Since Boston’s founding in the seventeenth century, people have continually encountered those who hold different religious beliefs. At first it was the encounter of Puritans and Quakers, and it was fraught with tension. In the late nineteenth century, it was the encounter of Protestants, Catholics, and Jews. Since the passage of the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act, Boston has become a global cosmopolis, creating new opportunities for interactions among cultures, religious traditions, and communities. Today Greater Boston is a thriving center for interfaith work, with dialogue groups, campus programs, social action campaigns, and youth and women’s initiatives. Although challenges remain, the diversity and complexity of interfaith engagement in Greater Boston suggest a positive future. Read full essay