What is Wicca?
This week, Wiccans in the northern hemisphere will celebrate the [...]
Why Police are Interested in Religious Literacy
In our increasingly diverse societies, religious literacy is a valuable [...]
The Most Important Court Case in Canada in a Decade?
Canada’s Supreme Court last week heard arguments in what is [...]
The Feminist Revolution
Possibly no force in recent centuries has changed and challenged [...]
Women and Religion: A Complicated Relationship
The relationship of women and religion is both complicated and [...]
Belonging Without Agreement: Navigating Difference at Work
At Encounter, when we promote religious literacy in the workplace, [...]
Big Gods: How They Help Big Societies Flourish
Ara Norenzayan’s book Big Gods: How Religion Transformed Cooperation and [...]
How Do Religion and Law Relate?
The culture wars that can dominate our news cycles often [...]
Encounter – A Year in Review
As a new year dawns, we want to take a [...]
Sydney: What Do We Do Now?
The news this week of tragedy suffered by the Jewish [...]
Quebec Politicians Targeting Muslims Again
Québec Politicians Targeting Muslims Again A provincial election is coming [...]
The Times are A’Changing
As we head towards the end of the year, we [...]
We Need to Talk About Antisemitism
Antisemitism is never an easy topic, and right now it [...]
Nuzhat Jafri and the Canadian Council of Muslim Women
As October is Islamic History Month in Canada, I thought [...]
Religion in Violent Times
Religion and violence have filled our newsfeeds lately. It's not [...]
Is Religion Weakening Globally?
At Encounter, we focus on religious literacy which we feel [...]
The Power of the Pope
In his wonderful book Saints and Sinners: A History of [...]
The Truth About Our Stories
“The Truth about stories is, that’s all we are.” Thomas [...]
Why It’s So Hard to Talk about Israel & Gaza
The war in Gaza has proven to be one of [...]
Discovery Week 2025 – So Much to Learn
The 2025 Discovery Week came to an end earlier this [...]
3 Men in Gaza
The brilliant Indigenous writer Richard Wagamese once wrote: “All that [...]
Being Queer and Religious
As Pride month is upon us, I wanted to share [...]
What Caused the Global Islamic Revival?
Photo of Alice Evans in Morocco in 2023 from Substack [...]
A Month of Hope
The news these days isn’t always the most cheerful. But [...]
The Legacy of Pope Francis
The Catholic Church, which oversees a billion devotees, is the [...]
Why Religion is Right – Book Review
Readers, this is very different from our typical blog as [...]
How Religion Helps
The news cycle these days has a fair bit of [...]
Fasting: Can Less Be More?
This spring brings a rare confluence where Muslims, Christians and [...]
Ramadan – First Person Perspectives
Ramadan, which starts this weekend, is for many Muslims the [...]
Who is the Aga Khan?
On February 4, the Aga Khan IV died at age [...]
Religion and the State
There is a lot of discussion right now online and [...]
The Year in Review
At Encounter, we often say religious literacy can help you [...]
Christians Who Inspire
During our 2024 Discovery Week, we visited a new Christian [...]
Sacred Spaces and What They Say
This past week, Paris’ Notre Dame cathedral re-opened five years [...]
How Did Christianity Become the World’s Largest Religion?
When Jesus of Nazareth was brutally and humiliatingly executed by [...]
Generosity
With politics being everywhere these days, I thought we’d take [...]
Four Holidays in Three Days
Next week, four really significant holidays are occurring that, despite [...]
Religious Holidays 2025 Free Resource
When it comes to religious literacy, often we don’t know [...]
Why Do American Evangelicals Love Trump?
This is a very polarizing topic but amidst preparing for [...]
Religious Literacy for Police!
Encounter’s programs have always evolved based on what we learn [...]
A Bad Month for Violence Against Religious Minorities
August is supposed to bring to mind sunshine, peaches and [...]
How 1979 Changed the Muslim World
I just finished a wonderful book by Kim Ghattas called [...]
Discovery Week and the Power of Kindness
This month, Encounter held its 25th annual Discovery Week. It [...]
Indigenous Spirituality
Tomorrow is National Indigenous People’s Day in Canada. Of course, [...]
Faith as Protest – A Conversation with Author Dr. Karen Hamilton
Dear Readers: Karen Hamilton has had a long career as [...]
Buddhism: More Than Meditating?
In the past couple of years, I have had the [...]
The Changing Landscape of Religion at Work
Recent years have brought a remarkable change in how workplaces [...]
India’s Holiest City
Varanasi, which lies on the Ganges river, is often called [...]
The Sikhs’ Golden Temple
Sikhs today actually make up a larger proportion of Canada's [...]
Delhi Will Dazzle You
I've had the good fortune to visit many places, but [...]
How Japan Makes You Rethink Religion
Spending a week visiting Japanese temples has been very eye-opening. [...]
Shinto: Japan’s Indigenous Tradition
Shinto is an unusual religion. There is no founder, no [...]
Contact Can Change Us
Psychologist Gordon Allport founded the idea of Contact Theory, which [...]
Is Our View of Religion Distorted?
After twenty years of learning about religions and engaging with [...]
How to Lead When the News Erupts
The Israeli/Palestinian conflict has posed a unique challenge for many [...]
What is Unique About Christianity?
When I first started studying religions, I expected to learn [...]
It’s Okay to Celebrate
The news these days is heavy. For admirable reasons, many [...]
Can We Still Talk to One Another?
Amidst the heartbreaking the events in the Middle East and [...]
Palestinians and The Muslim Other
Over the past month, we decided to respond to the [...]
Backgrounder on Israel-Palestine: Part II
Our blog a few weeks ago on the background of [...]
“Why Do They Hate the Jews?”
In light of events in Israel and Palestine, we are [...]
Background on The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Part I
With the terrible news in Israel and Palestine this past [...]
Canada’s Religious Communities Respond to Orange Shirt Day
National Truth and Reconciliation Day (also known as Orange Shirt [...]
What Does It Mean to be an Ally at Work?
Encounter does much work to promote religious inclusion in workplaces. [...]
Pentecostalism Part II: Venturing into Politics
At Encounter, we emphasize that religious communities are diverse and [...]
Pentecostalism Part I: The Fastest Growing Religion
I believe no religion is growing as quickly or with [...]
Encountering New Friends and New Worlds
I met an old friend this week named Paul McKenna. [...]
Learning about Indigenous Peoples
Today is national Indigenous People’s Day in Canada, a day [...]
Is Religion Anti-LGBTQ?
It’s Pride month. A month for celebrating a community that, [...]
The Feel of Religion
About thirty years ago, my grandmother, the matriarch of my [...]
The Problem with the Word “Faiths”
In English, we routinely use the word “faiths” to mean [...]
Which Religions are Strong in Canada?
We often hear that religion in Canada is waning as [...]
What is Orthodox Christianity?
This Sunday is Easter for Orthodox Christians. Despite being a [...]
Taking Discovery on the Road
The Forum for Workplace Inclusion is the largest Equity, Diversity, [...]
Ramadan: A Month of Charitable Giving
“Those who spend their wealth in Allah’s cause are like [...]
Reclining Buddha
While recently visiting Bangkok, I encountered this enormous reclining Buddha. [...]
Buddhism’s Asian Fusion
I have spent the past week in Malaysia and Singapore [...]
Islam and the House of Wisdom
Westerners’ image of Islam has not often been very positive. [...]
No Mercy, No Learning
Two news stories caught my attention last week. First, a [...]
On 2022…and Looking Forward
This past year was very kind to Encounter. We [...]
Christian Heroes
With Christmas coming this week, I was reflecting at how [...]
Bodhi Day: Learning About Buddhism
At Encounter, we’re pretty big on religious literacy because of [...]
Creating the World We Want
In the midst of the onslaught of Black Friday advertisements, [...]
Inclusive Scheduling
What is Inclusive Scheduling? Inclusive scheduling is just one way [...]
Santa Muerte and the Day of the Dead
As trade, migration, and the internet make our globe more [...]
How to Celebrate the Holidays Respectfully
From October through early January there are dozens of religious [...]
The Light We Give with Simran Jeet Singh
Instead of our usual blog, today I want to share [...]
What Are the Jewish High Holidays?
"Every act of forgiveness mends something broken in this fractured [...]
Bahá’ís and Mormons
When we talk about religious literacy, we are often focusing [...]
Survey Shows How Bill 21 Hurts Minorities in Quebec
I have written before about Quebec’s Bill 21 which legalizes [...]
Something Old and Something New
We just finished running our first in-person Discovery Week since [...]
What To Do When the News is Bad
A little more than a year ago, a Muslim family [...]
Canada on Diversity: The Good and the Bad
Given that over the next week we will celebrate Canada [...]
Inclusion Cannot Ignore Religion
No organization says it is serious about inclusion but that [...]
Religious Freedom and a Healthy Democracy
How should a healthy democracy balance competing priorities while respecting [...]
Discovery Week: From an Attendee’s Eyes
More than thirty years ago, an American minister, with a [...]
A New Easy Way to Learn Religious Literacy
If you are reading this blog, you are likely interested [...]
Vaisakhi – Being a Saint and a Soldier
Sikhs are a community dedicated to service. Whether it’s through [...]
Ramadan: It’s More Than Fasting
Friday marks the start of Ramadan. Many know Ramadan is [...]
Empathy and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
I recently heard a podcast on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that [...]
On Us and Them
The horrors of what is transpiring in Ukraine have gripped [...]
Women: Leading Change In Religious Communities
As International Women’s Day approaches, I find myself thinking of [...]
How Do I Talk About This? Vulnerability for the Win
A small experience last week really demonstrated to me how [...]
Black History Month: The Unique Threats Posed to Black Muslim Women
One year ago in Edmonton, a Black Muslim woman (given [...]
Reconsidering Tolerance
In recent years, advocating for “tolerance” has fallen out of [...]
A Muslim, a Jew and a Pagan Walk into a Boardroom….
The title above sounds like the start of a joke. [...]
Holocaust Remembrance Day & How Antisemitism Threatens Democracy
Holocaust Remembrance Day occurs today, regrettably in an environment where [...]
Religion: The Big Questions
I am genuinely thrilled to announce we are again offering [...]
World Religions Day: A Chance to Broaden Our Horizons
This Sunday is World Religions Day, a day started by [...]
Right Speech
I am always amazed that modern psychology – with its [...]
Seeing the Manger Scene with New Eyes
The manger scene is so iconic. Millions of homes have [...]
Minorities, Majorities, and Discrimination in Québec
Representation is powerful. Seeing someone like us in positions of [...]
The Benefits of Power for All
When I say "power," what do you think? We often [...]
Those Magi Deserve Some Respect!
In Christmas manger scenes, the magi are side characters, seemingly [...]
An Inspiring Man
So often when Muslims make the news, it is as [...]
Guru Nanak, Birthdays, and Crossing Boundaries
Tomorrow, Sikhs everywhere will celebrate the birthday of their founder, [...]
A Season of Celebrating with Others
We are in the midst of a season of religious [...]
How An Ethiopian King & Black Power Birthed Rastafari
Encounter’s mission is to promote religious literacy. Despite living in [...]
The Body Parts in My Office
You never know where conversations might take you. During a [...]
The Unicorn Walks into the Mosque
I want to share a story about the impact [...]
The Word “Judeo-Christian” Should Be Retired
We frequently hear preachers, ordinary people, and politicians invoke [...]
Islamic Heritage Month – Let’s Get to Know Each Other
October is Islamic Heritage Month in Canada. Islam is [...]
A Sacred Text on Two-Eyed Seeing
Today is Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, [...]
The Radical Reverend
I've had the privilege, several times, of interviewing Rev. [...]
Yom Kippur: On Atonement and Forgiveness
My colleague keeps insisting that I MUST listen to [...]
Do Religion & Politics Mix?
Canada is in the midst of a federal election. [...]
Shakil Choudhury’s Deep Diversity
Last week, I attended the Anima Leadership Institute’s “Deep [...]
The Importance of Beauty
My job is a bit of a treasure. I [...]
Afghanistan: What Can We Do
The news from Afghanistan right now is crushing. Lives [...]
Maybe Religions are Not All the Same…and That’s a Good Thing
Often in my work, people seeking to affirm our [...]
How Religious Literacy Helps Women
Religion impacts many aspects of our lives that we [...]
The Hajj 101 – Becoming More Religiously Literate
The hajj, the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, is one [...]
Tasting a Religion
In a normal year, this week in early July [...]
Feeling God is Real
Tanya Luhrmann is one of the most interesting scholars [...]
4 Orcas and A Learning Plan
Through my work, I often get to witness religious [...]
Canada’s Islamophobia Problem
This week a family was murdered in London, Ontario. [...]
Making the Case for Including Religious Literacy in your DEI Initiatives
Last week, I had the opportunity to present to [...]
Conflict in Israel & Palestine
We have witnessed yet another outbreak of hostilities between [...]
Making Workplaces Inclusive of Religious Identities
I like to say our founder, JW Windland was [...]
Religion: The Big Questions
Religion is everywhere. It is there when I watch [...]
Lighting Pilot Lights & Creating a Better World
A colleague shared a story recently of how small [...]
Is Belonging Your Goal?
“Not belonging is a terrible feeling. It feels awkward [...]
Inclusion Notwithstanding
Earlier this week, the Quebec Supreme Court upheld all [...]
Ramadan – It’s About More than Fasting
Ramadan? That means no food, right? Well, yes, there [...]
Is Your Neighbour a Sikh?
Chances are high that you interact with Sikhs, either [...]
Easter: Egg Laying Bunnies Meet Roman Politics
The factors that shape our religious traditions and rituals [...]
Holi – The Hindu Holiday on Colour, Love & the Power of Stories
Sunday and Monday, Hindus around the world will celebrate [...]
Burkas, Niqabs…and Women’s Freedom
In last week’s newsletter I wrote that I opposed [...]
The Axial Age: How One Short Moment in Time Shaped Our World
You probably don’t follow or know people who follow [...]
I Have Spent My Life Keeping this Part of Me Private
We love receiving feedback from participants in our programs, [...]
5 Reasons the Online Discovery Week Can Help You at Work
We are often asked if our Discovery Week is [...]
Helping Students Understand World Religions, Cultures and Human Behaviour
Education is like a passport to another world. It [...]
How Religious Literacy Helps Us See One Another
Today on Clubhouse, I will be interviewing Diana Eck, [...]
The Danger of a Single Story
This week is Interfaith Harmony Week, designated by the [...]
Emotions, Politics & Religion – with Donovan Schaefer
When I had a chance to guest host a [...]
Going Beyond Diversity and Inclusion with Police Services
A real privilege in my work is the ability [...]
Jesus, John Wayne & Donald Trump
This fall, my twitter feed came alive with people [...]
Merry Christmas Again? Christianity’s Other Christmas.
Today is Christmas! Well, at least it is for [...]
Peace on Earth and Goodwill…on Social Media?
Christmas is a time of hope – birth over [...]
We Could Use a Global Hanukkah
Ask a non-Jew to name a Jewish holiday and [...]
On Greetings: “Happy Holidays” or “Merry Christmas”
When I was in university, I remember someone wishing [...]
Religious Minorities & Inclusion at Work
A recent survey of Canadian employees found that 39% [...]
The Mormons of Islam
Years ago, I discovered the Ahmadiyyas, a Muslim sect [...]
The New & the Old: Female Qur’an Reciters and Instagram
No religion is a monolith. Every tradition changes over [...]
Diwali – From Darkness to Light
Today marks the start of the five-day festival of [...]
There’s an Election You Say?
As all of you know, there was a big [...]
Wicca & Hallowe’en – Marking the Old and the New
Saturday is Hallowe’en, a North American cultural day that [...]
Navratri – Hindu Festival of Good over Evil
Navratri is a 9 day festival in Hinduism, celebrated [...]
Religion & Politics (& the NFL)
I track religion stories (surprise!) and these days, almost [...]
Roe vs. Wade & the Real Birth of the American Religious Right
One often hears that the American Religious Right was [...]
World’s Biggest Annual Religious Pilgrimage is On Right Now … and You’ve Likely Never Heard of It.
My friend Dr. Edith Szanto (fellow University of Toronto [...]
Religion in a Time of COVID
The stress of the virus can bring out the best and worst in us ...
A Rosh Hashana Story
Jews will celebrate one of the most important days [...]
Being Muslim and American Post 9/11
The anniversary of 9/11 is remembered for many things ...
