On the anniversary of 9/11, I have often attended an interfaith dialogue event. This is not a new practice for me, as I have been a member of an interfaith dialogue group in Omaha for many years.

I have found this practice crucial for being a Christian in today's world in part because it seems to me that the cultivation of genuine friendship — which at its core is what dialogue is about — is essential work that is both community and world sustaining. It is enriching because it keeps one's own faith humble, growing, and flexible.

Dialogue is also about learning new things, encounter with the "other", and self-reflection. But at the deepest level dialogue is about friendship as a vibrant, mutual, and equal practice of love.

Wendy M. Wright