An interfaith panel discussion featuring women of four different faiths was hosted by the Kennedy Center on March 6.
The panel represented the Islam, Judaism, Evangelical Christianity and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint faiths. The women gathered to discuss the female role in their religious traditions.
In a discussion-based panel, they answered various questions from audience members, offering insight from their different religious perspectives.
The event began with a Christian BYU student, Leah Merritt, who introduced the purpose of the evening’s event with the BYU Office of Belonging mission statement.
“I think that we can disagree with the way we see the world and still learn from each other and love each other,” Merritt said.
Throughout the evening, the panelists shared their insights on influential female figures in their respective religions, including Queen Esther, Mary Magdalene and Prophet Muhammad’s wife Khadija.
“What I wanted from this symposium was a chance for women to be able to share their experiences, the education that they have and the way that they follow their faith traditions, because that's the thing that we need more of,” Merritt said.
Maysa Kergaye of the Islamic Speakers Bureau spoke about the opportunities available to women in her faith.
Although women can hold any office in Islam, whether political or judicial, she emphasized that she still finds the most important role to be motherhood.
“I think being a mother is where you can make the biggest difference in the world. I also think the only limits that are set upon us are the ones we allow,” Kergaye said.
The conversation highlighted both the challenges and progress women have faced in gaining leadership roles within their faiths.
While some religions continue to navigate hierarchical barriers, others have long embraced women in leadership positions.
“If God wants me in leadership, He’ll put me in leadership,” Kendra Graham of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association said.
The discussion emphasized the importance of women’s voices in religious communities and how these voices can pave the way for future generations of women to lead and inspire within their traditions.
“I like to believe it's the small things,” Etsy Zippel said, referring to the small Jewish club she hosts for girls just turning 12, who are becoming adults in Judaism.
“It’s just a small club where Jewish girls get together and hang out with people of their faith and learn to be proud of their Judaism, and not be judged for who they are. I think it is empowering for them,” Zippel said.
Inclusivity and a sense of acceptance were common themes that drew attendees to the panel. Pungki Lupiyaningdyah attended the event because a member of her faith was speaking.
“I was really interested in hearing from the Muslim speaker because I’m Muslim and finding a community here is hard to do,” Lupiyaningdyah said.