IID in Oklahoma City, Okla. hosted an interreligious panel on the afterlife, February 26, 2013.

People from the greater Oklahoma City community gathered to eat tabouli, drink Turkish tea, and listen to a panel of speakers representing the three Abrahamic faiths: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

 Rev. Dr. Tom Ogburn, Rabbi Verred Harris, and Dr. Imad Enchassi each offered a representative view of what their religion’s conception of the afterlife consists of. A round of questions, moderated by Rev. Dr. M. Jemison, followed the opening speeches.

The two-hour event was filled with intriguing explanations and lively conversation between the panelists and the audience. Panelists Ogburn, Harris, and Enchassi managed to acknowledge each tradition’s fundamental differences while simultaneously embracing and celebrating their similarities.

At the end of the panel Ogburn, Harris and Enchassi all agreed that the task of all humans is to foster a community that has compassion and understanding for one another and that the rest must go with God.

The Executive Director of the Oklahoma City The Institute of Interfaith Dialog Mr. Orhan Kucukosman were pleased with the event and encourage all interested community members to participate in future events.