The Bridge

March 2008, Issue No. 29
The Journal of the Churches' Agency for Inter Faith Relations in Scotland

Other Events

I have been asked to publicise the following seminar programme. (So I assume it is open to folk other than alumni of the Glasgow University Islamic Studies course)  Admission is free.

The Islamic Studies Alumni Society Evening Seminar Programme
Spring/Summer 2008

Tuesday, March 25, 2008, 6:00-7:30pm
Arabic Calligraphy and Scripting God
Noorah al-Gailani, Glasgow City Council Islamic Civilisations Curator, will explore the significance of calligraphy in Islamic cultures.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008, 6:00-7:30pm
Church and Mosque - Sacred Spaces
Iain Stewart, Church of Scotland Interfaith Support Worker, will explore Interfaith work between Church and Mosque.

Tuesday, April 29, 2008, 6:00-7:30pm
Finding God in Creative Writing and Poetry
Margot Rhead, holds two master degrees in English, Scottish Literature and Creative Writing and will explore some select texts which brings one to a closer understanding of God.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008, 6:00-7:30pm
Tongue of the Hidden
Jila Peacock was born in Iran, and studied and practiced Medicine in London before graduating in painting from St Martin's School of Art in 1984.  Moving to Glasgow in 1990, she has been a part-time lecturer in the Glasgow School of Art and a member of the Glasgow Print Studio while continuing to exhibit regularly in London at the Piano Nobile Gallery.  Jila will discuss 'Tongue of the Hidden' which  is a film directed by David Anderson based on a handprinted Artist's book by her that contains ten love poems from the collected works, or Divan of Hafez, the fourteenth-century Persian metaphysical poet from Shiraz, whose work is accepted as expressing some of the central ideas of Sufism, the spiritual aspect of Islam.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008, 6:00-7:30pm
Mary in Catholicism and Islam
Father John Bollan is a Teacher in the Department of Religious Education, University of Glasgow, with specific responsibility for spiritual and pastoral formation across Initial Teacher Education programmes.

Venue:
Upper Seminar Room,
Department of Theology and Religious Studies
4 The Square,
University of Glasgow

For further information please contact Margot Rhead (Secretary) or Amanullah De Sondy (Director)
~FREE~    
~ALL WELCOME~

July 7-31, 2008
Building an interfaith community
The Ecumenical Institute at Bossey in Switzerland is again running a programme entitled Building an Interfaith Community. During July 2008, about 30 participants, aged 25-35, from Christian, Jewish and Muslim communities from different parts of the world are expected to participate. For one month, the students will live together within the Bossey community. The programme will consist of formal lectures given by specialists from Christian, Jewish and Muslim communities, panels, group discussions and workshops. The goal of this programme is to learn about each other and to challenge and overcome stereotypes. The overall question to be explored is: What can we, as people of faith, do to respond and to overcome the pressing challenges of our time? For more details contact by email or consult  the WCC website.

Christian Bridge building

Church gives generously to a centre for all faiths
The Church of England Diocese of Guildford is giving an unprecedented £250,000 towards a multifaith building, at the University of Surrey, next to Guildford Cathedral, in which the largest amount of worship space will be reserved for Muslims. The £6.5 million building will contain separate worship spaces for the Jewish, Christian, Muslim and Sikh communities, along with a further shared space for Buddhists and Hindus. All faiths will share the café in the basement, with a shared staircase down from the upper floors. Converting each other will be forbidden, an insider said, but it is hoped that the different faith members will form friendships, learn to respect each other and enhance each other's understanding.
The Times, Feb. 22.

The Pilgrimage of Interreligious Dialogue - Interview With Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran
Interreligious dialogue isn't a business deal or a political negation, but rather something more similar to a pilgrimage of going out of yourself to meet persons of other faiths, said Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran.  The cardinal was appointed president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue last June. In an interview with ZENIT he comments on the challenges and goals of this dicastery, and particularly, advances in dialogue with Islam.
The full interview can be read at ZENIT, Feb. 13. 

European Christian leaders discuss Muslim relations
Participants at the joint meeting in London of the European Catholic Bishops and CEC have examined and approved the working programme of the Committee for relations with Muslims in Europe. This includes a European Christian/Muslim conference, which will be held in October 2008 on the theme "Being a citizen of Europe and a person of faith. Christians and Muslims as active partners in European societies". The dialogue with Islam and other faiths was at the heart of the visit to St Ethelburga's Centre for Reconciliation and Peace.
CCN, Feb. 25.

Pope prays for peace in the Middle East
Pope Benedict XVI said: "Over the last few days, violence and horror have once again bloodied the Holy Land, nourishing the spiral of destruction and death which seems to have no end. While inviting you to ask the Almighty Lord insistently for the gift of peace in that region, I wish to entrust the many innocent victims to his mercy, and to express my solidarity with the families and the injured. "I also encourage the Israeli and Palestinian authorities in their intention to continue building, through negotiation, a peaceful and just future for their peoples. And I ask everyone, in God's name, to abandon the tortuous paths of hatred and revenge, and responsibly to follow the ways of dialogue and trust. "This is also my hope for Iraq", he added, "while our uneasiness persists over the fate of Archbishop Rahho, and of so many Iraqis who continue to be subject to blind and meaningless violence which is certainly contrary to the wishes of God".
Religious Intelligence, Mar.10.

Building Bridges with Judaism

Addressing anti-semitism: why and how? A guide for educators is a set of guidelines from the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights that provide suggestions on how to address contemporary anti-Semitism. These guidelines provide suggestions for teachers and other educators who feel the need to address issues pertaining to contemporary anti-Semitism. Recognizing that the context may vary in every country, or even in individual classrooms, this document provides educators with a general overview of common manifestations of contemporary anti-Semitism, as well as with some key educational principles and strategies for addressing this complex and challenging subject. Useful references are also provided.
ODIHR in association with Yad Vashem, Dec. 2007, (pdf, 304 Kb)

WCC issues unequivocal condemnation of recent seminary bomb outrage
"We express our sincere sorrow and sympathy to the families of those who were killed or injured in the shootings last week at the Mercaz Harav Yeshiva in Jerusalem," said World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary the Rev Samuel Kobia.  He declared: "An attack on a Jewish seminary has a profound impact on all people of faith. The World Council of Churches strongly condemns this attack."
WCC, Mar. 10.

Vicious circle returns to Holy Land, says bishop after Israel attack
The Lutheran Bishop of Jerusalem has called on all religious and political leaders to stand up for justice and peace. He said Christian leaders are in dialogue with Muslim and Jewish religious leaders concerning the situation. "If we allow ourselves to be led by violence we will be led nowhere." He said moderates need to be prepared to be faced with opposition from the extremists. "The extremists on both sides are taking over. We are seeing the beginning results of that … We have to allow the voice of the moderates to be heard louder than the voice of violence."
ENI, Mar. 7.

Relations With Other Faiths (RWOF)
The latest newsletter from Iain Stewart, Church of Scotland Inter Faith Support worker, features the Jewish celebration of Pesach (Passover) including guidance on how to conduct a Christian Seder.
Church of Scotland Extranet

Building Bridges with Islam

Engaging Young Muslims in Learning
This Research Findings Report from the Learning and Skills Council considers the perspectives of young Muslim learners, and how these may differ from the attitudes of non-Muslim learners.  It looks at  
    Does Faith Make a Difference?
    What Difference Does Being Muslim Make?
      o One right route in life
      o A different view of growing up
      o Responding to disagreements within the family
      o Identification with Islam
    Responding to Faith in Education
      o Resolving policy questions
      o Practical ways forward
Learning & Skills Council, Nov. 2007, (pdf, 263 Kb)

In 628 C.E. Prophet Muhammad granted a Charter of Privileges to the monks of St. Catherine Monastery in Mt. Sinai. It consisted of several clauses covering all aspects of human rights including such topics as the protection of Christians, freedom of worship and movement, freedom to appoint their own judges and to own and maintain their property, exemption from military service, and the right to protection in war.

An English translation of that document is presented below.

This is a message from Muhammad ibn Abdullah, as a covenant to those who adopt Christianity, near and far, we are with them. Verily I, the servants, the helpers, and my followers defend them, because Christians are my citizens; and by Allah! I hold out against anything that displeases them. No compulsion is to be on them. Neither are their judges to be removed from their jobs nor their monks from their monasteries. No one is to destroy a house of their religion, to damage it, or to carry anything from it to the Muslims' houses. Should anyone take any of these, he would spoil God's covenant and disobey His Prophet. Verily, they are my allies and have my secure charter against all that they hate. No one is to force them to travel or to oblige them to fight. The Muslims are to fight for them. If a female Christian is married to a Muslim, it is not to take place without her approval. She is not to be prevented from visiting her church to pray. Their churches are to be respected. They are neither to be prevented from repairing them nor the sacredness of their covenants. No one of the nation (Muslims) is to disobey the covenant till the Last Day (end of the world).

(Something Muslims and Christians alike could learn from ...Na'eem Raza)

Islamic criticism and support for the first Catholic church in Qatar
The building, constructed without a bell tower or cross, will be ready for Easter, but it is generating a great deal of public discussion, divided between the moderate Muslims who are favourable, and the orthodox Muslims who find its opening "repugnant". The pages of the newspaper Al-Arab read, "the cross should not be raised in the sky of Qatar, nor should bells toll in Doha".  Others maintains that the Christians have the right to practice their faith, but should not have permission to build places of worship, stressing that Qatar is a Muslim country, not a secular one. Moderate comments of support welcome the Catholic church in Doha: "Places of worship for various religions is a fundamental human right guaranteed by Islam".
Asia News, Feb. 18.

Jordan's Prince El Hassan bin Talal wins 2008 Niwano Peace Prize
Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan has been named as the 2008 winner of the Niwano Peace Prize for efforts at building peace with justice in the Middle East, especially with regard to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The prize is often seen as akin to a Nobel Peace Prize for members of the faith community and is awarded by the Japan-based Niwano Peace Foundation. The award comes with 20 million yen (US$186 000), the Buddhist group said in a 27 February statement. "He highly deserves the prize for three reasons: his firm commitment to peace and inter-religious dialogue, his permanent message for the understanding and practice of Islam as a religion of peace, and his high ethical credibility," said Doudou Diene, United Nations Special Rapporteur.
ENI, Feb. 27.

Christians and Muslims sign up to government-backed volunteer scheme
People of all faiths and of none will be involved in a new Government-backed global volunteering scheme for 18 to 25-year-olds announced by International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander. The scheme, says the government, will offer young adults from less advantaged backgrounds the opportunity to live, work and learn about life in poorer countries while making a real difference to people's lives. Over the next three years 2,500 young adults will be sponsored to do voluntary work in a developing country and raise awareness of development issues in the UK. The £10 million scheme is backed by the Department for International Development (DFID) and will be run in partnership by Christian Aid, Islamic Relief and BUNAC. Starting in summer 2008 with placements to Ghana and South Africa, the volunteers will spend 10 weeks in a developing country working on local community development projects such as environmental conservation or HIV / Aids awareness.
Ekklesia, Mar. 3.

Kidnapping of Chaldean bishop in Iraq condemned
Jordanian Prince El Hassan bin Talal, who chairs the board of trustees of the Royal Institute for Inter-Faith Studies, has condemned strongly the kidnapping of the Chaldean Catholic archbishop of the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, Paulus Faraj Rahho, and the killing of three of his companions. "These criminal acts defy our principles of common humanity and offend our religious values and codes of conduct," the prince said in a statement from Amman on 3 March 2008. The prince, who is president emeritus of the World Conference on Religions for Peace, was on 27 February named as the 2008 winner of the Niwano Peace Prize for efforts at building peace with justice in the Middle East, especially with regard to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In Rome, Pope Benedict XVI had on 1 March called the kidnapping a "deplorable act, which is a powerful blow to the whole Church in the country". Ekklesia, Mar. 4.
ENI, Mar. 4.

Turkey in radical revision of Islamic texts
Turkey is preparing to publish a document that represents a revolutionary reinterpretation of Islam - and a controversial and radical modernisation of the religion. The country's powerful Department of Religious Affairs has commissioned a team of theologians at Ankara University to carry out a fundamental revision of the Hadith, the second most sacred text in Islam after the Koran. The Hadith is a collection of thousands of sayings reputed to come from the Prophet Muhammad. As such, it is the principal guide for Muslims in interpreting the Koran and the source of the vast majority of Islamic law, or Sharia.
BBC News, Feb. 26.

'Islamophobia and Islamophilia', 'So does all this mean that Islamophobia is a myth?
The idea that Muslims are under constant attack and intimidation is clearly false. And it makes little sense to blame all the problems of Bangaleshis and Pakistanis in Britain on the fact that they happen to be Muslim. In a broader sense, though, there is no question that many people do fear and loathe Islam. Just as many Muslims have come to see Islamophobia as a one-stop explanation for all their problems so, ironically, many non-Muslims are now beginning to mirror these arguments, increasingly viewing Islam as a one-stop explanation for everything, from the failure of multiculturalism to the problems faced by women. The result is a society polarised between those who see themselves as victims of Islam and those who see themselves as victims of Islamophobia.'
Kenan Malik writing in Weltwoche, Feb. 28.

Islamic scholars to hold talks at Vatican
Islamic scholars are to meet Vatican officials for the first time since warning the Pope that world survival was at stake if Muslims and Christians could not make peace with each other. The delegation, comprising four academics and theologians, arrived in Rome on March 3 to discuss A Common Word Between Us and You, the open letter sent to the Pope last October urging him and other Christian leaders to unite on the shared essentials of the two faiths. It used quotations from the Bible and the Qur'an to illustrate the similarities between the religions, and drew 138 signatures, many from grand muftis each representing tens of millions of Muslims. Aref Ali Nayed, a Libyan scholar in the delegation, said the summit would confirm arrangements for an audience with the Pope. "He is not just a religious leader, he is a theologian and scholar and we will meet him on those terms," he said. Nayed will meet Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, a body dedicated to improving relations with Muslims. The two clashed recently after the cardinal said that real theological debate with Muslims was difficult as they saw the Qur'an as the literal word of God and would not discuss it in depth. At the time Nayed said the comment was "disappointing". He was, however, more optimistic about the Vatican trip, saying: "We will go there with hope and open minds."
The Guardian, Feb. 21.

In order to further develop Catholic-Muslim dialogue, the participants agreed to establish "The Catholic-Muslim Forum" and to organize the first Seminar of the Forum in Rome from 4 to 6 November 2008. Twenty-four religious leaders and scholars from each side will participate. The theme of the Seminar will be "Love of God, Love of Neighbour". The sub-themes will be "Theological and Spiritual Foundations" (1st day) and "Human Dignity and Mutual Respect" (2nd day). The Seminar will conclude with a public session on the 3rd day. The seminar participants will be received by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI.
ZENIT, Mar. 5.

Vatican representatives and Muslim thinkers met in Rome to hammer out a few guidelines for dialogue between Christians and Muslims. But, says Samir Khalil Samir SJ, there is a risk of hollowness or falsity if the dialogue addresses theology alone, and not the concrete problems of the two communities, including human rights and violence.
Asia News, Jan. 9.

A Catholic View
The Pope's decision to set up a permanent Catholic-Muslim Forum, the first of its kind, is a welcome and imaginative response to last year's call by 138 Muslim scholars for a permanent dialogue with Christendom. It paves the way for an unprecedented Vatican summit in November.  Although the proposed dialogue will not forestall clashes with political Islamism, the creation of a standing forum is of huge significance in moderating the historical and theological rivalry between the two faiths.
The Times, Mar. 7.

Fact-finding group explore inter-faith issues in Indonesia
An Inter faith group has been visiting Indonesia as part of a Foreign Office project to counter extremism.  The delegation consisted of Christian and Muslim representatives with the aim of strengthening links with Indonesia. During their visit the group shared experiences of interfaith dialogue in the UK to attempt to chip away at much of the negative reportage associated with racial tensions in the UK. Before the trip one Muslim member of the delegation said he was looking forward to understanding 'the reverse of what happens in Britain'.
Religious Intelligence, Mar. 4 .

The Archbishop and Sharia Law debate continues
Now that the dust has settled a more reasoned debate on the Archbishop's original lecture, radio interview, and address to the General Synod can be followed through the following articles:

Muslims puzzled over Sharia row, but Evangelicals and inter-faith group urge debate
Muslim lawyers say they are puzzled that Archbishop Rowan Williams raised the Sharia issue before they have had a chance to tackle some key concerns. But Evangelicals and a progressive interfaith group are calling for wider debate. Speaking after Dr Williams said introducing aspects of Sharia law into the British legal system was "unavoidable", Mahmud Al-Rashid, a spokesperson for the Association of Muslim Lawyers (AML) and a barrister at 6 Kings Bench Walk, said regulation could lead to improvements - but explained that Muslims had not asked for the debate and were a little puzzled as to how it had come about. Meanwhile, the Evangelical Alliance, which seeks to speak on behalf of a million Christians in that section of the churches, is inviting them to use its website to help set the agenda for discussions on faith and the law, following the Archbishop of Canterbury's controversial Temple lecture. In a further development, the trustees of the Interfaith Alliance UK, a progressive body (and distinct from the Inter Faith Network, which has not commented) say they "reject the unfounded interpretations placed upon the Archbishop's lecture but welcome the ensuing debate, including his further clarifications."
Ekklesia, Feb. 17.

Joel Edwards, General Director of the Evangelical Alliance, argues for a 'ceasefire' in the recent hostilities between people of faith and secularists over religious belief and the rule of law.
Evangelical Alliance, Feb. 27.

The Archbishop of Canterbury's recent lecture, Civil & Religious Law in England: A Religious Perspective, was a legitimate attempt to consider how the legal codes governing the internal structures of various faith communities might engage with civil law and vice versa. As Trustees of the Interfaith Alliance UK, we reject the unfounded interpretations placed upon the Archbishop's lecture but welcome the ensuing debate, including his further clarifications.
Interfaith Alliance UK, Feb. 13.

Protest to the BBC over coverage of the Williams row
As the furore over Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams' remarks about religious and civil law subsides into a more considered debate beyond the headlines, the Anglican leader is receiving backing from what might be considered some unexpected quarters. Well-known media commentator Sunny Hundal, who is from a Sikh background but does not describe himself as religious, has written a letter of protest to the BBC about its coverage of Dr Williams' speech on Islam and the law - and in particular his Radio 4 World at One interview. Mr Hundal's letter to the BBC says: "I found BBC News coverage sensationalist and biased against the Archbishop, muddying the waters over what he said in the speech and with no attempt at giving it context - that is, who it was aimed at, what the current law is on civil arbitration, etc."  Hundal stresses: "[T]his does not mean I endorse sharia or want it to be fully introduced in the UK. I believe in one civil law for all citizens. However, BBC News bulletins did not make any attempts to offer any context to its own coverage."

Commentator Matt Wardman goes further, accusing the BBC of instigating the political firestorm with a misleading headline, 'The Archbishop of Canterbury has said that the adoption of Sharia Law in some parts of Britain is inevitable', Wardman remarks: "No he didn't, or not in the way that your headline was inevitably going to make people think."

Last week Dr Williams also received backing from Catholic feminist theologian Tina Beattie: "Rowan Williams - a uniquely gifted Christian leader and one of the finest theologians alive today - has tried to open up one possible channel of informed debate with regard to law, identity and community in Britain today. Many may legitimately disagree with his ideas and worry over his formulations, but the overall response to them suggests a country whose eagerness to abuse and accuse is crushing its ability to listen and learn."
Ekklesia, Feb. 19.

'Communities (religious or otherwise) have the right to organise their own rituals, create their own criteria for membership and expulsion, or establish their own forms of mediations for disputes, free of interference from the state so long as those actions do not undermine the existing rights of individuals or conflict with the secular laws of the land. What is unacceptable is for religious groups to call upon the power of the state to help enforce their own codes of speech and behaviour. That is why it would be wrong for official recognition of sharia law even if only, as the Archbishop suggests, in 'carefully specified matters' such as marital disputes or child custody.'
Kenan Malik writing in Bergens Tidende, Feb. 14.

Was Archbishop of Canterbury right to raise Sharia debate?
NO, says Alistair McBay, spokesman for the National Secular Society.
YES, says the Rt Rev Sheilagh Kesting, Moderator of the Church of Scotland's General Assembly: "I have been deeply concerned at the widespread reaction to the Archbishop of Canterbury's recent lecture. The personal attacks on him are unacceptable in a civilised society and I have been appalled at the attacks on his integrity and the calls for his resignation. As a fellow faith leader, he is entitled to bring issues like this into public debate and explore the way in which different people and religions can live together. What he has been calling for is discussion and I believe that is only right."
The Scotsman, Feb. 11.

Lambeth rebuts Tory leader's comments on Archbishop and Sharia
Lambeth Palace, the Archbishop of Canterbury's headquarters, has rejected claims made in a speech earlier this week by Conservative leader David Cameron, that Dr Rowan Williams was seeking the incorporation of Sharia law in the UK. In his speech, Mr Cameron said allowing two laws to work side by side would be dangerous adding: "All citizens are equal before the law." He also said "state multiculturalism" had produced "disastrous results". But a spokesman for Dr Williams said: "Whilst the Archbishop welcomes any moves by those in positions of political power and influence to discuss openly the place of religious communities in British public life, he made clear immediately after his lecture on Islam and British law that he 'did not call for its introduction as some kind of parallel jurisdiction to the civil law'. "[The Archbishop] does not therefore recognise Mr Cameron's reference on several occasions within his speech to the Archbishop's position as being in favour of 'introducing Sharia law' in parts of Britain or 'offering a parallel system of justice'."
Ekklesia, Feb.28.

Unfair bearding of the holy man from Canterbury
An accommodation that allowed people within a particular tradition to choose to work out certain disputes in ways which respect their time-honoured wisdom - all within a framework approved by parliament - would not be a sign of weakness but a sign of a mature, confident and generous society. I would even say there would be something Christian about it.
Ron Ferguson, writing in The Herald, Feb.11.

A transatlantic view on Williams and Sharia
Martin E. Marty, a leading US commentator on religion, gives his American perspective on Dr Williams' statement.
Sightings, Feb. 25.
Ekklesia, Feb. 27.

Muslim Brotherhood backs Archbishop of Canterbury
The Muslim Brotherhood has lent its support to the Archbishop of Canterbury, denouncing Dr Rowan Williams' critics for his suggestion that Sharia law in Britain was "unavoidable."
Religious Intelligence, Feb. 29.

Muslim Laws and Western Society - Altercation over Anglican Leader's Comments
An excellent summary of wider press comment can be found at ZENIT, Feb. 17.

Turkey moves to relax headscarf ban
The Turkish parliament has given its preliminary approval to a government-backed constitutional amendment that would allow women university students to wear Islamic headscarves in classes. Lawmakers backed the amendment that would repeal a 1989 headscarf ban for students in higher education. Turkish lawmakers early Thursday voted to approve a constitutional amendment to allow female students to enter universities wearing Islamic headscarves. Secularists fear lifting the ban would force all women to wear the headscarf and lead to the veil. The military also views the headscarf as a symbol of radical Islam and a threat to modern Turkey. Foreign Minister Ali Babacan told a news conference that the government had the support of the EU in lifting the ban on the headscarf in schools. Lifting the ban was part of the democratic reforms designed to foster free speech and minority rights, he said.
Religious Intelligence, Feb. 7.

The suggested change to the Constitution reads: "No one should be denied their right to higher education due to their appearance or clothing." A Muslim woman's comment summarises a commonly held view, "The freedom to choose the headscarf is important, of course, but, for us, the headscarf itself isn't what ultimately counts. We are trying to be better Muslims, and the headscarf helps us to do this. That is the important thing."
Jeremy Walton writing in Sightings, Feb. 21.

The Certainty Trap - Can Christians and Muslims afford the luxury of fundamentalism?
Rev Canon Dr Bill Musk has just published a new book, The Certainty Trap, in which he looks at the sensitive and topical question of scriptural authority - for both Christians and Muslims. A "certainty trap" has sprung up within both Islam and Christianity, resulting in a world struggling with the fallout from extremist and violent interpretations of what "the word of God" might mean. In The Certainty Trap, Musk looks at the phenomenon of fundamentalism in Christianity and its contributions toward the messy state of international affairs in which many - especially Muslims - find themselves today. By scrutinizing "sacred book interpretation" in both the Islamic and Christian heritages, The "Certainty Trap" challenges contemporary religious fundamentalism and is a timely contribution to Muslim-Christian relations.
You can obtain a copy of The Certainty Trap by sending a cheque payable to Bill Musk for £12.50 to Rev Canon Dr Bill Musk
49 Trinity Rise
Tulse Hill
London
SW2 2QP
Make sure you write your name, street address, town and postcode clearly on any order.
If you need to contact him about an order, he can be reached by email.

Egypt rules men can re-convert to Christianity
Egypt's highest court has affirmed the legal right of Muslims to 're-convert' to Christianity, ruling that Egyptian Human Rights law, not Sharia law, should guide the government's treatment of religious minorities. However, the ruling does not give blanket permission for Muslims to convert, as the Court decided the issue on a narrow point of law, only permitting Christians who had converted to Islam to return to Christianity.
Religious Intelligence, Feb. 12.

Building Bridges with Hindus

Hindus join in Christian prayers as violence increases in Sri Lanka
In a rare display of unity Hindus in Sri Lanka have joined with Roman Catholics in making the Way of the Cross in the run-up to Easter.  Together, the two faith groups are praying for peace in a country racked by violence. The joint prayers are seen by many who have suffered bereavement as a spiritual path to a solution, and see parallels with the death and crucifixion of Jesus with their modern-day experiences. Many Hindus say they are happy to worship Jesus. "Hindus accept Lord Jesus and Lord Buddha as Mahan, or great men born in their separate eras. You can see pictures of Jesus and Buddha in [Hindu] businesses and houses around the country."
Religious Intelligence, Mar. 4.

Building Bridges Together

First Central Scotland Interfaith Meeting
We are delighted to say that the first Central Scotland Interfaith Meeting will take place at the Stirling Mosque on Friday 9th May from 7 - 9 pm.  The meeting will consist of a tour of the mosque and brief presentation; a short introduction to interfaith work in Scotland followed by conversation and planning on ways to forward interfaith dialogue/encounter in Central Scotland.  Light refreshments will be served. Please could you pass this invitation on to anyone interested from the Stirling, Falkirk or Clackmannan area and email Dr Maureen Sier of Interfaith Development Scotland to let her know you are coming.

UK warned over religious rights
A UN report on religious freedom in Britain has urged the government to protect the rights of Asian women and Muslim converts to Christianity, and not privilege ethnic and religious communities over individual rights. Britain has a high degree or religious freedom and tolerance, Asma Jahangar, the UN's Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief reported. However, government anti-terrorism policies were viewed as discriminatory by Muslim groups, while the continuation of the Blasphemy Offence under law was an anachronism that should be repealed or reformed.
Religious Intelligence, Mar. 3.

Religious leaders push Bush to end American backing for torture
Faith leaders across America are urging President George W. Bush to stop United States-sponsored torture by signing the Intelligence Authorization Act, which prohibits the use of torture as an interrogation technique. Letters have been sent to Bush from the National Religious Campaign Against Torture and the National Council of Churches USA.  Other faith leaders have sent their own letter asking to meet with President Bush before he makes his decision. They include the Rev Michael Kinnamon, general secretary of the National Council of Churches; Ingrid Mattson, president of the Islamic Society of North America; the Rev Richard J. Mouw, president of Fuller Theological Seminary; and Rabbi David Saperstein, director and counsel of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism.
Ekklesia, Mar. 1.

The Scriptural Reasoning Society is a (London based) diverse community of people dedicated to the shared reading of Jewish, Christian and Muslim sacred texts. By reading together, they seek to understand better and respect each other's important differences of belief, and to work together in building a shared civic life in Britain. While much of its focus is civic, SR is at heart a practice of people of faith. They want to ensure every level of observance is able to feel comfortable with the handling of Sacred Scriptures and the conduct at our meetings. Therefore, their website is developed and run under Jewish halachic and Islamic shari'a supervision of the London Beth Din and the Fatwa Committee of the Islamic Cultural Centre and London Central Mosque. On their website you can find information about what SR is and how it works, about the ethos of the 'reading community', and of course texts.

Generous Love: the truth of the Gospel and the call to dialogue - 'an Anglican theology of inter faith relations'
Anglicans are to be encouraged to read the Bible in the light of scriptures from other faiths in a new way to promote inter-faith relations. The call comes in a new document published this week by NIFCON - the Anglican Communion Network for Interfaith Concerns - and to be sent to every Anglican Bishop. "Our Scriptures speak to us in new ways when they are brought alongside the sacred texts of other religions in the practice known as 'Scriptural Reasoning'," the document states. The document can be downloaded or read on line. NIFCON, Feb. 7.
Religious Intelligence, Feb. 8.

Muslim scholars seek improved relations with global Jewish community
The Cambridge based Centre for the Study of Muslim-Jewish Relations (CSMJR) is promoting an open letter from leading Muslim scholars to the international Jewish community seeking improved understanding and contact among them. The letter, written in February 2008, was unveiled in Cambridge following a similar initiative launched in October 2007, when 138 leading Muslims wrote to the Pope and other Christian leaders proposing a dialogue based on Jesus' call to love God and neighbour, and reciprocal Islamic traditions. Signatories to the Cambridge letter include Dr Tariq Ramadan, a major European Muslim scholar; Mustafa Ceric, grand mufti of Bosnia; and Sari Nusseibeh, a Palestinian professor from al-Quds university in Jerusalem. The text of the letter can be downloaded as a pdf file.

Face to Face and Side by Side - A Framework for Inter Faith Dialogue and Social Action If you would like to read the Inter Faith Network's response to this consultation exercise contact me. If you have responded, I would appreciate your letting me have a copy of your response.  The consultation was from the UK Government Department for Communities and Local Government , but the Scottish Government are in the process of developing an inter faith strategy, and responses to the framework will be of interest in the development of this Scottish strategy.

Medvedev gets backing of religious leaders in Russia
Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders have sent messages of congratulation to the newly elected Russian President.
ENI, Mar.6.

Obstructions to Bridge Building

Single-ethnicity schools 'damaging'
A major new report is advising against single-ethnicity schools, saying they do little to prepare those from ethnic minorities to prepare for any prejudice they may encounter later in life. The study, funded by the Home Office and Department for Communities and Local Government, says that monocultural schools in the north-west of England, whether white or Asian, are potentially damaging to community relations. Chief among their concerns was the finding that such schools perpetuated extremist attitudes. "The mixed school should be seen as a form of interfaith activity in itself and probably the most effective…" Almost one third of the White pupils believed that one race was superior to another compared with one tenth in the Asian school and under one fifth in the mixed school.
Religious Intelligence, Feb. 13.

Jewish leaders disappointed over Good Friday prayers
The retention of prayers calling for the conversion of the Jews in the Roman Catholic Church's Good Friday prayers is a matter of grave disappointment to Jewish leaders. On Tuesday the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano published on its front page the Latin text of the revised Good Friday liturgy for congregations using the traditional "Tridentine" Latin-language rite, reauthorized for use in July by Pope Benedict XVI. The new prayer written by Pope Benedict states: "Let us pray for the Jews. That the Lord God may illuminate (or enlighten) their hearts so that they might know Jesus Christ as the saviour of all mankind." The prayer concludes, with a petition that God will "mercifully grant that by the entry into the fullness of your church by the Gentiles, Israel will be saved."
Religious Intelligence, Feb. 6.
ZENIT, Feb. 7.

Violent attacks on British Jews at record level
Violent assaults on Jewish people reached record levels last year, figures have revealed.  There were 547 "anti-Semitic race hate incidents" - defined as malicious acts toward the Jewish community - in 2007, according to the Community Security Trust. Of these, 114 involved physical violence - the highest number since the trust began its records in 1984. However, the total number of incidents has decreased by 8 per cent from last year, when 594 race hate incidents against Jewish people were reported.  The trust said the overall drop in incidents could be explained by a lack of "trigger events" such as the war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon in 2006, which led to the highest ever recorded level of anti-Semitic incidents.
Daily Mail, Feb. 15.

UK Muslims angry over ban on al-Qaradawi
Leading Muslim groups have widely condemned the UK Government's decision to refuse a visa to renowned Egyptian scholar Yusuf al-Qaradawi, reports the Muslim News. Dr al-Qaradawi is the President of the International Association of Muslim Scholars and also presides over the European Council of Fatwa & Research. "Dealing this way with a person of such credentials is an insult, not only to the person of Dr al-Qaradawi, but to Muslims in Britain, Europe, and everywhere, and their scholars as a whole," says the Muslim Association of Britain.
Religious Intelligence, Mar. 5. 

Iran introduces law that imposes death penalty on converts
Legislation has been brought by the government of President Mahmoud Amadinejad before the Iranian Majlis that would mandate the death penalty for apostates from Islam. The law's reach would be worldwide, the legislation says. The proposed Iranian law would enshrine the mandatory death penalty into the country's civil code for men. Women apostates would be imprisoned.
Religious Intelligence, Feb. 8.
(As one door opens another closes. See item above about Egyptian reconverting to Christianity - Ed.)

Latest Inter Faith Network Update
With topics including Faith Communities Forum, inter faith strategy consultation and Employers Forum on Belief. This can be downloaded from the IFN.  (pdf, 496Kb)

Objections to plans for new Fife mosque
Plans to build a new Islamic mosque in Kirkcaldy have met with fierce objection from neighbouring residents. Such was the level of opposition to proposals to demolish the existing Fife Islamic Centre in Templehall and build a large, two-storey domed building in its place that a special hearing took place yesterday to discuss key issues. The event at the Adam Smith Theatre was attended by the Kirkcaldy area committee, the applicant, Fife Islamic Centre, and people from the local area. Various concerns were raised at the meeting including inadequate parking, noise disturbance, an increase in traffic, hours of use, wildlife and green corridor issues and the possible threat to pigeon club, the Novar Homing Society, if its tenancy was transferred from Fife Council to the Islamic Centre.
The Courier, Feb. 23.

Deference to multiculturalism undermines those fighting extremism, generals warn
Britain is becoming a soft touch and a "fragmenting, post-Christian society" with a "misplaced deference to multiculturalism" undermining the fight against extremists, a security thinktank says. The warning is published today by the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) a think-tank at the heart of Britain's defence and security establishment. "Some may believe that we are already at war; but all may agree that generally a peacetime mentality prevails," it says. In "our social fragmentation, the sense of premonition and the divisions about what our stance should be, there are uneasy similarities with the years just before the first world war", it adds. It continues: "The country's lack of self-confidence is in stark contrast to the implacability of its Islamist terrorist enemy."
The Guardian, Feb. 15.

Other News

'Most Britons belong to no religion'
Freedom from religion in Britain is becoming as important as freedom of religion, according to a United Nations investigation. A report by Asma Jahangir, the UN special rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, says that the 2001 census findings that nearly 72 per cent of the population is Christian can no longer be regarded as accurate. The report claims that two thirds of British people do not admit to any religious affiliation.
The Times, Feb.22.

Scottish Churches House Jubilee Appeal
CAIRS has been holding meetings and study days in Dunblane for many years, and invite you to consider supporting the appeal to refurbish the house.  Donations are sought by 30 April 2008.  Further information can be found on the Scottish Churches House website and the ACTS website.