The Thread Interfaith Seminary emerges from a timeless current—a golden filament of Spirit that has been weaving hearts together across centuries. Like the thread in William Stafford’s poem, The Way It Is, it goes among things that change, yet it does not change. It is the same presence that holds us when the world feels like it’s unraveling, and the same invitation to weave again—together, in love. 

We are grounded in love, woven in community, and called into a formation of presence, courage, and care during a time of great uncertainty. This is our lineage, the sacred ground from which The Thread grows. 

The modern interfaith story begins with a daring vision. In 1893, at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago (also known as the Chicago World’s Fair), spiritual leaders from across the globe gathered for what became known as the first Parliament of the World’s Religions. For seventeen days, voices from Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and other faiths met face to face—many for the first time in recorded history—to speak of their traditions, their shared longing for peace, and the possibility of a common future. 

The Parliament was not perfect—it reflected its time, its biases, and the limited understanding of its hosts—but it planted a seed: that people of different spiritual paths could stand together, not in competition, but in mutual reverence. 

That seed germinated slowly. Across the 20th century, interfaith conversations grew in quiet corners—monasteries, living rooms, grassroots gatherings—until the dream reawakened on a global stage. In 1993, the Parliament reconvened in Chicago to mark its centennial, drawing thousands of participants from across the globe. 

Six years later, in 1999, the Parliament met in Cape Town, South Africa, carrying forward both the memory of apartheid’s wounds and the vision of a reconciled future. There, the gathering deepened its commitment not only to dialogue but to shared action—addressing poverty, violence, and environmental harm through a spiritual lens. Delegates affirmed that spirituality could not be separated from the work of justice, compassion, and care for the Earth. 

From those early, tentative conversations to the vibrant, justice-centered gatherings of today, the interfaith movement has been a living river—changing course as needed yet always flowing toward greater unity in diversity. 

It is in this river that The Thread’s story is immersed: honoring the many voices, the ancient chants, the shared silences, and the luminous hope that have been carried forward for over a century. 

In that same year of 1999, Brother Wayne Teasdale—Catholic monk, lay contemplative, teacher, and bridge-builder—offered a beacon for our age in his book, The Mystic Heart: Discovering a Universal Spirituality in the World’s Religions. Drawing on his own spiritual journey, deeply rooted in Christian monasticism yet profoundly enriched by Hindu, Buddhist, and other contemplative traditions, Teasdale invited the world to imagine a spiritual life that transcends the boundaries of any single faith. 

He coined the term interspirituality to describe this emerging reality: a lived experience of the world’s spiritual traditions meeting in mutual reverence, exchanging wisdom, and supporting one another in the awakening of compassion, justice, and service. 

For Teasdale, interspirituality was not simply an intellectual framework—it was a call to a deeper way of being in the world. He wrote: 

“If transformation is only a matter of consciousness, then there is always the risk that the change may never touch the deeply hidden intentions of the heart…” 

This was his challenge to all seekers: to allow spiritual practice to penetrate so deeply that it transforms not only the mind but the intentions, choices, and relationships of daily life. 

Brother Wayne carried this vision into action—serving as a member of the Parliament of the World’s Religions Board of Trustees, working on global ethics initiatives, and helping to craft the Interreligious Declaration Toward a Global Ethic. His presence was humble yet catalytic; his teaching emphasized that the heart of all authentic spiritual paths is a universal commitment to love, compassion, and the alleviation of suffering. 

He often said that the task of our time was to “develop a spiritual civilization” rooted in shared ethical principles, contemplative depth, and the recognition of the sacred in every person and every being. This was, and remains, an invitation to live with what he called mystic awareness—a consciousness of the unity of all life, woven together in divine intimacy. 

Through his words and his witness, Brother Wayne gave language and courage to those who felt called to a faith that is rooted somewhere, yet open everywhere—a faith that The Thread holds as central to its vision. 

Carrying this living stream forward, Reverend Diane Berke, mystic and teacher, founded the One Spirit Interfaith Seminary in New York in 2002. Since her ordination in 1988, she has midwifed the callings of over 1,500 interfaith ministers, each one a unique thread in the tapestry of spiritual service. 

Her work has been a living example of what it means to minister from a place of love: meeting people where they are, honoring the fullness of their spiritual heritage, and nurturing the capacity to serve in times of joy and in seasons of fracture. Under her leadership, the seminary became a sanctuary for deep listening, a crucible for personal transformation, and a launch point for ministries rooted in both ancient wisdom and contemporary relevance. 

The One Spirit ethos—grounded in interspirituality, relational learning, and spiritual practice as a way of life—flows directly into The Thread’s vision. Here, ministry is not about performance or perfection. It is about being present, bearing witness, and becoming a vessel for love in all its courageous forms. 

From the Parliament’s first courageous gathering to the shimmering vision of Brother Wayne, to the nurturing leadership of Reverend Diane, the path has been prepared for The Thread. 

Our soil is rich and layered. It holds the compost of ancient spiritual truths—worn smooth by centuries of practice—mingled with the seeds of emerging wisdom traditions that are still taking root. It is fed by the waters of grief and joy, tilled by the hands of those willing to do the hard, heartful work of showing up as they are. 

In this soil, we practice what we hope to grow: the patience to sit with fracture and not flee, the courage to name harm and repair it, the humility to listen across difference, and the willingness to be changed by what we hear. 

This is not soil for fast growth or easy answers. It is a ground of slow, living transformation—where prayer and action entwine, where ritual is as natural as breath, and where the rhythms of nature are honored as sacred teachers. 

In this soil, we remember the truth that has always been: 

“There is a thread you follow. It goes among things that change. But it does not change.”