Why does the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion field include so little religious diversity training? The cultural awareness and cultural competence inherent in DEI are increasingly embraced as the major tools of the global market place of the future. Yet, there is a black hole of information on diverse religions. The silence is due to a paralyzing sense of being overwhelmed and under-prepared, not to a lack of interest or visibility. Turn on the TV, open a newspaper, or check the internet and religion pops out as a major issue across the planet. Look at the increase in EEOC complaints based on religious expression as well as the growing antisemitism, anti-Muslim and other hate-related trends. Yet, the vacuum of expertise in religious diversity exists in most relationship-oriented sectors of our society: business, education, government, and human services.
The challenge of religious diversity is not new. Decades ago, there was a riot when a new Jewish principal relocated the high school’s Christmas tree from the front door to a corner in the lobby. Hundreds of students were joined by a thousand citizens as they took to the streets of Downers Grove, a small town in DuPage County, the technical corridor of Chicago’s western suburbs. I was finishing up an international interfaith project in my Chicago office when I saw the scene captured in technicolor above the fold on the front page of The Chicago Tribune. I lived in Downers Grove and could see my future flash before me. My next project was the creation of a trouble-shooting pilot project for a religiously diverse community in distress.
As I assembled the planning committee for the DuPage Interfaith Resource Network (DIRN) the situation worsened. Anonymous death threats were received and the Jewish principal left town with his family. Documenting our process became a major element of our business plan with an ongoing newsletter and an interview and link with Harvard’s Pluralism Project. Ultimately, I wrote a book with suggested guidelines outlining five information modules recommended for basic religious diversity training. A major lesson learned: Don’t begin religious diversity training during the December holidays, or when there’s even a holiday glimmer in the eye of retailers.
The next time DuPage County was in The Chicago Tribune’s religion page, DIRN was featured as a how-to model for conflict resolution, religious diversity, and cross-cultural communication. The model begins with an understanding of religious diversity and how it includes non-believers, the spiritual, and those who are passionately affiliated to traditional faiths. How can a training event encompass such disparate participants?
The central philosophic principle should be HARMONIZE NOT HOMOGENIZE. Religious diversity training is not a “world peace” movement and is designed to achieved these 5 major objectives: 1.) Improve service customers and clients, 2.) Improve relationships with diverse market, 3.) Avoid costly internal conflicts over religious expression. That objective is primarily addressed through the policies and their implementation according to federal EEOC guidelines. However, internal religious diversity issues can be indirectly impacted when training provides strategic information.
The DIRN case study included Quick Reference Religious Diversity Cards which provide information without compromising belief systems. A key element of their usefulness is a structure organized by cross-cultural themes rather than an in-depth analysis of theology. The cards are used to avoid scheduling mistakes, to plan the food for celebrations and for marketing to a cultural community that is known to embrace a specific religion.
The Cards are the culmination of years of concentrated effort and through research and field-testing, five themes emerged as central to religious diversity training. The result was 5 easily digestible cards/charts with the following themes: 1.) Sacred Space, 2.) Sacred Time, 3.) Sacred Language, 4.) Death, and 5.) Sacred Food. Each chart is a matrix of terminology, religious practices, and taboos for more than a dozen faith traditions.
Card #1. Sacred Space: Know the terminology for religious institutions, traditions and leaders.
Card #2. Sacred Time: Know the key holy days observed in diverse religious calendars.
Card #3. Sacred Language: Know how to refer to the sacred writings and prophets of each religion.
Card #4. Dying & Death: Know the rituals surrounding death and the funeral and mourning practices that should be honored.
Card #5. Sacred Food: Know the basics of dietary laws: what food is used to celebrate, why is taboo and when is fasting practiced.
Where is your company, organization, and/or institution in dealing with religious diversity? If there are problems, they are more likely to intensify than go away. If there is calm, make plans now for religious diversity training, and tackle challenges, and there will be challenges, before they end up on the front page of your local newspaper.
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Outstanding! Thank you so much for this article. This message is vital and so often overlooked. As a practitioner of an orthodox faith, the lack of understanding by employers has made career life very difficult. I want this article to be sent to every HR Dept. in the country, the world, heck, the universe!
Thanks once again! All the best! Be well.
I’d like it to be in every HR Dept. in the universe, too. Working on it!
I am still continuing with my survey question: Do the local leaders of the 3 Abrahamic faiths meet together REGULARLY to discuss topics of mutual concern in their community?” and secondly, living in Japan, as a non-Japanese (number of Westerners here, about 100-150,000) gives me an interesting take on this topic. Next week I will be studying in Siberia for a month and I look forward to visiting the local relgious communities (to practice my new Russian vocabulary). American society if filled with conflict, but at the same time it offers opportunities which are not as restricted by gov. policies as is the case in Japan and Russia. If only Americans could get better control over their emotions when they engage in these “opportunities”. The Muslim community in the US feels a tad paranoid these days, I say this based on my interactions, “hunker down in the bunker”, and one shouldn’t blame them.
Good to hear from you. Good luck in your travels and let’s hear from you after your month in Siberia. – Deborah
Diversity is far reaching and encompasses many different aspects. Being aware of all the different types of diversity helps to provide greater understanding, especially for religious liberty. Thanks for sharing!