Faithful Connections: An Intro
Interfaith Conversations, Stories, and Highlights to Build Bridges and Promote Understanding
Matthea Boon - Interfaith Atlanta’s Intern
Hi Everyone!
My name is Matthea Boon, and I am the current intern for Interfaith Atlanta!
Welcome to Interfaith Atlanta’s blog, Faithful Connections, a space dedicated to exploring the diverse religious beliefs and traditions that shape our Atlanta community. In this post, I introduce myself, describe how I got into interfaith work, and explain the goals of this blog moving forward.
Coming from a small village (yes, village) in Nebraska, the last place I ever thought I would find myself was in Atlanta, never dreaming that interfaith work would be such an important part of my life. As a Catholic in a largely Protestant area, I grew up acutely aware that religious differences could promote division. While we did not have the rich religious diversity found in Atlanta, I often felt misrepresented and alienated from my peers of different Christian traditions. Because of this experience, I always felt a sense of longing for understanding, for being able to live my faith fully, without the need to conform to what others believed was the “proper” way to be a Christian within my community.
As I finished high school during a global pandemic and amidst an increasingly divisive political landscape (with hateful words and actions seemingly on the rise), I hoped to find a college that emphasized connection and collaboration to bridge the divides that seemed to needlessly keep people apart and promote harmful us vs. them dynamics. In the chaos that was senior year, I somehow came across Emory University, and I applied. I was not able to visit any colleges due to Covid lockdowns, so (by virtual tour), I decided that Emory and all it promised was the place for me.
When I arrived, Emory was not exactly what I was expecting. Do not get me wrong, I love Emory and all the opportunities it has provided for me, but just like at home, I still felt deeply misunderstood. In my classes, extracurriculars, and social life, I found that many hurtful stereotypes about the Catholic faith went unchallenged and were widely accepted. Around the same time, as I continued to dive into history classes (eventually ending up as a history major), I also found out that I was severely misinformed about many other religions, and I had unknowingly been perpetuating harmful stereotypes within my own life. While my classes opened the door, those lessons held no comparison to when I got to hear about religions from my peers.
Sophomore year, as I continued to look for ways to broaden my understanding of religious traditions, I jumped at the opportunity to join Emory’s Interreligious Council which, I am happy to say, has become a transformative part of my Emory experience. I love the opportunity to share about my faith, learn from others in a discussion context, and bring the information I learn back to my Catholic community on campus. In fact, it was in the group chat for this organization that I learned of Interfaith Atlanta and was informed about this internship opportunity that has allowed me to more deeply engage in diverse perspectives. So much more could be said about the immense positivity that interfaith work, and Interfaith Atlanta more specifically, has brought to my life and the Atlanta community, focusing on promoting unity and respect in a time of division and tension. Therefore, in this blog, I hope to continue the good that Interfaith Atlanta has done by highlighting individuals, faith traditions, and community organizations to promote education and encourage interreligious awareness.
Going forward, this blog will be focused on diving into conversations with individuals from diverse religious backgrounds with the aim of expanding our understanding and appreciation of faith in the many forms it comes. Through interviews, personal stories, and education, this blog seeks to shed light on the shared elements and distinctness across Atlanta’s religious communities. It is my deepest hope that this blog will foster connection, unity, respect, and knowledge that will help our local community be a safe space for religious pluralism while reflecting Interfaith Atlanta’s mission of advancing the influence of voices of faith communities for the common good.
