Religious Diversity in Austin

Many Austinites and visitors alike love to venture out into the country to enjoy a bit of “the real taste of Texas” at the Salt Lick Barbeque. The short trip takes one past rolling hills, farm country, peach orchards and barbed-wire fences. Since 1995, however, there has been something new on the horizon. A glistening white and gold dome stands majestically above the treetops and marks the home of Barsana Dham. An impressive sight, Barsana Dham is one of the largest and most ornate Hindu temples in the United States.

It comes as a surprise to some that Austin has a large Hindu population, drawing sometimes more than 8,000 devotees to its religious festivals throughout the year. Austin has always had its share of religious diversity, however. In 1941, the first major effort to bring people of different faiths together was made by the Austin Council of Churches, a predecessor of Austin Area Interreligious Ministries (AAIM). In those days, this was considered a “crazy” idea. How could Presbyterians, Lutherans, Baptists and Methodists ever find common ground? More than 60 years later, we are still asking the same question, but the population now consists of people from every major world religion.

A large golden statue of the Buddha sits outside the Hsiang Yun Temple (International Buddhist Progress Society) on the scenic Capital of Texas Highway. This is just one of 20 different Buddhist congregations in Austin. Five different mosques call Muslim Austinites to worship, and about 100 families belong to the Sikh faith.

There are at least nine Jewish congregations synagogues in the area, including reform, conservative and orthodox. There is a vibrant Jewish community with a number of organizations and affinity groups such as the Austin Chapter of Hadassah, B’nai B’rith International, the Austin Jewish Business Network and the j2j Social Group. The Austin Jewish Academy and Jewish Family Service provide education and services. The Jewish Community Association of Austin (JCAA) exists to enhance the quality of Jewish life through charitable, educational, social service, cultural, religious and recreational endeavors. It is located on the 40-acre Dell Jewish Community Campus in northwest Austin, an exciting cultural and educational center for all the citizens of our growing region.

There are at least six Orthodox Christian churches in the Greater Austin area. Christianity has the largest following in Austin. Everything from large, majestic Christian churches to tiny, cozy chapels and storefront ministries can be found in every neighborhood; Austin Chamber of Commerce 2008 Austin Newcomer Guide more than 800 known congregations are within the city limits.

If you are seeking to learn about a religion in depth, Austin is home to several outstanding seminaries. The Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, the Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest and the Lutheran Seminary Program in the Southwest offer students a first-class education. Additionally, Concordia Lutheran, Huston-Tillotson College, the University of Texas at Austin and St. Edward’s University offer higher education in religious studies. Most religious institutions in Austin give classes on their religion and tours of their houses of worship. Hospitality is a universal religious value and a simple phone call will lead anyone interested to a wealth of information. To find a list of classes on one of the many religions in Austin one may subscribe to the bi-weekly AAIM e-Voice electronic newsletter or link to an AAIM members’ Web site at www.aaimaustin.org. Austin Area Interreligious Ministries is an umbrella organization seeking to bring people from all faiths together to dialogue, educate and work together to make a better community.

Each year, hundreds and sometimes thousands of people attend the AAIM Interreligious Thanksgiving Service the Sunday before Thanksgiving. In 2004, representatives from every major world religion gathered at Riverbend Church to share traditional forms of worship, music, dance, foods and ritual. It is a time when people of faith come together to celebrate in the beauty of Austin’s diversity and the blessing of Austin’s unity.

There is much for Austin to accomplish when it comes to having its religious communities learn more about each other and work together to address the concerns of the poor, the environment, and the myriad of urban challenges the world faces today. There is great hope for the future. The more religiously diverse a city becomes, the more tolerance is generated. When Austin stays in touch with its spiritual side, everyone can work together for the common good.