Even though Islam, Judaism and Christianity share a common heritage, many of the world's current flash points stem from rifts along the fault lines of these major faiths.
But there are some things all human beings share -- a need for food, for family, a sense of community and a need for shelter.
In a small way, the construction of Durham's newest Habitat for Humanity home shows that the gaps can be bridged and that people can work together.
Last Sunday, Habitat for Humanity of Durham started construction of its 232nd house, which was quite an achievement in itself. It is also thought to be the largest home Habitat of Durham has built, a two-story, five-bedroom dwelling for a large Vietnamese Montagnard family with two adults and eight children.
The interfaith aspect is also a first for a Durham Habitat project, with Christians, Jews and Muslims all collaborating on the same project.
The family who will occupy the house is sponsored by Binkley Baptist Church of Chapel Hill. And at the "blessing service" for the house on Sunday, participants included the Rev. Joe Hensley of St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Father Robert Kaynor of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Michael Goldman, Duke University's Jewish chaplain, Abdullah Antepli, a Muslim chaplain at the university and Gregory Marrow, imam of the Al-Razzaq Islamic Center in Durham.
As Father Kaynor told The Herald-Sun's Matthew Milliken, "It's one small thing that allows people ... to transcend differences, to be drawn together for a higher purpose."
Too often, we take part in activities only with members of our own "tribe," people who look like us and share our beliefs. More often, like the Habitat builders, we should try to get together with folks from different backgrounds to learn from each other and share our common humanity.
In this way, one small step at a time, perhaps the world's fault lines will begin to be mended.
