Do all Abrahamic traditions pray to the same God? How do Muslims and Jews worship? Why do we judge others? Where do stereotypes originate?
High school youth in the July 2011 session of Trinity’s Summer Sampler program wrestled with these questions and more as they explored aspects of leadership with their Jewish and Muslim peers in the 1st Annual Columbus Youth Interfaith Dialogue.
Laura Book, co-director of Sampler, co-hosted the interfaith dialogue with representatives from the Columbus Jewish Federation and the Noor Islamic Cultural Center. The hosts invited young people between the ages of 14 and 18 from their respective faith traditions to join the conversation, which took place over three evenings at three different venues – a church, a synagogue, and a mosque.
“Although it was a bit intimidating at first, the interfaith dialogue was one of the most eye-opening things we did during Sampler. I didn’t know many Jewish people beforehand and I didn’t have a strong understanding of the Muslim faith,” said Caroline David, a samplarian from First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Strongsville, Ohio.
The event began July 18th when 26 participants gathered at the Main Street Orthodox Synagogue for a kosher dinner and conversation. That night the students learned the ground rules: “You are not selling your religion. You do not fully represent your religion. You are only an expert on yourself. Do not discuss politics. This is a safe space; listen deeply, do not judge, and you must respect one another at all times.”
Hands shot up and the dialogue got off to a rapid start the first night. The leaders revisited the rules each night after as the dialogue traveled from topics of family life and holidays, to God and God’s relationship with humanity, to stereotypes and American cultural influences on their faith traditions. In between activities and conversations, the students toured each place of worship.
Upon further reflection, Caroline said the interfaith dialogue may have been the most important part of her entire three weeks of Sampler. “After talking with the kids, I was most surprised by how similar our faiths really are and how willing everyone was to talk,” she said.
“The things we talked about were relevant to my life because they made me realize that most judgments and prejudices we have are completely false and naïve. I think that if we worked to gain a better understanding of other people, be it faith, culture, sexuality—anything—the world would be a much more peaceful place,” she added.
Claire Hardy, of Holly, Michigan said: “I just loved being able to meet insightful youth from other faiths, and hear how similar their religion is to ours. They were all really great kids, and it was a great experience to be a part of!”
Nicole Senft, a samplarian from Bay Village, Ohio, appreciated the opportunity to talk about interfaith issues with people her own age.
Due to the huge success of the first Columbus Youth Interfaith Dialogue, Book and her interfaith colleagues have already scheduled the dates for the 2012 Columbus Youth Interfaith Dialogue. As before, it will only be offered in the July session of the Summer Seminary Sampler. For more information and to recommend youth to this unique opportunity, please visit www.summersampler.com or contact Laura Book.
Summer Seminary Sampler is a residential program at Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio, that encourages young adults to participate in service projects, explore vocational options in Christ’s church, and think theologically. 
Summer Seminary Sampler was founded in 1999 with support from Lilly Endowment Inc., and has continued through the generosity of individual donors and congregations. You and your congregation can participate in the church’s future by referring outstanding young people to the program or by providing a financial gift. 
Join us on Facebook!