easy-to-read reference guide gives children a
photo-packed tour of the world’s major religions and how people across the globe observe their traditions. The book begins with descriptions of the universal
aspects of faith (defining it as what people “trust, hold true and are loyal to”) and includes a color- coded map outlining each country’s primary religion. An overview of the major world religions—including those less commonly found in the U.S. such as Zoro- astrianism and Baha’i—follows with short commen- taries from young people. With a colorful and quick-paced format, this book can be a starting point for parents to engage their family in conversations about how religious beliefs are similar and different, and how they give purpose and comfort to youngsters across the globe.
org. Send questions to diana@passthefaith. org.
Share your opinion or story at
www.thelutheran. Lutheran mom
Dworin, 42, is a mother of three and a former parenting magazine editor.
February 2012 41
Pass the faith
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