Reflections on the Conference from MnMN Leaders

Rev. Dr. Tom Duke
MnMN Special Advisor & Volunteer


I want to share a few observations following the 2023 MnMN Annual Conference held last week. I'm sure you've noticed the difference between a high energy room full of people and one where there is a low level of energy and camaraderie. The MnMN conference was definitely a case of the former, where the buzz was loud and persistent. From the opening, when Prof. Anant Rambachan, MnMN's board chair, welcomed folks and invited--no, urged--us all to help create an "all inclusive 'we'" along with the inevitable "we" of our many separate identities and affiliations, to the wrap-up of the Sikh Langar meal, I sensed an unusually high level of energy as participants greeted old friends and met new ones.


The conference is meant to inspire, connect and equip people, from the widest range of faith traditions possible, for the various tasks of interfaith work carried out by MnMN members and friends--relationship-building, service, increasing religious literacy, advocating for justice, and welcoming strangers to name a few.


Under the theme of "Hospitality?," the sessions illuminated both ancient wisdom and contemporary challenges about how we treat each other. We all know that our world-globally and locally-is challenged by human tendencies to separateness, stereotypes, fear, ignorance, animosity and even violence. I, for one, felt uplifted and encouraged by the energy and sense of the magic of meeting across differences, hearing the stories, meeting with peers, addressing specific topics, and seeing the dynamic shift from "we-they" to "us." My hope and prayer is that this shift can be multiplied over and over, and that MnMN will continue to grow into being a means for diverse faith communities to move into greater appreciation of their common features and interests, leading to common action for the common good. The conference seemed to me to be an important step in this direction. See you at the next one!




Dr. Danielle Clausnitzer
MnMN Board Member & Emerging Leaders Multifaith Action Council Co-Chair


Increasingly, young people are growing less interested in participating in traditional faith communities. During the 2023 Annual Minnesota Multifaith Network Convening, myself and Dr. Hans Gustafson from the Jay Phillips Center for Interreligious Studies discussed the differing trends in religiosity and spirituality among young people today. In this presentation, both Dr. Gustafson and myself discussed why and how young people are increasingly reimagining faith, community, and activism within the context of their own lives. 


Some of the important elements of my own presentation involved increasing disaffiliation and the activist considerations of young people when selecting their own religious affiliations. According to the Pew Research Institute, 49% of “nones,” or those without a fixed, institutional religious tradition, have left their childhood religious tradition because they simply no longer believe, 20% dislike organized religion, and 18% are religiously unsure. Perhaps more important than these statistics, however, are the reasons why “nones” are increasingly suspicious of mainline religious affiliation. Again according to Pew Research Institute, in addition to the lack of belief in the divine, atheists, agnostics, and “nothing in particulars” have reported that lack of satisfaction with the positions religious organizations take on social and political issues, the organizations themselves, and their leaders are all major reasons why “nones” are continuing to leave these communities. 


Taking the feelings of “nones” into consideration, there is a great potential for growth among institutions to help re-integrate these “nones’ or “nothing in particulars” into religious or spiritual communities. The first opportunity for growth is for organizations to become more involved and outspoken about their commitment to social justices issues. Openly supporting the issues that young people support such as climate change, anti-racism, and LGBTQ+ inclusion and ensuring that action is taken to support these issues, in turn, has the potential to reinstate trust in the minds of “nones” who left religious organizations due to a lack of concern for such groups. Another outlet religious institutions can utilize in their activism, and to gain support for their communities, is the use of social media. Advocating for causes, including your own, on social media creates more interest for those who use it regularly, such as millennials and gen Z. These approaches, and more, can help to grow your community and help young people feel more a part of your mission. It was a pleasure to share these facts and more during the conference. 



Hans Gustafson, Ph.D.

MnMN Network Council & Director of Jay Phillips Center for Interreligious Studies, University of St. Thomas


The recent breakout session at the MnMN Annual Conference, titled "Beginning the Conversation about Religion and DEI in Higher Education in Minnesota," was a thought-provoking gathering for Higher Education professionals working in Minnesota. Participants, representing twelve colleges and universities in Minnesota, both public and private, discussed the integration of religious diversity into DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) efforts on their campuses. Key concerns addressed included the challenges of incorporating religion into broader DEI initiatives, even within confessionally religiously affiliated schools, and the need for holistic approaches that consider the intersection of various identities, such as race, gender, culture, language, and religion. The session highlighted the evolving religious landscape on campuses, with a growing presence of interfaith curious non-religious and religiously unaffiliated students. Several participants acknowledged that DEI efforts often become siloed among different campus groups, leading to a lack of cohesive strategy and missed opportunities for leveraging the expertise of faculty who study religion, culture, and other relevant areas.


The discussion also addressed the skills and knowledge often needed to handle crises related to religious diversity, the framing of DEI work (navigating discomfort while minimizing harm), and the importance of non-curricular opportunities for students to engage across differences. Participants considered how to extend DEI efforts beyond representational diversity, focusing on curricular and structural aspects, and the importance of looking beyond their campuses to learn from community partners and organizations. The MnMN Higher Education Convening Group extends an open invitation to all Higher Education professionals in Minnesota who engage religious diversity in their work and would like to join the group, contribute to the development these efforts, or lead future initiatives that engage religious diversity. The Convening group is led by Hans Gustafson (University of St. Thomas), Matt Maruggi (Augsburg University), Jen Kilps (MnMN), Anantanand Rambachan (St. Olaf College Emeritus), Marty Stortz (Augsburg University Emerita), Deanna Thompson, (St. Olaf College), and Andy Tix (Normandale Community College).

Harmony for Humanity: A Night of Multifaith Unity

By Bob Hulteen • October 27, 2026
Sunday, November 1, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.; Hamline Church United Methodist, 1514 Englewood Avenue, St. Paul A free community concert celebrating the values of love, peace, and compassion through music. Choirs include those from Chain of Lakes Presbyterian Church, First United Methodist Church (Duluth), Hamline Church United Methodist, ISKCON (Hare Krishna), and the Minnesota Saints Chorale from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In addition to the musical performances, the event will include a winter clothing drive in partnership with Neighborhood House, a vital local nonprofit. Attendees are encouraged to bring donations to assist individuals and families in need during the cold Minnesota months.

Timely Conversation on Religious Freedom

By Bob Hulteen • October 27, 2026
Friday, October 30; 11:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.; Mount Zion Temple, 1300 Summit Avenue, St. Paul The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Minnesota Multifaith Networkare sponsoring a religious freedom symposium on Friday, October 30, 2026, at Mount Zion Temple in St. Paul. The event will focus on coming together to learn, discuss, and have productive conversation about the topic of “The Constitution, Pluralism, and Peacemaking.” The keynote address will be given by Alexander Dushku, who is a General Authority Seventy and general counsel for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He has authored numerous briefs in important religious liberty cases before appellate courts across the US, including the United States Supreme Court. He was a primary negotiator of the 2015 “Utah Compromise” legislation that received national attention for reconciling religious and LGBT rights. His talk will be followed by an opportunity for a Q&A and a roundtable discussion concerning current challenges to our shared and various understandings of religious freedom. The Religious Freedom event will be a safe and honest space where all can share their perspectives on this very timely topic. 

A Play to Save Democracy

By Bob Hulteen • October 7, 2026
Thursday, October 8, through Sunday, October 11, 7:30 p.m., except Sunday at 3:00 p.m.; Frey Theater, St. Catherine University, 2004 Randolph Avenue, St. Paul “A Star Full of Skies: The Values Play Experience” is a new play about our nation's culture wars, from the perspective of Minnesotans and their values. The show was created from interviews conducted with more than 400 people about what matters most to them. This play is sure to inspire thoughtful conversations about society, democracy, values, and freedom. This show is best seen in groups because it's designed to provoke thoughtful, open-hearted, curious conversation. Also, it’s fun. The audience gets to participate in its own democracy as it votes for which scene to see next, and no two performances are the same. Remaining performances take place Thursday, October 8, through Sunday, October 11, at the Frey Theater on the campus of St. Catherine University. You can purchase tickets, priced on a sliding scale, and find out more about the production using the button below. 

Niagara Foundation and St. Catherine's to Offer an Evening of 'Building Bridges' Through Dialogue

By Bob Hulteen • October 7, 2026
Thursday, October 8, 2026, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m., Rauenhorst Ballroom, Coeur de Catherine, St. Catherine University, 2004 Randolph Avenue, St. Paul The event, "Building Bridges: Interfaith Dialogue for the Common Good," is co-hosted by the St. Catherine University Center for Spirituality and Social Justice and the Niagara Foundation–Minnesota Branch. It aims to foster meaningful cross-cultural connection, shared learning, and community collaboration. Join this evening of shared conversation and food. Dr. Jon Pahl, an author, historian, and community activist, will offer a short keynote address, followed by dinner, table discussions, group sharing, and a Q&A session. The event is free (including dinner). Registration is required. 

StarTribune Opinion: Sharia compels me to follow the Constitution

By Alicia Coombes • September 30, 2026
Minnesota Multifaith Network leader Zafar Siddiqui recently wrote an opinion article that was printed in the Minnesota StarTribune . It is reprinted below. Siddiqui is a Twin Cities-based interfaith and civil rights advocate. He is the co-founder of Islamic Resource Group. Like clockwork, the Sharia scare is back. Each election season since 2006, the same playbook is unleashed on Americans. The goal is to create an irrational fear of a nonexistent threat to divert attention from real issues we are currently facing. It is a solution in search of a problem. Its favorite ploy is the story of a Muslim “takeover” of America through Sharia “law” replacing the U.S. Constitution. Despite Muslims being only 1% of our country’s population, this fearmongering finds traction because foundations and charitable institutions have pumped enormous amounts of money into a deliberate campaign to create fear of Islam and Muslims. Reports from the Center for American Progress and Council on American-Islamic Relations have traced hundreds of millions of dollars to this network. I remember this happening back in 2006 when Keith Ellison successfully ran to become the first Muslim elected to Congress and Minnesota’s first Black member of Congress. His decision to take his ceremonial oath on the Quran caused an uproar, which Ellison sought to douse by using Thomas Jefferson’s Quran from the Library of Congress. During this election cycle, the Sharia-Free America Caucus, comprising 68 House members, including my own congressman Tom Emmer, is spearheading this alarmism. Here in Minnesota, state Sen. Michael Holmstrom announced last month the launch of the Sharia-Free Minnesota Caucus. At the Republican midterm convention earlier this month in Dallas, party leaders made Sharia an explicit election-season issue. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott promised to “fully ban Sharia law in Texas,” while U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz declared that it “has no place in America” and is “fundamentally inconsistent with the Constitution.” A University of California, Berkeley’s report identified 223 anti-Sharia bills that were introduced in 43 state legislatures between 2010 and 2018 — 20 of which were enacted in 13 states. Nearly all were disguised as bans on “foreign law” after Oklahoma’s explicit ban on Sharia was struck down by a federal court in 2013 for singling out one religion. American courts already reject any religious rule or private agreement that violates the Constitution or another person’s rights. So what problem are these bills trying to solve? It may come as a shock to many, but Sharia requires Muslims to honor their commitments and obey the laws of the country where they live. That includes upholding the Constitution. What is Sharia? That question should be answered by Muslims, not by those who have made a career of attacking Islam. For me, following Sharia means praying five times a day, fasting during Ramadan, giving charity, eating halal food, caring for my family and neighbors and being a contributing member of society. These are personal religious and moral principles that fit into the five central objectives of Sharia, namely the protection of faith, human life, intellect, family and property. Do these objectives sound like a plan to overthrow the Constitution? Some will point to governments or extremist groups that invoke Sharia to justify human rights abuses. That is how Sharia became confused with penal law. But what a government calls Sharia is its own interpretation, not a single code accepted by Muslims everywhere. Penal law is only a small part of fiqh, the human interpretation of Sharia. Judaism has halakha, which guides Jewish religious and daily life, and the Catholic Church has canon law. Journalist Arno Rosenfeld recently asked readers to imagine a “Talmud Free America” caucus based on the claim that Jewish law was incompatible with American values. Imagine also if state legislatures began passing laws against Catholic canon law. We would recognize this as an attack on religious freedom. Why is the standard different when the religion is Islam? The Sharia scare is being created from thin air. No mainstream American Muslim organization is asking to replace our Constitution with Sharia. In fact, American Muslims have been demanding that our country adhere to the Constitution in both letter and spirit, and honor its guarantees of religious freedom, freedom of speech, equal protection and due process. The electoral successes of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan demonstrate that this fearmongering is facing headwinds from a younger America that is not interested in conspiracy theories driven by well-funded special interests. Muslims are very much part of the mosaic of American society with increasing political participation. They are invested in safeguarding and upholding our Constitution precisely because Sharia demands it. 

Jay Phillips Center to Host Discussion on "What Counts as Religion"?

By Bob Hulteen • September 22, 2026
Tuesday, October 6, Noon - 1:10 p.m.; Woulfe Alumni Hall North, Room 378N, Anderson Student Center, 2115 Summit Avenue, St. Paul The Jay Phillips Center for Interreligious Studies at the University of St. Thomas is hosting Dr. Katharine Gerbner, Associate Professor of History and Director of Religious Studies at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, on Tuesday, October 6. Her talk is titled "Who Decides What Counts as Religion? Obeah, Slavery, and the Making of Religion in Colonial Jamaica." The event is free and open to the public. 

'The American Story You Haven't Heard'

By Bob Hulteen • September 22, 2026
Thursday, October 1, 7:00 p.m.; OEC Auditorium, University of St. Thomas, 2115 Summit Avenue, St. Paul As America marks 250 years since its founding, we have an opportunity to tell a fuller story of the people and communities that have helped shape this country. Muslims have been part of the American story for centuries, yet much of their history and contributions remain unfamiliar to many Americans. As IRG celebrates its 25th anniversary, we believe this is a fitting time to share more of that story. Islamic Resource Group (IRG) is hosting a viewing of "The American Story You Haven’t Heard," a special showing of "The Great Muslim American Road Trip." This nationally broadcast documentary series follows Muslim American couple Mona Haydar and Sebastian Robins on a 3,000-mile journey along Route 66. Along the way, they meet people from different backgrounds and explore the long history of Muslims in America and their contributions to the country. Executive Producer Jawaad Abdul Rahman will take viewers through the film and share some of the stories behind it. Join this evening of film, history, refreshments, and conversation. The event is free, but registration is required. 

New Howard Thurman Book to Be Launched at United Sem

By Bob Hulteen • September 22, 2026
Wednesday, September 30, 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.; United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, 767 Eustis Street, Suite 140, St. Paul This biography and assessment of Howard Thurman’s thought was originally written in the 1970s. Howard Thurman was an active participant with author James Earl Massey in the content. The book was never published. Now, 50 years later, the book is available to the public with additional editorial commentary by the Rev. Dr. Curtiss DeYoung. The foreword to the book is written by Walter Fluker, Senior Director of the Howard Thurman Papers Project at Boston University. This launch event for the book includes a panel discussion on the importance of Howard Thurman for today. Panelists are: Dr. Tamice Spencer-Helms, United adjunct faculty member and DMin alum Rev. Tyler Ho-Yin Sit, Founding Pastor of New City Church, Minneapolis Rev. Alanna Simone Tyler, Associate Pastor for Justice and Mission at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Minneapolis Books will be available for sale at the event at a discounted price.

Healing to Hope to Sponsor Presentations Regarding the West Bank and Gaza by Rami Khader

By Bob Hulteen • September 3, 2026
Sunday, September 20, 1:00 p.m. (RSVP required); Legacy Dream Space, 2205 California Street NE, Studio 212, Minneapolis Sunday, September 20, 2:00 - 4:30 p.m.; Legacy Dream Space, 2205 California Street NE, Studio 212, Minneapolis Monday, September 21, 7:00 p.m.; St. John's Lutheran Church, 500 Third Street West, Northfield Tuesday, September 22, 7:00 p.m.; New City Center, 3104 16th Avenue South, Minneapolis Anar founder and executive director Rami Khader will be touring the U.S. on a "Healing Beyond the Headlines: Building a Movement of Hope for Palestinian Children" tour in September and October. Khader will be at several events in Minnesota September 20-23. Khader will share stories from the ground in the West Bank and Gaza, offering a vision of a healing for Palestinian children and their caregivers beyond the stories often heard in the news. 

Rally and March for Nonviolence With Hands Across the Mississippi River

By Bob Hulteen • September 3, 2026
Sunday, September 20, Noon - 2:00 p.m.; Lake Street/Marshall Avenue bridge (each side), Minneapolis/St. Paul Participants will gather on each side of the Lake Street/Marshall Avenue bridge at noon, and will walk out to the middle of the bridge to join hands with people from the other side of the bridge at 1:00 p.m. At 1:30 p.m., Imnizaska Indigenous singers and drummers will lead a blessing of the Mississippi. The mayors of the two Twin Cities will offer a proclamation at that time. The gathering will be completed by 2:00 p.m. 
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