About Interfaith Philadelphia

Christian, Muslim, Baháʼí, Jewish, Buddhist, and beyond, Interfaith Philadelphia is led by a diverse team and Board of Directors from various religious, ethnic, and racial communities. Our leaders draw on their experience in interfaith relations and diversity work across civic, governmental, community, and educational settings to advance our mission.

Our holistic approach engages the head, heart, and hands through teaching, dialogue, and service. Through our signature programs (Youth Initiatives, Leadership Institute, and Religious Networks) we aim to create communities of hope and reconciliation in workplaces, schools, and neighborhoods. We unite religious leaders, congregants, and youth to learn to value and respect the “other” while strengthening their own religious identities.

We work strategically across workplaces, congregations, schools, and neighborhoods, based on the social-ecological model. We believe change requires impacting multiple levels of influence. We define social change as increased harmony, focusing on changing attitudes and increasing knowledge at the individual level, building bridges at the community level, and creating a new public narrative at the societal level. 

Our Mission

In order to promote social harmony and inter-religious understanding, Interfaith Philadelphia equips individuals and communities for interfaith engagement, builds collaborative relationships, and stands in solidarity with our diverse neighbors.
LIIP

Our Vision

Since our founding in 2004, Interfaith Philadelphia has challenged Philadelphians to dare to understand one another. Our bold vision is to have our region reflect the vibrancy of a religiously diverse democracy, one in which all people are valued, distinctive traditions are welcomed, and people of diverse backgrounds collaborate to shape a just and compassionate society.

Dare To Understand®

Our tagline, Dare to Understand, is both a statement of fact and a call to action, encapsulating so much of what makes our work unique. It conveys a sense of the courage required to participate and engage in interfaith work, the fear of the “other” felt by so many, and the need to overcome such fears. It challenges us to be bold in learning about one another, to dare to listen sincerely to the crying needs of our time, and to work together to contribute to the good of our region. Not only is our tagline a call for a deeper understanding of the “other,” but it is also an invitation to continued self-discovery and appreciation of one’s own heritage.

Core Values

We value freedom of religious expression as a justice issue, honoring the myriad of ways people self-identify and orient around religion and spirituality.

Religious freedom is foundational to democracy and to the city of Philadelphia. We strive to help our region be one where all are fully welcomed and valued.

We uphold respect and dignity for all, especially those at the margins.

Through our programs, policies and practices, we strive to expand awareness of and dismantle structural and implicit bias and racism.

Our work is local.

We strive to help the Philadelphia five county region become a vibrant, religiously diverse democracy. This requires work with individuals and institutions, youth and adults, leadership and the grassroots. All residents of our region are our constituency.

Religious literacy is critical to all sectors, vocations, and is an important dimension of civil society.

Understanding the customs, practices, holidays, dietary needs, sacred texts, arts, core stories and teachings of diverse faith traditions is essential to creating a stronger, more connected community, where religious diversity is not only tolerated but appreciated.

Our call to action is Dare to Understand.

We invite people to speak authentically and listen respectfully; to listen to understand. This takes curiosity, humility and courage. People know us best when we are able to tell our own stories. In coming to know others, we better understand ourselves. This enables us to discover our commonalities, and celebrate our distinctiveness.
About Us

We embrace the widest possible table and encourage people to stay at the table.

We value the dignity and worth of every individual, we respect multiple world views, and we strive to create spaces for all to express their whole and distinctive identities.

Collaboration and relationships are essential, and take time.

This work cannot be done alone, and building trust, understanding, and cooperation takes time. We value our partners and program participants, and are committed to investing in, and strengthening these relationships. Systems change expertise reminds us that collaborations benefit from the differences among the collaborators, and an ability to see the world differently and through the eyes of another. Enduring change needs investment over time.

We value institutions and their leadership, as well as grassroots constituents and activists.

We recognize they are each critical for social change and can co-exist. Challenging the edges, (from within and without), is needed for new ideas and norms to break through. Healthy structure and institutions are needed for change to endure.