Interfaith Association of Central Ohio (IACO)

Interfaith Association of Central Ohio represents people of different faiths promoting religious understanding, tolerance and freedom. The purposes of the association are:

• To create an inter-religious community based on understanding, friendship, and trust.
• To educate adherents and the public about customs and practices of faith traditions.
• To provide interfaith public worship and ceremonies expressing local and global concerns.
• To promote social justice, peace, and human dignity.

The Interfaith Association is governed by an Interfaith Council, which includes up to three representatives from eight faith traditions: Al-Islam, Bahá'í Faith, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Jainism, Judaism, and Sikh Faith.

The Interfaith Association has three major standing committees:

• Education: Provides for educational opportunities for members and the public to learn about the social and religious beliefs and practices of the participating faith traditions.
• Public Interface: Plans interfaith programs and represents the Interfaith Association on various social issues.
• Spiritual Sharing: Organizes dialogue groups and other opportunities for persons of different faith traditions to exchange viewpoints and learn about each other's groups and religions.

This page was created May 8, 1999,
in the hope that you will learn about religious traditions other than your own.

You may also send questions to the Interfaith Association; maybe you can start one in your part of the world.

An article in the Columbus Dispatch of August 3, 2001, listed numbers of non-Christians in Central Ohio, as estimated by IACO:

1. Jews:                          22,000

2. Muslims:     15,000 to 20,000

3. Buddhists:                     1,000

4. Hindus:                            500

5. Bahá'ís:                            300

6. Sikhs:                               200

These faiths are represented in the Interfaith Meditation Room at Port Columbus airport and at the Interfaith Chapel at Columbus (OH) Children's Hospital.

The IACO Spiritual Sharing Committee sponsors informal meetings for spiritual sharing at the Columbus (OH) Main Library Meeting Room #1 from noon till 1 on the first Wednesday of each month.  Everyone interested in learning about other faiths is welcome.  Proselytizing is discouraged.

This page was last revised on November 29, 2001, to add the Jains as a member.

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