Interfaith Arkansas has partnered with First United Methodist Church in downtown Little Rock to open an interfaith library. The library will be housed at the church, which is at 723 Center St.
A grand opening on Sunday will feature a talk by Harbans Lal, a member of the Sikh faith, during the 10 a.m. Sunday School time at the church. Lal will speak again during an open house and blessing ceremony at 1 p.m.
The Rev. Steve Copley is executive director of Interfaith Arkansas, a group committed to fostering interfaith dialogue and friendship. The group includes members from many faith backgrounds united under the motto "because we are more alike than different."
Copley said the idea for an interfaith library isn't new, but until recently the group hadn't been able to find a suitable location. Copley is a United Methodist minister and serves as a missionary with the denomination. His office is at First United Methodist Church, and over time the idea of housing the library at the church took hold.
"There's an old pastor's study and it's ideal for a library, and slowly but surely it's come to fruition," Copley said. "In some ways the library being here is a sacred space."
Since the group focuses on interfaith dialogue, Copley said, a library seemed like a natural fit.
"If we learn to understand one another, out of that understanding grows respect and then out of respect can grow peace," he said.
The Rev. David Freeman, senior pastor of the church, said the congregation wanted to be part of the library "because we want to be a part of anything that helps promote understanding beyond our differences."
"This church places a strong value in ecumenical and interfaith work," Freeman said. "We exist in a culture where people make assumptions about one another rather than doing the hard work of building relationships and understanding different backgrounds, religions and world views. This library is a great resource where learning and understanding can grow."
Copley hopes the library will serve as a place where those who want to learn more about the world's religions can find the resources they need all in one place.
"The public library may or may not have everything. It's one section out of many. Your local church may have some books, your synagogue may have some, but we felt like it was really important to develop one place where folks could go," Copley said. "We want to have the best-stocked library, as best as we can, where folks can find what they want to read so that people's understanding grows."
Copley said books have been donated by Interfaith Arkansas members, church members and friends.
So far the library includes books from Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim, Baha'i and Sikh faiths, and more are being added.
"It's amazing how people have said, 'I didn't know what to do with the books I had and I didn't want to get rid of them.' It's an ideal way to use them," Copley said. "So far it's proven to be fairly successful and as time goes on we'll look at possibly purchasing books to fill the gaps."
The library has chairs and tables for those who want to browse or sit and read awhile. Books will also be available to be checked out using the honor system.
Opening day will feature the morning talk by Lal, who is an emeritus professor and past chairman of the department of pharmacology and neuroscience at the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth. He was founding president of the All India Sehajdhari Sikh organization. He has also served as a Sikh representative at the Parliament of the World's Religions, the Summit of World Council of Religious Leaders at the United Nations and the National Network of Interfaith Organizations.
"He's very well known in the Sikh community," Copley said. "To get him to come makes it even more of a special kind of opening."
The afternoon will include the open house and blessing ceremony.
"We'll have folks from various faith traditions do a prayer reading about the role of knowledge within their tradition and then Dr. Lal will give a lecture," Copley said.
Information is available online at interfaitharkansas.com.
Religion on 11/14/2015