Navigating Obstacles: Interfaith Work in the Buckle of the Bible Belt

This session provides practical help for local interfaith councils facing challenging obstacles. West Texas – the “buckle of the Bible belt” – is not an ideal environment for interfaith work or understanding. This environment includes disinterest leading to low participation, occasional outright hostility, monolithic cultural expectations, fear and mistrust of the religious ‘other’, and a powerful evangelical element that discounts any religion except evangelical Christianity. The Abilene, TX Interfaith Council has navigated these obstacles for over twenty years. Facing interfaith challenges, however, is not unique to West Texas. Session participants garner helpful ideas that can be utilized in any setting to enhance the work of interfaith councils.