 |
CAIRS Home > Articles >
January 2007 E-Bulletin
10 January 2007
A Happy New Year to all.
The next E-journal will be compiled and published on 6 February. Items for inclusion should be sent to me by 5 February at the latest.
CAIRS Annual Meeting
The 2007 Annual Meeting will be held at 2pm on 30 January in Scottish Churches’ House, Dunblane. If you wish to attend, please contact Tom Moyes or by phone on 01259 222 363. Tea and Coffee will be available from 1.30pm. The speaker will be Peter Colwell, Secretary of the Churches’ Commission on Inter Faith Relations, whose topic is to be “Mutuality and Integration – Inter Faith Relations in a Changing World”
Further Dialogue with Judaism
Rabbi Nancy Morris, who led the Christianity and Scotland's Other Faiths study day in Dunblane in April has issued an invitation for interested Christians to attend Shabbat Service and join in discussion with members of the Jewish community at the Glasgow Reform Synagogue, Newton Mearns on Saturday 24th February 2007. Full details and the registration form were attached to the December issue. This invitation is not only for those who were in Dunblane in April, but is an opportunity for anyone interested to learn a little more about Judaism, in particular Reform Judaism in Scotland. Download a copy of the leaflet and registration form here. (pdf, 200kb)
Interfaith Education Project - Summary Report
The results of the online survey carried out by the World Council of Churches can be found on pages 21 to 23 of the latest (and final) issue of the EEF NET (The newsletter for Education and Ecumenical Formation) This can be read here.
Also in this issue is a summary of the WCC Programme Plans for 2007 to 2013, one programme are of which is Inter-religious Dialogue and Cooperation. This includes: strengthening intra-religious trust and respect, Christian self-understanding among many religions, and accompanying churches in situations of conflict.
Service in Maybole Baptist Church marks the life of murdered Muslim
A Service to celebrate the life of murdered Maybole shopkeeper, Amjid Ismail, filled Maybole Baptist Church and its adjoining hall.
Cathy Jamieson MSP commented, "The way the people of the town responded is a lesson to communities right across Scotland and the most powerful memory of Saturday's event was the family's call to remember Amjid and for the local community to stick together through this difficult time."
Ayrshire Post, 13 December 2006
Scottish Inter Faith Week 2006
Scottish Inter Faith Week 2006 was another resounding success. This year saw the launch of Inter Faith Week take place at Glasgow University with over 140 in attendance from diverse faiths and diverse geographical locations. Presenters from 7 faith traditions spoke movingly of the continuing importance of inter faith dialogue for community cohesion and the wonderful Glasgow University Chapel Choir enchanted everyone with their uplifting music. The event was in fact a double launch as NHS (Education for Scotland) also launched their publication 'A Multi-Faith Resource for Healthcare Staff'.
Further national events took place on the 30 of November and 3 December with an inter faith Conference for Religious Leaders and lay practitioners - 'The Place of Faith in Scotland' and an inter faith youth Conference - 'Visions, Dreams and Realities'. Both of these events took place in Scotland's Capital City of Edinburgh and between them saw almost 200 people engaging in dialogue about how to make Scotland a more inclusive society. Local Inter Faith Groups across Scotland similarly celebrated inter faith week with a vast variety of activities which included; public lectures, shared meals, Islam Awareness training, exhibitions, musical evenings, inter-school activities, 'Meet Your Neighbour Events, and celebrations which took many forms. Edinburgh Inter Faith Association held so many events that a small brochure was published to let the public know about the vast choice of inter faith events on offer.
Reports are still coming in to the office of the Scottish Inter Faith Council and will be shared in the next edition of the Scottish Inter Faith Newsletter.
Thursday's Child:
Thursday's Child - a Celebration of Faith - was created by Vivienne Woolston following the London bombings on Thursday 7th July 2005. The objective is to organise a major interfaith and multi-cultural exhibition event for the purpose of understanding one another's beliefs: taking a supposed source of conflict and making it a resource for peace and harmony. Surf to their website. There is also a short DVD available on the website, or from Jon Cape.
The Imam and the Pastor
A report on the first showing of this documentary film, reported on in the last issue, can be read here.
Peace Office News
You can find some interesting articles in the Mennonite website "Peace Office News"
I recommend two issues in particular, Christians and Muslims Reflecting Together (PDF) Vol. 36, No. 1 (Jan-Mar 2006) and Interfaith Bridge Building (PDF) Vol. 35, No. 4 (Oct-Dec 2005)
Church leaders urge inter-religious dialogue on future of Europe
Brussels (ENI). European church leaders meeting in Brussels have called for a dialogue with other religions about the future of Europe, while underlining the need for the process of European integration to be based on shared values and a common vision. "As people from different cultures and traditions in Europe come closer together, we want to highlight the importance of inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue," the Christian leaders said in a statement, following a two-day meeting in the Belgian capital.
ENI, December 2006 [415 words, ENI-06-0985]
Tutu cancels Gaza visit but says 'faith' always gives him hope
Geneva (ENI). South African Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu says it is distressing that Israel blocked a planned mission by him and British professor Christine Chinkin to investigate the killing of 19 Palestinian civilians by Israeli shells. The former Anglican archbishop of Cape Town was due on 10 December to lead a team with law professor Chinkin on behalf of the United Nations Human Rights Council to investigate the incident at Beit Hanoun in Gaza on 8 November.
ENI, December 2006 [418 words, ENI-06-0973]
British Christians and Muslims unite to keep religion in Christmas
London (ENI). Britain's Christian Muslim Forum has strongly criticised moves to take the religious message out of Christmas in the country on the grounds that offence might be caused to members of other faiths. The forum, launched in January by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, to promote interfaith relations, draws half its membership for the Muslim community. It warned that attempts to remove religion from the Christmas festival acted to encourage right-wing extremism. Some local governments have tried to excise references to Christianity from Christmas. One renamed their municipal celebrations "Winterval".
ENI, November 2006 [314 words, ENI-06-0917]
Women's Inter Faith Dialogue in Israel-Palestine
Nancy Adams, a member of the Scottish Episcopal Committee for Relations with People of Other Faiths, reports on her experiences with 13 women from around the world for 9 weeks on a course at the Swedish Theological Institute in Jerusalem on "The Roles of Women in Promoting Peace and Reconciliation" here.
A particularly interesting reflection can be read here
COMING EVENTS:
Edinburgh Women's Interfaith Group
I have been asked to publicise the following meetings FOR WOMEN only
10 January, Nicolson Square Methodist Church, 7pm. Bring some finger food to share. Topic - How we celebrate New Year.
7 February, Nicolson Square Methodist Church, 7pm. Bring some finger food to share. Topic Sharing how we express our spirituality.
Opening the Door on Islam – Relating with Muslims
A Day conference to help Christians love our local and global Muslim neighbours.’
This is being held on two Saturdays in Scotland. 10 February at Logie & St John’s (Cross) Church in Dundee, and 24 February at Queen’s Park Baptist Church in Glasgow. For more information e-mail Nicholas Morris or phone him on 07749 877 107
The main speakers in Dundee will be Colin Edwards and Colin Bearup, and in Glasgow Colin Chapman and Ida Glaser.
This conference is organised by a group of agencies working together, including Frontiers, Global Connections, Interserve, OM, OMF and others.
Introduction to the Heart of the World's Faiths
This 9 week course, to be held on Thursday evenings from 1st February at St Georges West Church, Edinburgh, offers a basic understanding of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Paganism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Baha'i Faith and Buddhism and to reflect on the influence these faith traditions have made on the life of a practioner and Scottish culture. Further details from Creative Space.