Interfaith Understanding
The term ‘inter-faith’ is sometimes used to refer to inter-denominational relationships within Christianity but here we focus on relationships between Christians and members of other world faiths.
Christians vary in their attitudes to inter-faith engagement, depending on their own belief systems. Some feel that there are many ways to the one Divine Centre; some that other religions may contain truth but there is no salvation, except through Christ; still more see Christianity as the only true religion.
These differing approaches are reflected in the degrees to which Christians are prepared to come together with others, and the boundaries they place on engagement. However, in a world of growing secularism, poverty, oppression, violence, mistrust and fear, many people welcome greater opportunities for encouraging mutual understanding and a possible common approach to some moral and social issues.
In a local context there are increasing numbers of people here who are from cultural and religious backgrounds that are new to us. If we want to promote a more harmonious society it is helpful if we can at least learn a little more about each other. This page points to sources of information for the official stances on inter-faith contact of some Christian churches, contact details for members of world faiths here, and other useful sources of information.
The separation in the world is increasingly not between faiths and subdivisions of faith but between faith and the lack of it. How to respond to rapid social change while staying faithful to tradition is a challenge for all faiths.
Francis Campbell, Ambassador to the Vatican
LOCAL RESOURCES
Diversiton
The Diversiton website offers training and resources on religious and cultural diversity.
Northern Ireland Inter-Faith Forum
The forum provides a safe place for members of different faiths to meet. A downloadable summary of the Forum’s purpose and activities, and some interfaith contacts is available here.
For more information contact: Edwin Graham, Secretary, at ni.interfaith@gmail.com
The Catholic Church in Ireland
Most Rev. Diarmuid Martin, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, gave an overview of his Church’s role in inter-faith dialogue at the Greenhills Ecumenical Conference, 22 January 2007. [Greenhills Ecumenical Conference Press release.pdf]
The People Seeking Asylum/Refugee Information Pack (sheet 10) [pdf] produced by the Refugee and Migrant Project of the Irish Bishop’s Conference also gives advice on encountering people from other religions and the conditions for honest dialogue.
The Church of Ireland
In 2007 the Committee for Christian Unity and the Bishops of the Church of Ireland published a pamphlet, Guidelines for Interfaith Events and Dialogue, written by Canon Patrick Comerford, which they hope will be helpful in situations where people of different faiths encounter one another.
NATIONAL and INTERNATIONAL
Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI)
The CTBI website contains much material on inter-faith dialogue, including resources
Porvoo Consultation on Interfaith Relations 2003
The Porvoo Communion is a communion of churches including Anglicans and Lutherans, mostly in Northern Europe, that have signed an agreement to ’share a common life in mission and service’. They issued guidelines on interfaith encounter in 2003.
The Anglican Communion Network for Inter Faith Concerns (NIFCON)
In 2008 NIFCON published Generous Love [pdf]: the truth of the Gospel and the call to Dialogue ISBN: 978-0-9558261-0-8. This is subtitled ‘An Anglican theology of inter faith relations’ but it also builds on similar work in other Christian traditions.
OTHER USEFUL WEBSITES AND RESOURCES
Churches Together in Britain and Ireland Interfaith dialogue and the churches
Conference of European Churches - Islam in Europe Committee
NI Religious Education Curriculum for Schools Resource materials
Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue
Pontifical Council for promoting Christian Unity. Commission of the Holy See for Religious Relations with the Jews.
Shap Calendar of Religious Festivals
World Council of Churches Inter-religious Relations & Dialogue
DOWNLOADS
Building Good Relations with People of Different Faiths and Beliefs
Prepared by the Interfaith Network for the UK. Also available in hard copy from their site.
The Local Inter Faith Guide
Prepared by the Interfaith Network for the UK, also available in booklet form. Full list of interfaith publications at http://www.interfaith.org.uk/publications/index.htm
Multi-Faith Holy Days Calendar
Check Up! : A Guide to the special healthcare needs of ethnic-religious minority communities.This is helpful in describing religious and cultural practice.
BOOKS
A Handbook of Faiths, edited by Norman Richardson, Northern Ireland Inter-Faith Forum, 2002
Distinctly Welcoming, Christian presence in a multifaith society
Written by Richard Sudworth and published in 2007 by Scripture Union, this book is available to borrow from the EMBRACE Resource Library.
About
EMBRACE is a group of Christians working together to promote a positive response to people seeking asylum, refugees, migrant workers and minority ethnic people in Northern Ireland.
