The Many Faces of Faith

In Nova Scotia, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints participated alongside others during World Interfaith Harmony Week, where the theme was “Discovering the Many Faces of Faith.” As in past years, various sacred spaces opened their doors to the public, including the Ummah Masjid, Shaar Shalom Synagogue, the Halifax Hindu Temple and St. George’s Greek Orthodox Church. Opening doors is a step toward understanding each other and increasing dialogue.

This year, a new event was added to the celebrations of 2019’s World Interfaith Harmony Week: “Conversations on Discovering the Many Faces of Faith.” The event was held at three different branches of the Halifax public library system. Members and leaders from many faith traditions — including Christian, Baha’i, Buddhist, Humanist, Jewish, Muslim, Quaker and Universalist Unitarian — participated in the panel conversations. David Evans, former stake president of the Dartmouth Nova Scotia Stake, represented The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on the panel.

Listening to different perspectives and observing the different manifestations of faith enriched those who participated and helped to correct misconceptions. These conversations were followed by a lively Q&A session.

Multiple organizations participated in the interfaith celebration at the Halifax Central Library. The highlight was a beautiful rendition of “Let There Be Peace on Earth” by a mixed choir led by Church member Anna Davison. As co-ordinator of the celebration program, Davison stated, “The music, prayers, movements, chants and talks enriched our minds, strengthened our faith and delighted our hearts as traditions of faith were shared. We saw the many faces of faith in the community at large.”