Lectures introduce people to other religions

Although he passes it every day on his way to work, the Rev. Tim Ahrens recently realized he has never stepped foot into the Hindu temple.

With that realization also came the fact that many other people probably haven’t stepped into another religion’s house of worship. That’s part of the reason Ahrens, the senior minister at First Congregational Church Downtown, has teamed up with Karen Patterson, an education consultant studying to become a lay minister, to host Speaking of Faith, a class to teach people about faiths beyond their own.

He likes to say it’s not just speaking of faith, but stepping into it, because the six-class series will host its events in different religion’s houses of worship.

The series begins Oct. 2 with a discussion about Judaism, and runs through March, covering the top six most-practiced local religions, including Christianity, spiritual but not religious, Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam.

The events will last two hours, from 7 to 9 p.m., and include two parts: a lecture from a religious leader and then conversations among those of different faiths.

“I really do hope there’s a much deeper understanding of other religions,” Ahrens said. “We’re trying to draw an evening where we can sit and really talk.”

The idea for the series came after another, longer series Ahrens did with a local rabbi about Judaism and Christianity. It was a two-year series on Hebrew and Christian scriptures. As it came to a close recently, participants expressed an interest in exploring beyond the two faiths, Ahrens said.

“I think people really want to figure this stuff out a little more deeply,” he said.

Patterson attended that class and loved it, but she, like many others involved, yearned for more knowledge about other faiths.

She hopes the upcoming series helps to build community.

“Getting to know each other in that way breaks down barriers, breaks down stereotypes and just facilitates better community unity,” Patterson said.

Ahrens and Patterson looked at the top six local faiths and came up with the topics.

More than 70 percent of Ohio’s residents are Christian, about 22 percent are nonreligious and another 4 percent account for non-Christian faiths such as Judaism, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism, according to Pew Research Center’s Religious Landscape Study.

“It’s stunning in Columbus, Ohio, the religious diversity we have and how little we really know ... about other religions and how little we know the people in other religions and their practices of faith,” Ahrens said.

The class is meant to be like a teaser, a safe, non-evangelical, nonpromotional way for those of different faiths to have a conversation, Ahrens said.

“I’m a big believer in you don’t understand a religion at all until you’ve prayed that, practiced that and really seen how that works,” Ahrens said. “We don’t put ourselves in enough positions where we speak of our faith and really engage others in healthy ways.”

The class already has more than 100 people registered, which shows to Patterson that people in Columbus want to break out of their own religions and learn.

“For me, one of the biggest gifts in my life so far has been meeting and becoming friends with people from other faith traditions and I hope this series experience would provide that opportunity for others,” she said. Oct. 2