Patel Addresses Concordia’s New Class of Leaders

Aug 30, 2012

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When Dr. Eboo Patel looked at the new class of Concordia College students, he saw the next generation of interfaith leaders.

“This is a college that takes interfaith seriously,” he said.

Patel, a renowned interfaith leader and author of “Acts of Faith” and “Sacred Ground,” gave the address during Opening Convocation Aug. 30.

Upon reflection of his own college years, he recognized them as the most important years of his life.

“College is about the new perspectives you develop, the new eyes you develop,” he said.

His family background and college experiences prompted him to search for the resonances between different faith traditions. He cited leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi, who strengthened their roots in their own traditions by learning about the traditions of others.

These leaders and others inspired Patel to begin the Interfaith Youth Core, an organization devoted to service and dialogue between young people coming from varying religious backgrounds.

He encouraged the students to discover what matters to them and to be a part of positive change.

“The great work begins now,” he said.



Eboo Patel Convocation Address

Video: Eboo Patel at Opening
Convocation (Aug. 30, 2012)



Eboo Patel

Video: Forum on Faith and Life
Sacred Ground: Pluralism, Prejudice, and the Promise of America

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