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Appendix 4
Problem or Opportunity? Christians and Local
Inter-Faith Activity
In many parts of Britain
and Ireland, Christians live and work alongside Baha’is, Buddhists,
Hindus, Jains, Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, Zoroastrians and other people of
faith. This poses new challenges and opportunities for the churches in
these islands. One response at local level has been a growth in
inter-faith initiatives of various kinds – for example, the
establishment of councils of faiths or inter- faith groups in many towns
and cities. Advice and information about these can be found in The
Local Inter-Faith Guide (1999, Inter-Faith Network for the UK in
association with the Inner Cities Religious Council of the Department of
Environment, Transport & the Regions). How many?
The size of different
religious communities in the UK is very difficult to gauge accurately,
both because of the absence of reliable data, and because of the
difference between counting active religious membership and measuring a
broader sense of identification with a community. The following estimates
of ‘community’ (as opposed to ‘active’) membership are given in
the most recent (1997) edition of Religions
in the UK: A Multi-Faith Directory, published by the University of
Derby in association with the Inter-Faith Network for the UK:
Baha’is 6,000
Buddhists 30,000 -
130,000
Christians 40,000,000
Hindus 400,000 –
550,000
Jains 25,000 – 30,000
Jews 300,000
Muslims 1,000,000 – 1,500,000
Sikhs 350,000 –
500,000
Zoroastrians 5,000 – 10,000
Why are Christians involved?
Christians play a
significant part in many of these initiatives, and people from other faith
communities will invite our participation. Christian inter-faith
involvement is often based on some or all of the following convictions:
1 If we love our neighbours
and count them as our friends, then we will value that which is most
precious to them. In the case of Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, Jews and other
religious people, that means in particular honouring their faith. The New
Testament shows God’s love in Jesus reaching out across the barriers
created by religion. We can prove ourselves to be Jesus’ disciples today
by forging trusting and respectful relationships with people of all
faiths.
2 Christians have a
responsibility to help build inclusive and welcoming communities, yet
religious differences can easily become causes of division and suspicion.
The health of civic life in many places will depend on good relations
where people of different faith communities know and trust one another. We
share many concerns and many values with people of all faiths. Our
advocacy of peace, justice and a more humane society has more credibility
when we speak and act together rather than separately
3 If we wish to witness
among people of faith to the truth which we have known in Jesus, we shall
find that others want to speak to us of their faith. We have to be ready
to listen as well as to speak - a genuine encounter is always a mutual
one.
4 The Spirit cannot be
limited by our restrictions. Many Christians have discerned the presence
and activity of God among people of different faiths through open and
trustful meeting and sharing with them. Inter-faith encounter can renew,
enrich and transform our Christian discipleship.
Four Principles of Inter-Faith Dialogue
In 1981, the British
Council of Churches adopted four ‘Principles of Dialogue’ for the
encounter between Christians and other people of faith. Simple but
far-reaching in their implications, they have been well-tested in
inter-faith experience over the last two decades. The Four Principles are
these:
• Dialogue begins when
people meet each other.
• Dialogue depends upon
mutual understanding and mutual trust.
• Dialogue makes it
possible to share in service to the community.
• Dialogue becomes the
medium of authentic witness.
How are Christians involved?
Many Christians are already
meeting people of different faiths on a daily basis – as neighbours,
colleagues, friends, family members; in schools, shops, hospitals; through
conversations, working together, helping one another out. All this
informal meeting is the indispensable foundation for any local inter-faith
activity. Here are ten suggestions of ways to develop involvement further:
1 Joining or helping to
establish a council of faiths or inter-faith group. The Local
Inter-Faith Guide offers a wealth of advice in this area.
2 Forging practical
partnerships of faith communities - e.g., caring for homeless people;
urban regeneration schemes; young people’s or educational projects;
joint groups to fight racism and other forms of injustice.
3 Building up links between
a local church and a mosque, synagogue, temple, gurdwara, or other place
of worship – perhaps arranging reciprocal visits, exchanging seasonal
greetings, planning meetings on shared themes.
4 Using creatively the
public role many Christian leaders have in local communities to ensure the
voices of other religious groups are also heard.
5 Combatting
misinformation, prejudice and bigotry about other faiths, particularly
when such attitudes are expressed by church members.
6 Joining local or national
organisations bringing together Christians and members of other religions.
The attached list suggests some contacts for this.
7 Responding courteously to
requests from other faith groups to use church halls, church schools and
other premises. A positive response may help greatly in building good
inter-faith relationships; where a church feels it is not appropriate to
allow such use, the reasons should be carefully and sympathetically
explained.
8 Organising twinning links
between suburban or rural churches and inner-city parishes; this can help
to make experiences of inter-faith encounter available to Christians
living in areas with few other people of faith.
9 Studying inter-faith
issues and reflecting theologically on them. Several academic centres
offer good opportunities for individual or group learning.
10 Finding times and places
where people of different faiths can meet in small groups to share their
experiences in trust, friendship and prayer.
Four forms of dialogue
The word ‘dialogue’ is
often used to describe the meeting of people of different faiths, but it
does not refer to one kind of situation only. In 1984 the Vatican’s
‘Secretariat for non-Christian Religions’ suggested that there were
four different forms of dialogue, each with its part to play:
1 The dialogue of life, in
which people of different faiths through living together enrich one
another in practising their respective religious values.
2 The dialogue of
collaboration in social involvement with a common commitment to justice
and peace.
3 The intellectual dialogue
of theologians and religious scholars seeking clearer understanding of the
truth.
4 The dialogue of religious
experience, relying on insights from prayer and contemplation in the
different faiths.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
A number of questions are
asked frequently by Christians in relation to inter-faith activity.
Convincing answers can only really be found through getting involved in
meeting other people of faith; the comments here are just pointers to
other ways of looking at things.
1 Isn’t ‘Inter-faith’
all about compromising the Christian message?
Meeting between people
of different faiths requires every party to be faithful to their own
convictions, while respecting the convictions of others. Christians
contribute best to dialogue when they are open and confident about their
faith.
2 Is ‘Inter-faith’
trying to make a new religion?
Inter-faith dialogue is
about recognising differences as well as finding similarities between
faiths. The idea of creating a new religion is unwelcome to almost all
people of faith.
3 Why does it always seem
to be Christians who take the initiative? Because of the long history of Christian settlement in these islands, churches often have more developed organisations than other communities, who may feel that inter-faith relations do not have an immediate priority among the many issues pressing on them. Some may also be initially suspicious of dialogue from past memories of aggressive missionary activity. Yet several initiatives have been taken by non-Christian faiths, and all inter-faith act
4 We don’t have that
problem here; what’s it got to do with us?
The presence of various
faith communities is an opportunity, not a problem. People of different
faiths have much to offer; together with us, they value peace and justice,
and bring a challenge to an increasingly secular society. The faith map of
Britain and Ireland is constantly changing, and religious diversity is now
a feature of many suburban and rural areas, as well as inner cities.
Moreover, we are all citizens of a multi faith world, and this is
reflected in education, politics, and the media. Even in districts where
other faith communities are not visibly present, churches can build
awareness of inter-faith issues in a number of ways – visits, links with
other churches, study programmes, etc.
5 Other faiths seem to be
taking over here; aren’t they too powerful already?
It can be painful for long-established residents to see traditional communities weaken as the character of their neighbourhood changes rapidly. Yet it is important for churches not to live in the past; ministry in multi-faith areas can be challenging and renewing. In many cities and towns, the Christian presence is that of one religious minority alongside other religious minorities in a largely secular society. Christians here are facing considerable difficulties, which may best be addressed through creative ecumenical initiatives. All faith communities have major problems to contend with; the best inter-faith relations begin from honestly acknowledging our shared position of weakness.
6 Shouldn’t we try to
convert non-Christians, not have dialogue with them?
It is the Holy Spirit
who converts people, not us. There is a wide range of opinion within the
Churches about the relationship between inter-faith dialogue and
evangelism. All Christians can agree, though, that it is important to
understand the beliefs and practices of other people of faith, that it is
necessary to respect the right of others to disagree with us, and that
witness to Christian faith is always part of Christian discipleship. A
helpful discussion of these issues can be found in the Inter-Faith Network
for the UK’s document
Mission, Dialogue and Inter Religious Encounter (1993). This includes a
‘code of conduct’ for inter-faith relations which has been formally
adopted, for instance, by the Methodist Church through their annual
Conference, and endorsed by representative bodies of all the faiths
represented in the Network, including the Christian Churches.
7 How can we have
‘Inter-Faith’ here when Christians are suffering overseas?
We rightly have a
special concern for fellow Christians suffering in other countries, but it
would be unfair to hold our neighbours here responsible for what happens
overseas. Building good inter-faith relations locally can open up ways of
influencing difficult situations abroad (for example, through mixed-faith
visits or representations). We should also remember that, in different
parts of the world, it is not only Christians who suffer for their faith:
indeed, in some places, it is those who call themselves Christians who are
the persecutors. Religious freedom for all faiths must be affirmed and
protected.
8 We seem fine as we are,
in our different ways; what use will inter-faith dialogue be to us?
Our lives interlock in
so many different ways today that there are limits to how separate we can
be. We all need to value and preserve the integrity of our own religious
traditions, yet Christians firmly grounded in the faith can benefit
greatly from the mutual understanding and enrichment which inter-faith
dialogue brings.
Useful resources and contacts
The Local Inter-Faith
Guide: Faith Community Co-operation in Action,
published by the Inter-Faith Network for the UK in association with the
Inner Cities Religious Council, includes addresses of national inter-faith
organisations, as well as practical guidance about inter-faith activity.
The Network staff can also give details of local inter-faith groups and
offer advice :
The Inter-Faith Network for
the UK, 5-7, Tavistock Place, LONDON, WC1H 9SN
In Scotland, advice can also be sought from:
The Scottish Inter-Faith
Council, c/o St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art, 2, Castle Street,
A very valuable source of
information on religious organisations throughout the UK is Religions
in the UK:
Religious Resource and
Research Centre, University of Derby, Mickleover, DERBY,DE3 5GX
The ecumenical body
resourcing the Churches’ engagement in inter-faith relations is the Churches’
Commission for Inter-Faith Relations (CCIFR). CCIFR is one of the
commissions of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland, and is supported
by 15 churches. It is a member body of the Inter-Faith Network for the UK.
The secretary can be contacted at:
Churches’ Commission for Inter-Faith Relations, Church House, Great Smith St, LONDON, SW1P 3NZ Tel: 020-7898-1477; Fax: 020-7898-1431
In Scotland, the Scottish
Churches’ ecumenical instrument, Action of Churches Together in
Scotland,
General Secretary, ACTS, Scottish Churches House, Dunblane, FK15 0AJ
For further information
regarding ecumenical involvement in inter-faith work in Wales and Ireland,
contact respectively:
General Secretary, CYTUN,
11, St Helen’s Rd, SWANSEA, SA1 4AL
General Secretary, Irish
Council of Churches, Inter Church Centre, 48, Elmwood Avenue, BELFAST, BT9
6AZ Tel: 01232-663145; Fax: 01232-381737
CCIFR also supports the Christian
Inter-Faith Practitioners’ Association (CIPA), a network of
people in all the Churches actively involved in inter-faith activity in a
variety of ways. CIPA organises an annual conference; details can be
obtained from the CCIFR Secretary.
Several Churches supporting
CCIFR have denominational officers, committees, or other networks
with a designated responsibility for inter-faith relations. Within
England, the Church of England maintains a network of inter-faith
advisers in each of its 42 dioceses. These will often be well placed
to advise on the local inter-faith situation. Contact details can be found
through the appropriate diocesan office, or through CCIFR.
The published leaflet
(available from The United Reformed Church International Relations office)
lists some other useful contacts concerned particularly with
encouraging Christians to build good relations with other people of faith.
This list is not exhaustive; it would be helpful if further suggestions
for inclusion could be sent to the CCIFR Secretary. The Local
Inter-Faith Guide includes details of more broadly based inter-faith
organisations. In addition, several universities and colleges offer
academic opportunities to study inter-faith relations for groups and
individuals.
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