World Religion Day, celebrated January 15, 2023, is a chance for individuals of different faiths to strengthen interfaith understanding. First established by the Bahá’í community in 1950, World Religion Day’s purpose is to highlight “the idea that the spiritual principles underlying the world’s religions are harmonious and that religions play a significant role in unifying humanity” (bahaipedia.org).
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe that all “people of faith have cause to believe not only in the good of their own religion but also in the good of religion in general” (“The Relevance of Religion”).
World Religion Day does not require people to adopt the same creed but, rather, focusses on “oneness in diversity, a hope that the world’s religions will help to bring about love, peace and respect” (“World Religion Day: Oneness in Diversity”).
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To celebrate World Religion Day, Canada Newsroom interviewed three young Montreal-area Latter-day Saints. Corrie Darrington is a master’s student studying animal science at McGill University, David Dietze-Hermosa is a constituency assistant for the Brossard–Saint-Lambert member of Parliament, and Catherine Rayanna Jarvis is a McGill undergraduate student.
What do you think about the idea of celebrating World Religion Day?
Jarvis: All religions are important. All types of faith are valuable. Each is worth celebrating. Religion is community and bringing us together; isn’t that what this celebration is all about?
Dietze-Hermosa: The concept of celebrating Earth’s religious diversity strikes me as something that would do much good to reconcile peoples and promote more kindness, understanding and respect.
Darrington: Religion is such a widespread and variable thing, so having a day to celebrate that reminds us of how we are different and similar. One thing I love about other faiths is the idea that, at the core, we should be striving to be good people and connect with the deity we believe in. Even though our beliefs may differ, there are so many things we share.
How do you learn about other faith traditions?
Darrington: I was able to take a world religions class during my undergraduate [studies], which taught me a lot about different faiths. I’ve also been able to travel to some Asian countries, and while there, I was able to visit temples of other faiths and learn more about those religions.
Dietze-Hermosa: My knowledge of other religions has come mainly through personal conversations with members of those faiths, life experiences and simply reading books or online [resources]. [This] has allowed me to have greater respect for those who believe in different things than I do.
In what way do you think you might celebrate World Religion Day?
Darrington: I think I will look to see what kind of events may be happening, put on by other faiths, as well as use the day to talk about my own faith.
Jarvis: I will celebrate this day by making an extra effort to live my faith.
On World Religion Day, we can gain greater understanding by attending a community religious service or by getting to know people of another faith. If attending a worship service is not possible, people of faith may pray for one another wherever they may be.
Members of the Church are encouraged to respect those with differing beliefs and to engage in interfaith relations to benefit the communities in which they live. Latter-day Saints worldwide work to further the cause of religious freedom internationally and often partner with other religious organisations to provide service and relief to those in need.