Communities of Reconciliation

The goal is to find a group of 5-10 Christians and 5-10 Muslims (total of 10 or 20) to commit to meeting together monthly for 10 months.

• The groups are to be co-led by leadership from both faith communities.

Communities of Reconciliation are designed for small group settings but you could streamline the template and use it in a one-on-one setting with a Muslim or Christian or with just three or four people.

• Perhaps you could meet over coffee for 10 months or in each other’s homes. People have come up with a variety of creative ways to use it.

During the 10 month period each person would tell their faith and life story to include why they are a Muslim or a Christian.

• Share your favorite verses from the Bible or the Qur'an. 
• Ask the hard questions of each other in the context of friendship.
• If necessary: Muslims are permitted to use two of the meetings to teach "Islam 101" and the Christians are permitted to use two meetings to teach "Christianity 101." Then each group would ask questions of the other.
• Meet for at least three, 3-month periods, with each period ending with a "dialogue dinner" (more details below). Every dialogue dinner should include a discussion about the last 3 months worth of experiences and spiritual impact for each of the group members.

Young Adult Communities: 

PURPOSE: To bring followers of the three Abrahamic faiths together. Establish friendships first and then promote constructive, problem solving paradigms for the next generation of leaders.

For the school year, we plan to bring together a group of Christian and Muslim students, for a total of 10 to 20 members.

All of the members will agree to meet together weekly for the course of the semester for discussion sessions (see template below).

• While there is no attendance requirement, all members are encouraged to come as often as they can and participate in additional activities like community dinners, service events, relevant lectures, and visits to different places of worship.

The goal is for this group to be co-led by both faith communities (Muslim/Christian) with members from a variety of campus ministries and/or other organizations.

• Primarily made for undergraduate students, but some other members will be allowed - such as campus ministry staff.
• Once the group membership is established, it is important that new members do not simply "visit a meeting" without the intention of joining.
• The group and dialogue process requires trust to be built between regular attendees.

Local Faith Community Groups

PURPOSE: To bring Christian’s from local Churches and Muslims from local Mosques together. Establish friendship first and then begin studying together.

• The goal is to find a group of 5 to 10 Christians and 5 to 10 Muslims (total of 10 or 20) to agree to meet together monthly for 10 months.
• We are looking for both younger and older adults to participate.

The goal is for these groups to be co-led by both faith communities under approval by the leadership. The groups will meet for at least three, 3-month periods with each period ending with a "dialogue dinner." A recommended text for all participants will be A Deadly Misunderstanding, by Mark Siljander.

• Once the group is formed and launched it is a closed group until the journey is completed.
• Adding people on later in the process is counter-productive as each gathering builds on the other.
• Group participation of those committed is crucial but we understand that not everyone will be able to make it each month due to sickness, work and other unseen events but commitment on the front end is critical.

Aside from weekly meetings, members are encouraged to take part individually, and as a group, in additional activities that are part of the group’s general mission.

• This includes taking part in service together (and planning our own service project at the end of the year), doing outreach to our own faith communities concerning interfaith peacemaking, and developing friendships with other members outside of the meeting.

All interfaith conversation and reconciliation is completely dependent on respect for everyone in the group.

• Each member is expected to fully express their beliefs, even those that differ. However, it is inappropriate to engage in polemics or heated debate during the group meetings.

• We are not a theologically pluralist organization, but a group that believes that people of faith and followers of God can participate together in serving God and learning from each other through friendship-based interfaith dialogue and service.

Please be considerate and allow for everyone to share equally during group conversations.

• Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry (James 1:19). This group is dependent on everyone asking gracious questions and practicing good listening skills, not lecturing.

• Have fun and make friends! If these two elements are not present in the group then we have completely failed in our mission. Enjoy yourself! It’s a chance to relax and learn, not a debate to be won. Hopefully lots of ice cream, meals, and coffee/tea will be shared along the way.