Helping People Of Faith Feel Seen: Inside The Inaugural Faith And Media Summit
OCTOBER 16, 2025 BY DUNCAN PILE
As Simran Jeet Singh, Assistant Professor of Interreligious Histories at Union Theological Seminary, shared in the opening session of the Faith and Media Summit, the ultimate goal of the people gathering there is “to ensure that people of faith are represented accurately, authentically, and consistently, in a way that speaks to them and helps them feel seen.”
That vision set the tone for the inaugural gathering of the Faith and Media Initiative (FAMI) fellows in Oxford last month—a summit that brought together sincere and influential voices from around the world to address how faith is portrayed in media. I was privileged to attend, joining a community of leaders, creators, and thinkers committed to reshaping the narrative.
In July, the Faith & Media Initiative launched its inaugural fellowship program—a cohort of nine thought leaders from diverse religious traditions and professional backgrounds, united by a shared commitment to improving how faith is represented in media. These fellows include scholars, creatives, physicians, and advocates, each bringing unique expertise to the task of ensuring faith is portrayed with accuracy, authenticity, and respect.
When covered by various forms of media, faith is almost always represented stereotypically, with little understanding of the practice of faith being portrayed. Where is the nuance? Where are the positive stories? Given that around 80% of the world’s population practice faith in one form or another, based on research from FAMI and HarrisX, why does the media take such an uninformed stance?
Read more at Patheos.com