The 8 Most Important Interfaith Monuments in the World

Posted: 02/03/2015 11:26 am EST
Updated: 02/03/2015 11:59 am EST
Craig Considine
Sociologist, Speaker, Writer

The following short collection lists eight of the most important monuments in the world in terms of interfaith dialogue and interfaith relations. By the term "monument" I refer to a building or structure created to commemorate a person, event, or social bond which has significance in regards to improving relations between the Abrahamic faiths.

The eight monuments documented here stand on the Asian, African, European, and North American continents in countries such as Israel, Turkey, India, Egypt, and the US. The monuments shed light upon key figures throughout history, as well as important events which have shaped Judaism, Christianity, and Islam over the last 1,000 or so years. My focus here is on events surrounding Jews, Christians, and Muslims, however, that is not to overlook the equally important interfaith monuments pertaining to non-Abrahamic faiths around the world.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem

The Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the most revered shrine in Christendom, stands in the walled Old City of Jerusalem. The Church, which was built on the site of the crucifixion, tomb, and resurrection of Jesus, has been protected by two Palestinian Muslim families - the Nuseibehs and Joudehs - for over 1,000 years.

The Holy Sepulchre has an uneasy state of affairs as it is managed by five different Christian denominations including Roman Catholics, Greek Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, Coptic and Syrian Orthodox, and Ethiopian Orthodox. On several occasions over the years, these Christian factions have fought each other over who controls the space within the church. The Nuseibeh and Joudeh families have helped to keep the peace between these rival groups. Let's hope that they continue to do so in the future.

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