Why do we encourage Interfaith connections?

Why do we encourage Interfaith connections?

It’s a very reasonable question.
We live in a very diverse society filled with many different beliefs and worldviews. It could be argued that a society that is ignorant of its diversity is easily divided. It’s hard to hate people you’ve had the time to get to know. Pagans exist and play active roles in our society. It is good for us to be known. Following on from that, it is also good for us to have some understanding of the beliefs and worldviews of others in society.  


If we have some understanding of what is important to people and why, we can appreciate their needs and take them into consideration when we interact with them. In terms of government (local and national), policy and provision can take into consideration the needs of communities so that it can be truly seen to work for all. When bigotry and hatred, which is always based on misrepresentation of the target, occurs, more accurate knowledge makes that easier to address.

Some people have suggested they don’t like the idea of Interfaith because they believe it might put them in a position where people are trying to convert them to other beliefs. In more than 2 decades of Interfaith engagement I’ve only had a small handful of experiences where someone tried to do that and others have been swift to shut that down as it is not in keeping with underly principles of Interfaith. Indeed, one of the benefits that people involved in interfaith work have shared is that dialogue with people from different religions and worldviews leads to a deeper reflection on our own beliefs to the point that our own beliefs are enriched with a deeper understanding of what we believe and why we believe that. So we gain friends from other communities AND we gain in our own beliefs and practices.

For a very long time Pagans and Pagan traditions were given a negative and highly inaccurate press. That is considerably reduced today, and will continue to reduce the more we engage with wider society through our Interfaith and education work. But it’s worth noting that other religions and worldviews communities also suffer from negative and highly inaccurate press and, as we’ve had help from representatives of other religions and worldviews representatives in correcting misinformation, it is only fair that we support our friends from other religions and worldviews when they are misrepresented and attacked. From a Human rights perspective, that is the right thing to do, too.

We all benefit when we work together, learn together and support one another.

Mike Stygal
Pagan Federation Interfaith Manager

Contact Mike here