This is the next in a series of articles highlighting one of The Episcopal Church’s diocesan ecumenical and interreligious officers. Part of a national network, these officers are designated by their bishops to encourage wider unity in Christ’s church and collegial relationships with members of other religions.

Lucinda Allen Mosher holds a Doctor of Theology degree from the General Theological Seminary, where her focus was ethics and Christian-Muslim understanding. She works remotely from her home in northeast Florida as professor of interreligious studies at Hartford International University for Religion and Peace. She directs its Master of Arts in Interreligious Studies program, assists with collaboration between its Macdonald Center for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations and the Kaduna (Nigeria) Centre for the Study of Christian-Muslim Relations, and offers courses in theology, ethics, and leadership.

Concurrently, she is senior editor of the Journal of Interreligious Studies, rapporteur of the Building Bridges Seminar (an international dialogue of Christian and Muslim scholars under stewardship of Georgetown University), and president of the Association of Interreligious/Interfaith Studies.

Having served The Episcopal Church for many years as a consultant on multifaith concerns, Mosher now chairs the interreligious relations subcommittee of the Standing Commission on Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations and is the recently appointed ecumenical and interreligious officer for the Episcopal Diocese of Florida. A prolific scholar, Mosher is the author or editor of more than 20 books—among them, “Toward Our Mutual Flourishing: The Episcopal Church, Interreligious Relations, and Theologies of Religious Manyness” (2012), “The Georgetown Companion to Interreligious Studies” (2022), and the award-winning “With the Best of Intentions: Interreligious Missteps and Mistakes” (2023) —plus numerous chapters and journal articles. An accomplished multi-instrumentalist, Mosher serves as music director at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Green Cove Springs, Florida.

Hopes for the Episcopal Diocese of Florida: I am delighted that the Diocese of Florida has decided to become more engaged with ecumenical and interreligious concerns—the foundation for which, as I see it, is the Great Commandment and our baptismal covenant. I have been charged with the exciting challenge of establishing and chairing a diocesan ecumenical and interreligious commission. I expect to launch that process in July.

The past two General Conventions took a number of important steps forward on ecumenical and interreligious matters. A crucial task for our new commission will be the development of effective ways to help parishes in our diocese appreciate the relevance of each of those. Relatedly, we will need to document and share what is already happening in the Diocese of Florida with regard to ecumenical and interreligious concerns. It will be a joy to meet regularly with other Floridians who have particular interest in and skill for this work.