Mr. Congo, Bob Jones Latin teacher, has invited students to join him in exploring the teaching of different religions through an after-school Interfaith Club . This new club will allow students to expand their knowledge on the many theistic belief systems of the world and introduce students to the diversity of beliefs in the community they live in. Mr. Congo said, “The club is meant to highlight the unity and differences of religions” and exploring the diversity of our community in a comfortable, accepting atmosphere.

Congo’s Interfaith Club had their first meeting September 23^rd with around 70 students in attendance. The religions that the club collectively agreed they wanted to learn about this coming school year were as follows: Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Shintoism, Taoism, Judaism, Islam, and several non-Protestant branches of Christianity that include Roman Catholicism, Scientology, and Mormonism.

“Ideally, we will cover as many religions as we can,” said Mr. Congo.

One of Interfaith Club’s new members Caleb Tollison said, “I think that understanding how other people think and feel is very important when it comes to communication between [members of] other cultures.”

Future meetings will occur monthly on Wednesdays in room B212 at both 7:30 am and 3:30 pm. At these meetings a different representative from the community, by invitation of Mr. Congo, will speak on their religious practices and what their religious doctrine entails. The September 29^th meeting in the AV room included community representative Father Susan, a local Episcopalian, who spoke on behalf of St. Stephen’s Episcopalian Church.

The first session of ‘The Taste of Theology’ will be located in the Harvard room at 4pm on Oct. 14.

As the school year continues onward, Congo aims for more and more students to become aware of beauty of the diverse religious temples and monuments within the Huntsville and Madison area in hopes that they can come to understand and appreciate their fellow humans.

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