Eboo shares his thoughts on the role President-Elect Joe Biden's faith can play in unifying the country and interfaith communities.
Author, Speaker, Educator, and Interfaith Leader
Eboo founded Interfaith Youth Core on the idea that religion should be a bridge of cooperation rather than a barrier of division. He is inspired to build this bridge by his identity as an American Muslim navigating a religiously diverse social landscape.
For over 15 years he has worked with governments, social sector organizations, and college and university campuses to help make interfaith cooperation a social norm. Named by U.S. News & World Report as one of America’s Best Leaders of 2009, Eboo served on President Obama’s Inaugural Faith Council and is the author of Acts of Faith, Sacred Ground, Interfaith Leadership: A Primer, and Out of Many Faiths: Religious Diversity and the American Promise. He holds a doctorate in the sociology of religion from Oxford University, where he studied on a Rhodes scholarship.
These days, Eboo spends most of his time on the road, doing what he loves: meeting students, educators, and community leaders to talk about the complex landscape of religious diversity and the power of interfaith cooperation in the 21st century.
In his off time, you’ll find Eboo in Chicago with his wife, Shehnaz, and their two sons. When he’s not teaching his kids about interfaith cooperation, there’s a good chance he’s rooting for Notre Dame and feeding a lifelong coffee addiction. Catch up with him on Twitter and Facebook, and keep exploring to learn more about Eboo and IFYC.
Related Resources
Eboo reviews findings from the latest IDEALS report, focusing on the role institutions of higher learning play in reducing race-based discrimination.
PRRI’s Robbie Jones, John Inazu, professor of law and religion at Washington University, and Laurie Patton, President of Middlebury College helped Eboo mark the launch of his new book.
Eboo explores the position of the traitor-alien in diversity work and asks the question of how you build a community that is strong enough to deal with inevitable deep disagreement.
Eboo addresses the 2019 ILI sharing the hope he feels from seeing so many young leaders and educators ready to make interfaith cooperation a norm on their campuses.
Eboo shares his vision for America as a potluck nation – one where all are welcome to the table and diverse contributions are celebrated.
Eboo opened the panel, a partnership between The Aspen Institute and IFYC, moderated by NPR’s Tom Gjelten.
Goldie speaks to Eboo about IFYC’s commitment to offer interfaith leadership training to students studying online as well as in residential higher education.
Watch as Eboo Patel talks about the power of interfaith and how there's room for all of us and what we believe in.
Special correspondent Charlayne Hunter-Gault sits down with founder and president Eboo Patel to examine how interfaith dialogue can be used to bridge racial divisions.