Ep. 141 Importance of Ritual to Connect us to Family and Community

On this episode of the In Good Faith podcast, we explore the power ritual has to connect an individual to their religion, culture, and community. While there might be the stereotype that rituals are dry ceremonies performed only in churches, our guests today discuss rituals from every facets of their lives. Aaron Rose discusses how he learned about the rituals of Dia de los Muertos and how practicing them with his family helped him connect with his culture. Howard Wettstein discusses a few of the ritual practices in his Jewish faith, like the Mourner's Kaddish, and how those practices are a form of spiritual intimacy. Mara Menzies shares her experiences with the rituals of storytelling, including a fascinating experience about bringing a story lost through the African diaspora back to its community of origin in Nigeria. Frederik Mayet shares some history of the Oberammergau Passion Play and reflects on how the play connects his community.