Despite Canada being a diverse country, Canadians are still uncomfortable having conversations about world religions.
“There’s a kind of silence about religion, we smile and nod but we don’t ask too many questions, we’re uncomfortable,” said Brian Carwana, the executive director of Guelph-based Encounter World Religions Centre, “Culturally, we’re kind of illiterate about the topic, we either know the one religion or none generally... and we don’t want to talk about it.”
Working in Guelph for over 20 years, Encounter aims to promote religious literacy by combining in-class learning with visits to different religious temples, centres and more.
“Religious literacy isn’t converting or preaching about any particular religion, or even religion in general,” said Carwana, “It just means what it sounds like, being literate.
“To bring people to synagogues, mosques, temples, Wiccan covens and Zoroastrian temples to meet people and observe rituals, you really do learn with your body and not just your mind.”
In the week-long programs run by Carwana, lessons focus on 12 religions reviewing their history, beliefs and practices.
“We focus on the four P’s,” he said, “The people, the places, the practices and the philosophies of these religious communities.”
Encounter provides training for individuals and businesses, including the Wellington Catholic District School Boards, the City of Guelph and the University of Guelph. Encounter also provides classes in other cities, including Mississauga and Barrie.
With every class he does, Carwana says what always surprises him is how interested people are in learning about other religions, especially corporations.
“I did a year-long series at the Ontario Provincial Police this past year, and I thought are police going to like this? And they loved it," said Carwana.
“It helps them to understand their colleague, their neighbour, their daughter’s boyfriend’s family, and it even helps them to understand the news.”
While there has been a rise in diversity and inclusion training and conversations, Carwana explains there is also a counter-movement going on which is caused by xenophobia.
Carwana adds the media also doesn't help in the portrayal of unfamiliar religions.
“What always hits the news is the worst possible thing,” said Carwana, mentioning he knows mosques that give regularly to food banks and temples, and Sikhs who have been giving away food since the pandemic has started.
“Nature abhors a black hole and so does our minds,” continues Carwana, “Our mind doesn’t want to know nothing so it rushes to fill that space with whatever tidbit we get from the news.”
In a 2020 study religious minorities reported being 39 per cent less likely to speak up in the workplace. Carwana mentions this number is higher than racial minorities and women.
“It was higher than it was for either racial minorities or for women,” said Carwana about the report.
With a background in business, Carwana mentions organizations need connection to succeed.
“It’s bad both on a moral front, people feel like they can’t talk, but it’s also bad for business,” he said, “That you’re not going to retain those people and get the full value of their commitments or thoughts, because they’ve learned to stay quiet.”
In May, Encounter will be hosting an online event called Discovery Week, which will focus on five different religions and feature interviews with a person from each.
With the event being more accessible this year, Carwana hopes more people will participate to learn about different religions.
“We live in a very diverse society, and it gets more diverse with every passing census, and it’s important to just be literate,” said Carwana, “To be knowledgeable about why a person might wear a turban or need a day off right now, and it makes it easier for us to connect with each other.”
Those who are interested in registering for Discovery Week can do so at worldreligions.ca.
