User:Rabbi18

INTERFAITH

The term interfaith refers to any kind of activity, event or relationship involving the adherents of two or more religious traditions. An Interfaith Rally for Peace, a 5K run to raise money for breast cancer research in which various religious institutions participate, and an organization of Christians and Jews united to support Israel are examples of interfaith endeavors.

Interfaith usually implies respectful, constructive and cooperative attitudes and interactions. While the interacting communities may acknowledge differences between them in belief and behavior and while the interfaith endeavor may be designed to clarify and understand those differences, usually no violence, antagonism or enmity is evidenced. The goal is mutual respect and cooperation.

The term interfaith may refer to an activity or relationship in which the members of diverse religious faiths encounter one another and interact, and it may refer to activities and relationships in which the adherents of differing faiths work together in a common endeavor but do not actually come into contact. An example of the former is a Passover Seder in which both Buddhists and Jews participate in a common ceremony and share a common meal. An example of the latter is a community service day in which churches, mosques and synagogues all participate, each group performing its own project.

A very frequent and widely encouraged interfaith activity is interfaith dialogue.

COMPARATIVE RELIGION

The phrase comparative religion refers to the study of religious traditions, generally in an academic setting and involving a comparison of their differences and similarities in origin, history, belief and behavior. Comparative religion is not necessarily an interfaith endeavor. Religious faiths may be compared without any desire for mutual interaction, understanding or cooperation.