“I thought about the meaning of pluralism in a world where the forces that seek to divide us are strong,” said Eboo Patel in his book ‘Acts of Faith.’ “I came to one conclusion: We have to save each other. It’s the only way to save ourselves.”

Patel, president of Interfaith Youth Core, will give a free virtual lecture titled “Bridges of Cooperation: Interfaith Action Toward Racial Equity” to the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University community at 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 20. His virtual lecturecomes on the third Community Engagement Day of the fall semester.

Registration is not required. A livestream for this virtual lecture will be added to this page on the day of the event. 

Our society faces a moment of division, along religious, political, racial, generational and economic lines. CSB/SJU welcomes Patel with an interest in building communities where sources of difference become sources of strength – where shared humanity and communal aspirations compel dialogue, not division.

Patel founded the non-profit organization Interfaith Youth Core on the idea that religion should be a bridge of cooperation rather than a barrier. For over 15 years, he has worked with governments, social sector organizations and college and university campuses to help make interfaith cooperation a social norm. Patel served on President Barack Obama’s Inaugural Faith Council and is the author of four books.

His virtual lecture on Nov. 20 is part of The Democracy Project, funded by the Otto Bremer Trust and the Oren and Sharron Steinfeldt Foundation, and is sponsored by the College of Saint Benedict in partnership with the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas and Concordia College of Moorhead, Minnesota.

Additional support is provided by the Minnesota Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Jay Phillips Center for Interfaith Learning at Saint John’s University, CentraCare, CSB/SJU Becoming Community, Granite Equity Partners, Bernick’s, Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation, Initiative Foundation and #UNITECLOUD.

Patel’s lecture comes on CSB/SJU’s third Community Engagement Day. During the day, Patel will also host virtual conversations with Central Minnesota business leaders, youth interfaith leaders in the Twin Cities, and student leaders at CSB/SJU.