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Interfaith RelationsThe task of the committee is:
Committee Members Convener: Revd Dr John Parry (Sikhism) Secretary: Mrs Jean Potter Revd Peter Colwell (Islam), Dr Iain Frew, Revd Heather Pollard, Miss Marie Williams.
Advisers: Dr Elizabeth Harris (Buddhism), Revd David Taylor (Church’s Agency for Interfaith Relations in Scotland [CAIRS]), Grace Gorski (Hinduism), Revd Alistair Ellefsen-Jones (Indigenous Religions), Revd Jonathan Dean (Judaism), Mr Matthew Bean (New Religious Movements).
Staff Link: Mrs Katalina Tahaafe-Williams (Secretary for Racial Justice and Multicultural Ministry)
1. Introduction The first of the erstwhile British Council of Churches’ Guidelines on Dialogue, adopted by the United Reformed Church many years ago, indicates that Dialogue begins when people meet each other. It may seem an obvious truism but it reminds us that dialogue takes place amongst people of faith and not between theological and philosophical systems per se, though these systems inform, and are represented by, such people of faith. In dialogue one often discovers the depth of faith of the partner in dialogue, together with the concerns that such people have for their communities in this country and their ability to practise and learn about the faith. Recent years have shown something of a change of heart indicated not only by the Queen’s reference to the need for good interfaith relations in her last Christmas address but also by the willingness of Christians to allow their buildings to be used by other people of faith. In December 2004 the authorities of the Anglican Cathedral in Truro invited the local Muslim community to use one of their rooms to teach their young people about their faith – yes, there are Muslims in Truro. Similarly Central United Reformed Church in Darwen, Lancashire, opened its doors to a wonderful Eid party in January 2005. However, while there may be a seed change in attitudes amongst many Christians, the reality is that dislike, even hatred, of the ‘other’ is rife within British society. The Jewish community reports that anti-Semitic crime reached record levels in 2004. This may be partly explained by more effective identifying and recording of anti-Semitism, but it may also be the case that tensions in the Middle East are transferred to the streets of the UK. It is significant to see that the report of the use of Truro Cathedral by Muslims was under the headline: Muslims in Truro Cathedral! What is the implication of the exclamation mark in a secular newspaper? This is a matter of significance when major political parties emphasise stricter race and immigration policies as part of their election campaigns.
2. Support for local congregations As a result of the greater need for understanding between the faiths many local congregations have made a real effort to meet their neighbours of other faiths. This we welcome warmly and, for our part, would remind the denomination that members of the Interfaith Committee, together with the growing number of Synod Interfaith Advocates and our committee Advisers, are willing to speak at church meetings and services of worship. Likewise, in an attempt to help understanding, material has been written and made available on the nature of Jihad, on Jesus as a Muslim Prophet and, in time for Assembly 2005, an essay on Jesus through Hindu eyes.
3. Seeing ourselves as others see us The attempt to see our own faith through the eyes of people of another faith is paramount. One wonders how people of other faiths respond to those missionary hymns, which we continue to sing with such themes as ‘the whole wide world for Jesus’. We hear of, and are perturbed by, Muslims talking of the need to make the whole world dar ul Islam – the house of Islam – but do we understand the impact of ‘Jesus shall reign where e’er the sun doth his successive journeys run’ on the casual hearer of another faith community? Combine this with the fear that many have of an overwhelming Western influence which undermines their faith and culture and one begins to see why members of some other faiths protest vehemently even if they would never dream of supporting attacks. Add another element, that for Muslims conversion to Christianity is back-sliding since the Prophet Muhammad came, in their understanding, to correct the misinterpretation of Jesus’ message by Christians down the ages, and one will begin to see why antipathy towards America and her allies is so stark a reality.
4. Developing work Discussions are underway between the Interfaith Committee and the Centre for the Study of Christianity in South Asia at the University of Birmingham. The matter in hand is with regard to re-establishing the opportunities for dialogue through conferences with the Sikh community in the UK. Early indications show considerable interest on the part of the Sikh community who so often seem have been relegated to being minor players alongside other faiths in dialogue meetings, yet whose theology and generally dissenting tradition make them natural partners in dialogue for our denomination. Such dialogue is not a new phenomenon, since, in the 1980s we were the only denomination in the world involved in bi-lateral discussions with the Sikh community. Since then such dialogue both in the UK, India and elsewhere has been only spasmodic. We hope to make a real attempt to revive this debate not only on theology but on the implications of faith on everyday life from both Sikh and Christian perspectives.
5. Exploring Interfaith dialogue in India The committee are presently negotiating a possible visit to India in 2006, to be shared with members of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan, with the intention of discovering the nature of interfaith dynamics in an environment where Christianity is very much the minority faith. For Christians both in India and in Taiwan living amongst people of other faiths is an everyday matter. Interfaith dialogue per se may not be a regular part of conversations, but there will be countless occasions when acts of personal kindness and generosity will be both given and received. A more public interface is to be found in many service industries, shops and restaurants where attitudes towards the other faith communities will often dictate the nature of daily relationships. We are no longer isolated from this experience. In even the smallest of towns people of other faiths are to be found as restaurateurs, take-away proprietors, shop-keepers and certainly in the medical profession. Such people are now looking for places in which to pray. The opportunities for hospitality and friendship are growing. Our church in Heald Green, just south of Manchester, is an example of where friendship with the Muslim community has deepened thanks to the continued interest expressed by church members in the building they sold to the Muslims. To explore how people in both India and Taiwan have dealt with issues like this ministers and members of the United Reformed Church are invited to join in the visit to India, which will be largely self-funding, but it is hoped that some financial subsidies may be available.
6. How do we speak of our faith? As people meet inevitably they will be asked about the nature of their own faith. To this end, how many of us could explain succinctly to Hindus why Christians believe Jesus to be not simply one of many incarnations of God, but the only one. Or could you speak of your faith in the Trinitarian God to a Muslim for whom associating another being with the being of God is the gravest of all possible sins. To this end early discussions have taken place with the Doctrine, Prayer and Worship Committee to consider the possibility of writing a series of booklets on apologetics to particular faiths. It is a task fraught with difficulties but one we wish to tackle even if it may take some time.
7. Breaking out of stereotypes Such a task is not confined to Christians alone. It is interesting to see that in recent years three significant books have appeared from the Muslim community: Liberal Islam was described by its editor, Charles Kurzman, as being something of a surprise in terms of how much had been written on this issue – he had probably expected sufficient material to cover a post-card but found quite the opposite. Of a similar vein is: Progressive Muslims, edited by Omid Safi, on justice, gender and pluralism. Likewise Ziauddin Sarkar’s Desperately Seeking Paradise reveals a life-time’s intellectual enquiry and critique of his own deeply held faith. Read them and discover an element of Islamic experience rarely confessed in a stereotyping world.
8. Our own faith challenged and enhanced So what does such an exploration do? Whether it is dialogue with people or an inner dialogue through reading, one is faced with the question, ‘What do I believe?’ Time and time again those involved in dialogue have been forced not to water down the Gospel, of which they have been accused, often falsely, but to ask searching questions of their own faith. ‘How do I speak of my faith?’ … now, there’s a question for the coming decades…
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