"Building-bridges with Congressman Keith Ellison"

"I believe your religion should be a bridge to other people no matter what their religion is," that is what stuck with me as I left this morning’s plenary. Congressman Keith Ellison was talking about religion as an identity. I have always believed that religion is a core part of identity. Even as an agnostic I have always thought that my beliefs were tied directly to my identity, but as Ellison reminded us, that this paradigm can be a dangerous one. If belief is tied to my identity then people who share that identity are my people. Now we have the paradigm of the self and the other. Ellison’s articulation is one that seems right to me. Our faith is a bridge and by being here at IFYC’s conference, we are bridge builders."
 
Katya Maslakowski
Interfaith Youth Core, Senior Associate for Development
October 26th, 2009