Eboo Patel: Honor the ‘holiness of diversity’

Eboo Patel believes in “the holiness of diversity.”

As a Rhodes scholar at Oxford University, where he earned a doctorate within the sociology of faith, Patel was trying to find faith, he said. And while reading from the Quran at some point, a specific story “grabbed me by my throat.”

It was the Islam creation story, wherein God forms Adam from a lump of clay and His own breath. The angels, nonetheless, refuse to honor a creature they think can only cause destruction; so God challenges them to inform Him all of the names of creation. The angels can’t do it, but Adam can.

What struck Patel was the plurality of “names.”

“There will not be one name to creation. Creation will not be a monoculture. … Creation is diverse,” he said.

Patel shared the Islam creation story while speaking during a Sunday, Jan. 28, devotional held on the Institute of Religion just off the University of Utah campus in Salt Lake City. Young adults turned out to listen to Patel’s message of peacemaking and bridge-building.

Also in attendance were University of Utah President Taylor Randall and Elder Clark G. Gilbert, a General Authority Seventy and the Church’s commissioner of education.

Elder Gilbert described Patel as a frontrunner, speaker, thinker, author and good friend. “I hope you’ll feel his personal warmth.”

Patel is the founder and president of Interfaith America, “the leading interfaith organization within the United States,” in line with its website. He also served on former U.S. President Barack Obama’s Inaugural Faith Council, and last yr was named a University of Utah Impact Scholar.

Elder Gilbert called Interfaith America a “gift to the country” and said he admires how Patel models his Muslim faith.

“I’ve learned lots from him about how one can work across faith boundaries. … I love him for the way he builds pluralistic bridges in an increasingly polarized climate,” Elder Gilbert said.

‘The call of your faith is the necessity of our moment’

Patel shared examples from the Muslim prophet Muhammad’s lifetime of times that individuals of other faiths helped him, from a Christian monk to a Jewish rabbi to an strange pagan man.

Throughout the story of Islam, Patel said, “there’s this theme: … creation is diverse, [and] diversity is sacred. And which means a special responsibility for you. I speak to compatriots in that effort.”

Patel said he sees the best way that leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints discuss diversity and peacemaking, equivalent to Church President Russell M. Nelson’s April 2023 general conference talk, “Peacemakers Needed.”

In that “remarkable address,” Patel noted President Nelson’s comparison of contention to evil and poison.

Again quoting President Nelson, Patel said being good stewards of diversity means constructing bridges with every kind of individuals.

“The call of your faith is the necessity of our moment,” he said.

Patel also spoke about “affective polarization,” which occurs when someone hates one other person greater than they love themselves.

Unfortunately, this type of polarization undermines the very foundations of America, Patel said. He cited recent examples of dialogue breaking down in communities, from parents walking out during a college board meeting after arguments about curriculum to a library permanently closing after controversy surrounding who could host readings.

“You cannot have a civic life in a various democracy if individuals with diverse identities … cannot have conversations in school boards or libraries or city councils,” Patel said. “The definition of a various democracy is that we’ve enough unity … that it may possibly hold together our … divergent ideologies.”

To move forward, America needs “a peaceful army of bridge builders,” Patel said. And Latter-day Saints can play a big role in that.

For instance, after watching students scream at one another, university leaders might ask themselves if a Latter-day Saint institute is near their campus. When dialogue falls apart at city council meetings, local leaders might ask if there’s a Latter-day Saint ward of their community.

“So when any individual sends you that message … [can] you follow the decision of your faith and give you the option to [facilitate peaceful conversation]? When the town councils and the college boards and the library groups send you the message and ask you to come back, will you’ve gotten the talents?” Patel asked.

Other necessary elements of bridge constructing include being truly interested by who other persons are, not assuming someone is simply too silly to take heed to, and appreciating the contributions of others, no matter who they voted for or what they imagine.

“The dopamine rush of quick judgment will not be value knowing less concerning the world,” Patel said.

His invitation to Latter-day Saints is to actively construct bridges, he continued. And he’s “totally confident” they’ll rise to the challenge.

“I love your faith,” Patel said. “I love the seriousness with which you are taking it. I love your devotion to it. I love the best way it expresses itself in family cohesion. I love the best way it inspires you to serve others. The nation needs you to serve like this now.”

Young adults share their reactions

Following the devotional, local young adults shared their reactions to Patel’s thoughts.

University of Utah student Lucy Randall said Patel’s ideas on diversity are especially necessary to her as a university student — a phase of life that gives her many, many ideas and opinions.

“I feel it’s necessary to only find common ground … . I feel that’s where improvement and really cool opportunities arise,” she said.

Carly Randall, one other University of Utah student, said she loved when Patel talked about how differences are special. As someone attending a secular university, she doesn’t all the time feel she will be able to share her faith; but Patel’s devotional helped her realize “you don’t should hide that you simply’re religious … although not everyone appreciates it.”

University of Utah student Abbie Allen added that she particularly appreciated hearing from someone who belongs to a unique faith. “We can all find common ground and reference to each other.”

Riley Walburger and Adam Jackson, who live within the Salt Lake City area, said in addition they appreciated Patel’s ideas on diversity and peacemaking.

Walburger said what stood out to him was how similar persons are once they take time to grasp one another.

“I truthfully just need to go consult with more people at once and understand more people,” he said.