Interfaith Explainer: The Difference Between Intrafaith, Interfaith, Multifaith And Interspirituality

Intrafaith, interfaith, multifaith and interspirituality are words that mean very different things. Yet, they are sometimes used interchangeably and without distinction. The following definitions should help people discern and understand the differences.

Intrafaith = Within

When someone proposes an intrafaith conversation, it means a conversation within a specific faith or religion, for instance, Christians speaking with Christians from other denominations. Also known as ecumenical, these interactions can be critical for social cohesion, as exemplified by interactions between Evangelicals and Catholics, Sunni and Shia Muslims, Orthodox and cultural Jews, and many more.

Interfaith = Between/Among

Interfaith refers to relations between faiths, spiritual paths, or even worldviews. It does not have to be restricted to religion alone because one way to define faith is as “complete trust, confidence or strong belief in someone or something.”

Interfaith work is usually about improving relations between people of different faiths, but it can also revolve around working with people of other faiths. For example, many interfaith organizations—some of whom started as ecumenical organizations—pool their resources and help those who need food and housing.

Interfaith has nothing to do with uniformity, conformity, or sacrificing one’s beliefs. The goal of most interfaith work is to foster harmonious diversity. The Parliament of the World’s Religions is a fantastic example.

Multifaith = Many

Multifaith is a relatively new term and refers to both multifaith ministers/chaplains, who serve at places such as hospitals and universities, and multifaith spaces, which are popping up all over the world, especially in public areas such as airports and major cities where diversity is the norm, not the exception.

The prefix multi- means that there is no blending of faiths and that religions and spiritual paths exist independently side-by-side. In a multifaith space, you can pray or meditate next to a person who may or may not share your beliefs.

Interspirituality = Exploring the Connection

Interspirituality is a term that has a different connotation. It is born from the idea that the world’s mystics—be they contemplative Christians, Sufis, Yogis, Kabbalists, or other spiritual traditions—speak the same language.

I’ve been exploring this concept for most of my adult life.

The most famous proponent of interspirituality is no doubt Brother Wayne Teasdale, who successfully merged the spiritual practices of Vedanta with his Catholicism. Other prominent voices are Ken Wilber with his integral theory, Aldous Huxley with his perennial philosophy, and Huston Smith, who brought a cosmopolitan sensibility to his study of the world’s religions.

Interspirituality is for the few, not the many. The approach focuses on exploring the few important connections between experiential practices such as prayer, meditation, compassion and service.

Understanding the Difference

As you can see, there is ample difference between the four terms. Equipped with these definitions—on which you are more than welcome to expand in the comment section—you should be able to distinguish between them more easily.

Gudjon Bergmann
Author and Mindfulness Teacher
Amazon Author Profile

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