Belief. Practice. Understanding.
These are the essential components of the five major world religions. Yet, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism value them in different ways.
“When one looks at the history of religions and what people discuss about their religion, Christianity has more emphasis on belief, Judaism and Islam have greater emphasis on practice and Asian religions like Hinduism and Buddhism emphasize the importance of understanding the world through practices such as silence and meditation,” said Simon Wood, Ph.D., associate professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
An objective look
Dr. Wood systematically explained the differences and even similarities of these practices as part of the lunchtime Diversity Lectures and Cultural Series event.
As the world becomes more diverse and with the explosive growth of Islam and Mormonism in the U.S., Dr. Wood said it is critical for employees to have a better knowledge of the basics of religious beliefs and practices. It can help us to understand our colleagues and friends.
Further discussion
To foster greater dialogue — and debate — Dr. Wood will return to our campus to moderate a small-group discussion about world religions.
In the meantime, the next Diversity Lectures and Cultural Series event is on Nov. 7 and will focus on Latinos in the Workplace.
See the sidebar for more information.