When Dr. Eboo Patel looked at the new class of Concordia College students, he saw the next generation of interfaith leaders.
“This is a college that takes interfaith seriously,” he said.
Patel, a renowned interfaith leader and author of “Acts of Faith” and “Sacred Ground,” gave the address during Opening Convocation Aug. 30.
Upon reflection of his own college years, he recognized them as the most important years of his life.
“College is about the new perspectives you develop, the new eyes you develop,” he said.
His family background and college experiences prompted him to search for the resonances between different faith traditions. He cited leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi, who strengthened their roots in their own traditions by learning about the traditions of others.
These leaders and others inspired Patel to begin the Interfaith Youth Core, an organization devoted to service and dialogue between young people coming from varying religious backgrounds.
He encouraged the students to discover what matters to them and to be a part of positive change.
“The great work begins now,” he said.
Patel will lecture about his new book “Sacred Ground: Pluralism, Prejudice, and the Promise of America” tonight at 7:30 p.m. in the Centrum, Knutson Campus Center. Seating is limited. Doors open at 7 p.m.
