Rev. Nathan Day Wilson recently offered a thought-provoking perspective and invitation to the Indy Festival of Faiths on Aug. 29-30.
In his column, Wilson discussed the significance of learning about other faiths as a way of reaffirming our own spiritual foundations.
Respecting the sanctity of all faiths and spiritual traditions has been a part of the Sikh commandments, advocated by spiritual leaders — His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, and others — and an anchor of lessons from my father. I have expressed and advocated this prayer in my writings and columns for the past four decades.
I truly believe, learning can lead to understanding, and understanding can lead to our connecting in various ways and at multiple levels. When we interface in faith, with respect and trust, and a shared humanitarian spirit, then our perceptions of being strangers are diminished, if not completely shattered. Together, we see and can create greater goodwill for causes that need our collective gifts and common prayers.
It is almost providential then that on Aug. 29, the Children's Museum of Indianapolis is opening an exhibit, called “Sacred Journeys,” that will offer iconic pilgrimage perspectives from Christian, Moslem, Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, and others spiritual traditions. The exhibition, which will include photographs from the National Geographic, will be sponsored by the Lilly Endowment.
he Children’s Museum and the Center for Interfaith Cooperation are working together to present these two faith events in the same week.
Imagine that experiences offered and inspired at these two events could in time lead to:
An amazing opportunity for families, where visitors will be taken on cherished and undreamed-of sacred journeys without leaving town.
Welcoming guests from faith communities, educators, and visitors from around the world to experience another dimension of creativity, sacred icons, and traditions that enrich and enlarge our understanding of the spiritual and cultural tapestry and treasures of humanity.
Spiritual encounters and events that widen new frontiers of learning, sharing, and an appreciation of shared ideas and prayers as a human family, about faiths different from our own, yet a part of the collective spiritual heritage of humanity.
Lesser-known traditions, such as a Sikh faith pilgrimage, also will be a part of the “Sacred Journeys” exhibit. The Sikh wedding tradition also will be on display, since the Festival of Faiths’ theme this year of “Weddings in Faith Traditions.”
Hopefully, Hoosiers and our friends in other states will benefit from these two events and be a part of these and future pilgrimages to learn about ourselves and others who share this planet with us.
Kanwal Prakash "K.P." Singh is a leader in the Sikh community in Indianapolis.
