Living Trust Across Faiths: The Subjective Experience of Interfaith Actors in Multicultural Urban Communities

Abstract

Interfaith dialogue has become a vital area of study within the broader field of religious pluralism and intercultural communication. While institutional frameworks for promoting religious coexistence are well-documented, little is known about the lived experiences of individuals who facilitate interfaith trust in multicultural urban settings. The current literature lacks insight into how trust is personally constructed, negotiated, and internalized by interfaith actors in emotionally and spiritually complex environments. This study addresses that gap by asking: How do interfaith actors experience and make meaning of trust-building in diverse urban communities?

Using an interpretative phenomenological approach, this research explores the subjective narratives of interfaith leaders to uncover the emotional, relational, and spiritual dimensions of trust construction. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with twelve interfaith practitioners and analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The study identified four key themes: dialogic vulnerability, ritual engagement, spiritual introspection, and emotional labor. These findings reveal that trust is not established through formal mechanisms, but emerges from embodied experiences and shared human encounters. Participants described moments of connection that transcended doctrinal differences and transformed personal faith identities.

The study offers a richer understanding of interfaith dialogue by emphasizing lived experience and the interpretative process of meaning-making. These insights hold practical implications for designing inclusive interfaith initiatives and open pathways for future research on the evolving dynamics of religious trust in diverse societies.