More Resources for Israel/Palestine & Inter Faith Relations

I've added some new resources to RESOURCES FOR REFLECTING UPON 'JUSTICE FOR PALESTINE & ISRAEL' REPORT & INTER FAITH RELATIONS

WEBSITE OF THE WEEK

Nice recommendation from Kingston University Chaplaincy where PULTA is 'Website of the Week'

Blogspot of Ray Gaston, a very remarkable Christain interfaith, peace and justice activisit. Ray's book on experiencing Christian - Muslim relationships "A Heart Broken Open" is important and highly recomended reading for anyone involved in interfaith relationships.

THANKS!

EXPLORING ABRAHAM IN STAFFORD

Last week I blogged about a meeting I was speaking at in Stafford on 'Children of Abraham' below The Curate of St Mary's Stafford Revd Mandy Walker offers us her reflections on the meeting.

On Tuesday 3 May seventy or so of us from Stafford and the surrounding area gathered at the Collegiate Church of St Mary’s in Stafford, hosted by Rev Prebendary Graham Fowell. We were people from Jewish, Muslim and Christian faith. The programme was entitled, “The Children of Abraham Common Beliefs, Common Values”

The evening was introduced by Hisfa Haroon-Iqbal, Chair of Stafford and District Friends of Faith based at Staffordshire University. Each of the four speakers was asked to address the following three questions; what is the core belief of your religious tradition? What about Abraham then? And how can you uphold your core beliefs, without undermining the distinction of your own tradition?

First to speak was Rachel Berkson from the Jewish Faith, a leader in the Hebrew Congregation of Stoke on Trent, Rev Ray Gaston from the Queen’s Foundation followed representing Christianity, Dr Musharaf Hussain from the Karimia Institute Nottingham represented Islam. Finally Heather Farr, an educationalist spoke on the importance of Religious Education in a secular society. A lively question and answer session followed and concluded with each faith leader leading a short prayer.

Some reflections: There was a great richness in bringing together people of faith, common to all was a desire to be faithful and wholly committed to God and to work out what their faith means in their lives, seeking to be distinct form those around them. Each faith pointed to a life of prayer to a monotheistic God who loved and cared for creation. I found it very moving and helpful be lead in prayer by those who hold a faith different to mine.

Abraham is figure shared by Jewish, Islamic and Christian people; each upheld Abraham as a man of faith who sought to follow God in his daily life. Differences in faith focussed on the personal nature of faith in God and whilst each faith recognises the historical Jesus, the answer to who Jesus is the key difference for each faith.

Common to each speaker was a sense of journeying in faith, this raises the possibility and hope for all people of faith to learn and grow both in their own faith and of others. I was reminded of the picture in the Christian scriptures in Luke 24 of the two disciples bewildered and disillusioned after Jesus’ death; who were met on the road by a stranger who walked with them, listened and then opened up and explained the scriptures.

Heather Farr spoke convincingly of the importance of educating our young people in all faiths so that we can journey together in life without prejudice and fear of difference. Two people from the audience, both over 60, admitted they knew very little about other faiths and would like to learn more about the people they share their community with. This struck me as being very important; an openness to travel together, to celebrate difference whilst still being free and able to speak and act confidently in our faith. As Ray reminded us; it is in acting out our faith in love that we draw nearer to God as God journeys with us.

The picture above is Abraham by Louis S. Glanzman

4 Mandirs, a Gurdwara and 4 churches - a day with the Faith Encounter Programme in Walsall

I had a lovely day on Saturday examining for the Faith Encounter Programme's Faith Guide programme in Walsall. You can read about FEP's work here and here.

It was lovely for me because with 4 of the guides being from different Mandirs it gave me an opportunity to reaquaint myself with the traditions of Hinduism that I first engaged with when I studied in my first degree at Leeds University. Alongside the Hindu guides and places of worship we had a Sikh guide and therefore the opportunity to visit a Gurdwara in Smethwick and four Christian guides including Anglicans, a Baptist and a Methodist - a real ecumenical variety and some interesting church stories.

All in all a great day and a lovely way to spend my birthday!

CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM

I am speaking at a meeting tomorrow evening in Stafford with Musharaf Hussain former Chair of the Christian - Muslim Forum and Rachel Berkson of Stoke-on-Trent & North Staffordshire Hebrew Congregation on Children of Abraham Common Beliefs Common Values. It has been organised by an alliance of The University of Staffordshire, St Mary's Church Stafford and Stafford and District Friends of Faith. Details can be found here

Each of the speakers has been asked to address the following questions in their 15 minutes allotted time

I. What is the core belief of your religious tradition?

II. What about Abraham then?

III. How can you uphold your core beliefs whilst at the same time value and respect the traditions of the other two religions, without undermining the distinction of your own tradition?

Quite a challenge!

On the killing of Osama bin Laden

Three thoughtful responses to the news of the killing of Osama bin Laden.

Rabbi Debbie Young - Somers finds inspiration from the Talmud to help her reflect on people's reactions in Mourning and Celebrating.

Whilst Revd Angela Shier Jones is horrified by the jubilation over his death and questions whether justice has been done

And Councillor Salma Yaqoob offers a political analysis and a view on the 'war on terror' that is unlikely to be expressed on our TV news screens today.

PAUL & RESURRECTION FAITH

I am really pleased to be heading off later this morning to preach and preside at the Easter Communion Service of a local Methodist Church in a neighbouring circuit. One of the disadvantages of not being in Parish or Circuit ministry is that it is easy to end up not preaching and presiding at Easter. The last few years have seen me either running the biannual inter faith studies Easter residential at Queens or celebrating Easter whilst taking a holiday break. The local Methodists asked me some months ago if I would step in and preach on Easter Sunday as their own minister will be on Sabbatical. It wasn't until I started reflecting on what I wanted to say that I realised I hadn't led an Easter Sunday service since I left All Hallows in 2007!

As part of my preparation I reviewed what I had said in the last two years of my Easter preaching. All Hallows has a web site and at that time rudimentary recordings were made of sermons and posted for people to listen to. So I revisited them and rediscovered that in 2006 I had preached an Easter series on 1 Corinthians 15 called 'Paul and Resurrection Faith.' The series was part of a wider series on 'Reclaiming Paul' based on some study on Paul that I had been engaged upon and the sermons drew heavily upon the work of Neil Elliot in his Liberating Paul, Richard Horsley's Commentary on 1 Corinthians and his work on Paul and Empire and John Dominic Crossan's book In Search of Paul all of which had been part of my exploration.

The semons can be listened to here.