(Sept 18 - Nov 27) - [Open] - Encounter will present on religious literacy for library staff and its relevance to workplace culture and serving the public. We will explore how understanding religious diversity, including key Jewish holidays can foster inclusion, support equitable scheduling practices, and strengthen relationships with colleagues and community members.

(Oct 24) - [Closed] - We will be taking graduate students studying religion to three houses of worship to meet leaders, observe ritual and share a meal, providing lived exposure to these communities these students study.

(Nov 8th) - [Open] - In this talk, we aim to shed some light on these issues by stepping away from the noise of social media in order to better understand the historical context of this conflict. We explain the stories of this land and these peoples and explain how key events in the past have led us to this place of conflict. This talk aims for balance by sharing some facts as well as explaining at different points both the pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian perspectives to help

(March 17-30) - [Sold Out!] - Our Discover India 2027 program is sold out—thank you for the incredible response. We’re sharing a peek at the itinerary and trip details, and we invite you to join the waitlist if you’d like to be first to know about openings and/or a possible 2028 trip. It’s never too early to express interest.

Participants joined religion scholar Brian Carwana to explore Shintoism, Japan’s indigenous religion, and the intricacies of Shinto, a unique belief system with no founder, sacred texts or formal doctrines. We discovered the profound connection between Shinto and Japanese identity through its nature-based principles and historical significance.

This webinar explored how Organ Donor professionals and hospital staff can provide more meaningful support for families whose beliefs fall outside commonly represented religious frameworks. Participants were invited to move beyond the comfort of familiarity and toward a practice rooted in curiosity, humility, and affirming care — ensuring that every family, regardless of belief system, receives the meaning, intentional support they deserve.

The papacy is one of humanity’s oldest and most influential institutions. Over centuries, popes have brokered peace, launched wars, encouraged colonial expansion and at times sought to restrain its excesses, shaping ideas about morality, sexuality and political authority across the Western world. We explored the history of the papacy and examine several of the most influential figures to occupy the seat of St. Peter.

Brian participated on a panel considering a new book on religious literacy by Leo Van Arragon titled "Reflections on Religious Literacy: Paradox, Promise and Politics in a Secular Age." Van Arragon completed his PhD at the University of Ottawa on this topic and his work is a deep consideration of the role of religious literacy in our education systems.

We explored why religious literacy is so important for creating inclusive workplaces, and how inclusion fosters greater teamwork, higher productivity, and enhanced employee well-being with positive implications for staff retention. We enjoy offering this workshop to city employees and also to partner organizations among the businesses in Chatham-Kent.

In this online program, participants learned about 5 religions in 5 days through classes and interviews with expert practitioners. These programs are very popular, and the feedback from attendees is been excellent.