Interfaith Insight - 2024
Permanent link for "Triennial Year Theme: Bridging Generations," by Karen Meyers, Kaufman Associate and Director Emeritus, GVSU Regional Math/Science Center on May 21, 2024
Since its inception, the Kaufman Interfaith Institute has maintained a practice of creating a triennial theme every three years. This tradition began with the Year of Interfaith Understanding and was followed by the Year of Interfaith Service, Year of Interfaith Friendship, and the Year of Interfaith Healing; each idea guiding the work of the Institute while engaging the community in the formation of practices that build relationships. And this year 2024, being a Kaufman Triennial Year, has a theme as well: the Year of Bridging Generations.
The concept of being a “bridge builder” is a strong one in the work of those involved with the Kaufman Institute. There are many stories of bridges that have been built over the years by the staff and volunteers of the Institute; work that, while challenging. is ongoing and fruitful in our community.
Something I have been thinking about as we hear stories of this work is the nature of bridge building. It is such a rich analogy of what we are being called to do. I began to picture in my mind all the different kinds of bridges and what it takes to build them.
- Some are long – some are short.
- Some are simple – some are complex.
- They are made of different materials.
- Some cross a small stream – some span a chasm.
- Some are impromptu – like when you are hiking in the woods and find a log to place over stream so you can cross. Others take a great deal of time, hard work (even teamwork), and planning to complete like the Mackinac Bridge (I'm from Michigan).
And, as bridges age, there may be a need to revisit their construction and provide for repairs in their structure. Or, as we have all seen recently with the Francis Scott Key bridge or with the collapse of the Tacoma bridge in 1940, bridges can be destroyed by catastrophic events and need to be rebuilt.
Our call in this time and place is to build the bridges necessary to span the generations. Recently, I have been made aware of the necessity to reflect on the connection between multiple generations - both past and future - that this relationship is necessary if we are to address the concerns of our community. This means that, if the work of interfaith is to continue, there must be links between the young and older; a reminder of the past as well as planning to extend our reach and collective wisdom in a way that will persist into the future. The torch must be passed as we continue the work.
In other words, we need to become bridge builders. On a day-to-day basis, there may be those small, simple, impromptu bridges that we can construct. Other bridges may take some planning and persistence so we may only have the energy to work on one of those bridges at a time. There are bridges that connect individuals and then there are bridges that connect organizations; bridges that allow us to cross over to understand those of different faiths and perspectives.
Already this academic year, the Kaufman Institute has become more deeply involved in this work of bridging the generations through an expanded outreach to the GVSU community, the interfaith scholars program, Interfaith photovoice, and more. In the coming weeks, we will be sharing this work with you. As I write this, it is my hope that you will reflect on how you might become a bridge builder. What interactions in your day-to-day life provide you with opportunities to connect with other generations, instilling in them the need for interfaith interactions in our community - locally, nationally and globally?