25 Years of Festival of Faiths
In 2020, The Center for Interfaith Relations is celebrated its 25th annual Festival of Faiths. Join the celebration by learning more from our 25 year Festival retrospective.
Moments in Festival History
The inaugural Festival of Faiths in Louisville Gardens.
On November 16, 1996, the Festival of Faiths was born! It all began with the “Night of a Thousand Stars,” a gala honoring those who have made lasting contributions in the realm of interfaith work.This historic evening was the inaugural event of the Festival of Faiths — a celebratory gathering conceived by the Cathedral Heritage Foundation, which eventually would become the Center for Interfaith Relations.
“I don’t know of any place else where they’re doing this.” —The Rev. Kenneth Smith of the Chicago Theological Seminary said upon attending the first Festival of Faiths, which he hailed as a model for bringing people together.
On Nov. 17, 1996, a sea of white canopies spanned the floor of Louisville Gardens, which had been transformed to resemble a 19th-century tent revival. This first-ever Festival of Faiths sought to tell the unique story of Louisville’s spiritual heritage — a rich history that began as settlers crossed over the Appalachian Mountains and landed here, bringing with them diverse traditions. Dozens of local congregations and religiously affiliated institutions participated in this unprecedented event.
“Our differences make us unique. Our differences are what unite us as American. We are many threads woven into the fabric of this great country,” former Kentucky First Lady Judi Patton said during a peace walk that kicked off the 2001 Festival of Faiths. This sixth annual Festival convened two months after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, and our Pilgrimage for Peace symbolized reconciliation, hope and healing.
“Today, efforts like the Festival of Faiths have a different tenor… there is a focus on what faiths can achieve in common witness to the surrounding world,” renowned theologian Martin E. Marty said in advance of speaking at the 2005 Festival. His statement reflected the evolution of the Festival to encompass not only interfaith celebration, but also meaningful dialogue and common action. With this broadened purpose came a name change for the Cathedral Heritage Foundation, which founded the Festival — and in 2006, the Center for Interfaith Relations was born!
In 2015, HuffingtonPost named the Festival of Faiths one of “eight spiritual sites that welcome seekers of all faiths.” It’s a characterization that speaks to the heart of the Festival, which since its inception has sought to celebrate and shed light on the world’s vast spiritual traditions — from Buddhism to Baha’i, from Judaism to Christianity, from Hinduism to Islam, from Sikhism to Native American traditions, and many more.
“Let’s deal with the idea of the compassionate city being a city that feels profound discomfort at the pain in the world. Let it disturb our dreams. Let us try and find a way to make people within our cities aware of the sacredness of every single human being,” Karen Armstrong, author of the Charter for Compassion, said during the 2017 Festival of Faiths. Her words illustrate how the Festival examines relevant, often difficult issues through the lens of faith—and with an eye toward compassion. In recent years, this commitment has played out on our stage during sessions such as Black Lives Matter, Face to Face With Islamophobia, The Climate Crisis, The Culture of Addiction and more.
For the harvest of the spirit, thanks be to God.For the good we all inherit, thanks be to God.For the wonders that astound us, for the truths that will confound us, most of all that love has found us, thanks be to God.
A Look Back: In Pictures
Take a visual stroll down memory lane! These images represent just a fraction of the meaningful moments, sacred spaces and many people who have played a part in the history of the Festival. Check out our Festival of Faiths Flickr page to see more iconic photos.
2019 | 24th Annual Festival of Faiths | Sacred Cosmos Faith and Science
This past year we celebrated the 24th Festival of Faiths with Sacred Cosmos: Faith & Science, looking at the “and” where faith AND science overlap and interact.
Our world views are shaped by the way we investigate and make sense of our surroundings, and helping us through this journey were guests including Cynthia Bourgeault — a modern-day mystic, Episcopal priest and writer — who led us in a centering morning prayer.
Workshops have been an ever-increasing part of our festival, and that was especially true in 2019, with sessions held by Toby Herzlich and the Biomimicry Institute. We also investigated the nature of human connection with Vivek Murthy, Alice Chen and Naweed Syed.
2018 | 23rd Annual Festival of Faiths | Feminine Wisdom
As with many festivals, our 23rd was topical and timely in the wake of the Women’s March and the #mettoo movement. Sacred Insight: Feminine Wisdom sought to introduce ways of understanding the world as both feminine and masculine.
Rabbi Nina Simons spoke with Woman Stands Shining of the Dine Nation and the Rev. Monica Coleman on how to see, hear and value the feminine aspects of our wisdom. Our culture of addiction was addressed by activist Becca Stevens and her Thistle Farms project, and we heard from speakers on the wholeness modeled for us by the earth.
2017 | 22nd Annual Festival of Faiths | Compassion Shining Like the Sun
In 2017, our 22nd annual Festival of Faiths focussed on a topic at the heart of our mission and a value that’s a priority in the city we call home: compassion. The festival, entitled “Compassion Shining Like the Sun,” kicked off with a conversation about compassionate cities.
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer talked with Joan Brown Campbell and Karen Armstrong, authors of the Charter for Compassion, along with mayors of several U.S. cities, tackling the topic of what compassionate governance can accomplish. Armstrong also joined Ambassador Matthew Barzun (United Kingdom) and Dr. William Vendley, Secretary General of the World Conference of Religions for Peace, to discuss compassion as the primary motivator for global exchange.
Journalist Ann Curry participated in the opening service, as did Louisville-based musical group Linkin’ Bridge. Curry, who is known for work in war-torn countries, also served as the festival’s keynote speaker.
2016 | 21st Annual Festival of Faiths | Sacred Wisdom
In 2016, our 21st Festival of Faiths focused on Sacred Wisdom: Pathways to Nonviolence. Festival activities included Enso calligraphy with Zen Master Dae Gak of the Furnace Mountain Retreat Center and a sand mandala created by the monks of the Drepung Gomang Monastery, and concluded with a compassion walk. The walk, from our venue at Actor’s Theatre to the Ohio River, was made silently through the streets of downtown and culminated with pouring the sand from the mandala into the Ohio River.
Festival sessions covered a wide range of topics including Islamophobia, Black Lives Matter, gun violence, and the media and the public trust.
As we examined various pathways to compassion and peace, the annual meeting of the National Rifle Association took place concurrently and across the street from the Festival.
2015 | 20th Annual Festival of Faiths | Sacred Journeys
Our 2015 Festival of Faiths, Sacred Journeys, went back to our roots with a deep look at the life and legacy of Thomas Merton.
The Center for Interfaith Relations sits at the corner of Fourth and Walnut streets in Louisville, the exact spot where on March 18, 1958, Merton had the epiphany that we are “all walking around shining like the sun.” Thomas Merton’s dialogue between other faiths, especially his conversations with the Dalai Lama and interest in Tibetan Buddhism, have served as the model for inter-religious conversations for the Center.
The 20th annual festival began with a divine reading by a student of Merton’s, Brother Paul Quenon of the Abbey of Gethsemani. Theology professor Dr. Chris Pramuk spoke on topics of race and religion in the writings of Merton, and Buddhist teacher Roshi Jones Halifax discussed living Merton’s legacy in a compassionate city.