White House Faith Council member speaks on unity
Eboo Patel, founder and executive director of the Interfaith Youth Core and member of the Advisory Council for the White House Office of Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, speaks on Nov. 11.
By Ashley Keihn | Staff Writer
As part of the Blanche E. Penrod Lectureship and the Indianapolis Spirit & Place Festival, Dr. Eboo Patel spoke on faith and unity on Nov. 11 in Ransburg Auditorium.
Patel, the founder and executive director of the Interfaith Youth Core and member of the Advisory Council for the White House Office of Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, talked about connecting faiths and working together to create unity. He has written a number of books and was recently named one of Newsweek’s America’s Best Leaders of 2009.
Patel began his speech by quoting historic figures such as Martin Luther King Jr, President Barack Obama and W.E.B. Du Bois.
“W.E.B. Du Bois once said ‘the problem of the 20th century is the problem of the color-line,’ the challenge of the 21st century is going to be the faith line,” Patel said in comparing the important time in U.S. history with history that is being made today.
Patel identified his views on the ways that all of the many faiths are interconnected in some way, and how they each have a part in making America what it is today.
“America’s patchwork heritage is a strength not a weakness,” Patel said. “Nowhere else have so many people from so many religious and ethnic backgrounds been part of one political entity.”
While working for the Faith Council he has been able to interact with President Obama and shared with the audience many of his views, including one that Patel feels passionate about.
“We live in an era where we can all be faith leaders,” Patel said, quoting Obama.
One student in particular, who attended the event agreed with this concept as well as the concepts presented by Patel.
“I was inspired by the lecture, I think that it’s an interesting and practical approach to solving a lot of problems. Not only different religion issues, but I think if you start there the idea is applicable to everything,” said freshman Allie Cunningham.
Patel also emphasized how in this day and age, all people of all religions should build bridges to connect everyone together.
He spoke of getting groups together to build for Habitat for Humanity, groups that were not only from the Christian faith, but all other faiths as well, to learn from one another to work together for one common goal.
“I really enjoyed, what he [Patel] said and the stories he used, and being a visual person I loved his analogies to connecting the religions by making a bridge,” said sophomore Lauren Bauer.
Patel encouraged students to ask, what would inspire us to cooperate, and what does my religion have in common with other religions? He closed the lecture by saying a sentence from the Muslim faith in Arabic.
“We are for God, and we return to Him, without a doubt,” Patel said.
The lecture was followed by a dinner with President Beverly Pitts and various members of the campus community.
