Let’s Talk:Practical Pointersfor Inter Faith Dialogue

Published 2017 by the Inter Faith Networkfor the UK

ISBN 1 902906 69 1

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The Inter Faith Network for the UK

The Inter Faith Network for the UK (IFN) was founded in 1987 to“advance public knowledge and mutual understanding of theteachings, traditions and practices of the different faith communitiesin Britain, including an awareness both of their distinctive featuresand their common ground and to promote good relations betweenpersons of different faiths”.

IFN’s role is unique: linking national faith community representativebodies, inter faith organisations, and academic and educationalbodies with a focus on inter faith or multi-faith issues and workingwith them to deepen inter faith understanding and cooperation. Itcarries out its work through raising awareness within wider society ofthe importance of inter faith issues, creating opportunities for linkingand sharing good practice, and providing advice and information tohelp the development of new inter faith initiatives and thestrengthening of existing ones. Working with its nearly 200 memberbodies is an important part of this. Each of those makes its owncontribution to inter faith understanding and cooperation in the UK.

To find out more or to support IFN’s work of promoting inter faithunderstanding and cooperation, please visit www.interfaith.org.uk.

Let’s Talk:Practical Pointers

for Inter Faith Dialogue

Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Welcome to ‘Let’s Talk’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Using this booklet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Terminology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Section 1: Why dialogue? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

The importance of dialogue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Section 2: Different kinds of dialogue: an overview . . . . . . . 8

The dialogue of daily life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8The dialogue of action. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Structured inter faith dialogues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Two-way, three-way and multi faith dialogue. . . . . . . . . . 18

Section 3: Some approaches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Sharing of stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Dialogue around scriptural texts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Use of panels and audience/panel discussion . . . . . . . . . 21Seminars and workshops on particular issues . . . . . . . . . 21Fast moving ‘mini dialogues’. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Dialogues in the course of learning events and visits to places of worship. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Dialogue over food. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Section 4: Dialogue practicalities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Agreeing ground rules for dialogues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24Other guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Contents

RESPECTEDUCATIONDIALOGUEINTEGRITYVALUESCOMMUNITYCOOPERATIONDISTINCTIVENESSACTIONBELONGINGCOMMONGOODFAITHUNDERSTANDINGNEIGHBOURLINESSTACKLINGPREJUDICERESPECT

Building good relations with people of different faiths and beliefs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26Pointers for productive dialogue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Some additional practical pointers for online dialogue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32Skills and resources for dialogue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32Dialogue and difficult issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34Privacy and safe spaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35Limits to dialogue?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Section 5: Widening the circle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Setting up new dialogues. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37Making the case for dialogue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39Dialogue – making opportunities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Section 6: Get involved . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Section 7: Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

National Faith Community Representative Member Bodies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44Local Inter Faith Organisations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46National and Regional Inter Faith Member Organisations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47Educational and Academic Member Bodies. . . . . . . . . . . 50Chart of inter faith opportunities provided by National and Regional Inter Faith and Educational and Academic Member Bodies of IFN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

1

The vision of the Inter Faith Network for the UK is of asociety where there is understanding of the diversityand richness of the faith communities in the UK andthe contribution that they make; and where we liveand work together with mutual respect and sharedcommitment to the common good.

Inter faith understanding and cooperation are a vitalpart of living together well and developing the UK asa harmonious and integrated society. This booklet isabout dialogue, which is at the heart of inter faithengagement. In a world where voices of intoleranceand even hatred seem ever louder, this could not bemore timely.

Ignorance, prejudice and even hatred stand a greaterchance of taking hold or increasing in the absence ofdialogue. Conversely, where there is dialogue there isa greater chance of trust and good relationshipsdeveloping.

Inter faith dialogue plays an important role for thosewithin religious traditions, as well as those of non-religious beliefs, as part of coming to anunderstanding about how our own traditions’teachings, practices and understandings of truthmay relate to those of others. It is also very importantfor tackling issues of common concern and foraddressing difficult issues constructively.

We are grateful to the member bodies of IFN for theirassistance in the development of Let’s Talk and welook forward, with a view to future website material,

to hearing from readers about their ideas andexperiences.

We are also grateful to those whose support hasmade this publication possible, including faithcommunities, the Department for Communities andLocal Government, trusts, and individual donors.

We hope that you will find this resource useful.

The Trustees of the Inter Faith Network

Foreword

Rt Revd Richard atkinson and Jatinder Singh Birdi, Co-Chairs, Inter Faith Network (Photo: Myles Fisher for IFN)

“Listening, explaining, learning, moving forward withgreater understanding - effective dialogue is acornerstone of developing our shared life in a diverseworld.”THE Co-CHaIRS oF THE INTER FaITH NETWoRK

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Using this bookletIf you are reading this booklet you may be someonewho is hoping to get involved in dialogue with thoseof other backgrounds for the first time or someonewho is working to develop or deepen a particulardialogue on behalf of your organisation orcommunity. The booklet is designed to offer somehelpful pointers for both types of reader.

The IFN office gets many enquiries every year – anumber specifically relating to dialogue. at IFN’smeetings many other relevant questions are raisedand experiences shared. This booklet draws on thatexperience, and on relevant IFN publications. It alsodraws on responses from a wide range of its memberbodies to a survey which asked them about differentaspects of dialogue, and invited them to reflect ontheir experiences.

Many detailed books have been written about‘dialogue’ and this booklet does not aim to providesuch in depth academic grounding. Nor does it takethe place of the deep reflections on inter religiousdialogue produced from within faith communitiesand specialist institutions. Rather, it offers someshort reflections and examples drawn from the workof IFN and its member bodies, with the aim ofinspiring and encouraging further discussion andengagement.

Section 1 asks ‘Why dialogue?’ Section 2 provides abrief overview of some of the kinds of dialogue andcontexts for these found in the UK today.

Sections 3 and 4 are the heart of the booklet. Theylook at some of the practicalities of dialogue, such aswhat may make for effective and successfuldialogues and how difficult issues may best beapproached.

Section 5 asks how the circles of dialogue can bewidened.

Section 6 highlights some useful IFN resources andgives details of its member bodies, which provide awealth of opportunities and resources for dialogue. alist of National Faith Community Representativemember bodies, and their web addresses, is includedin this section, along with short profiles and contactdetails for its member National and Regional InterFaith organisations and Educational and academicBodies. Local inter faith organisations are toonumerous to list here and so details on how to findand contact these are provided through the localinter faith locator on IFN’s website atwww.interfaith.org.uk/locator. There is also a chartgiving an ‘at a glance’ overview of aspects of interfaith activity carried out by IFN’s member Nationaland Regional Inter Faith organisations andEducational and academic Bodies, to help the readerfind out who to contact depending on their particularinterests.

In other contexts, IFN has looked in some depth atparticular dialogues, including women’s inter faithdialogue and youth inter faith dialogue. These aretouched on in this booklet, but, like other specific

Welcome to ‘Let’s Talk’

dialogues, are not covered in detail. a forthcomingIFN publication will be focusing in particular onyouth inter faith engagement.

For those who would like to become involved in otheraspects of inter faith engagement, such as jointsocial action, IFN’s recent publication Inter FaithLearning Dialogue and Cooperation: Next Steps and itsjoint publication with Near Neighbours, FaithsWorking Together Toolkit, are recommended. Detailscan be found in the Resources section.

TerminologyDialogue

Where the term ‘dialogue’ is used here it is with themeaning of conversation or written exchange whichis a mutually respectful exploration of views with thehoped for outcome of greater understanding.

The guidelines at pages 26–27 offer IFN’s frameworkfor inter faith dialogue. They are aimed at helping tocreate the conditions for an exchange which ischaracterised by respectful and honest engagement,careful and courteous listening and a sharedcommitment to the process of seeking greaterunderstanding.

There is a significant difference between ‘dialogue’and ‘debate’. ‘Debate’ is a form of discourse whichinvolves a forensic probing of weaknesses inanother’s position and arguing for one’s own.

Learning and clarity can come from this but theprocess is very different from ‘dialogue’.

Not everyone finds the term ‘dialogue’ a helpful one;some prefer ‘conversation’ or ‘discussion’. Thoseterms are also used in some contexts in this booklet.However, they do not always convey the full weightof what is intended by ‘dialogue’, which is why thatterm is used.

Inter faith

‘Inter faith’ is used in this booklet to describeinteractions between people of different faiths, andin some cases between those of religious and non-religious beliefs.

‘Inter faith’ discussion often seeks to establish areasof agreement but the term ‘inter faith’ is not usedhere to imply lessening the distinctiveness oftraditions.

It should be noted that some prefer to speak of ‘interfaith and belief’ or ‘inter belief’ where people of non-religious beliefs are involved in dialogue.

Multi faith

The term ‘multi faith’ is used here of dialogues todescribe inter faith dialogues between thoseinvolving several faiths.

It should be noted that some use ‘multi faith’ todescribe projects or organisations where theemphasis is on joint working rather than interaction.

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“If we don't meet each other, we won't communicate.“If we don't communicate, we won't know or

understand.“If we don't know or understand, our relationships – if

they exist at all – will be impoverished and littlemisunderstandings will be capable of provoking orperpetuating conflict.” NoRTHERN IRELaND INTER FaITH FoRUM

“Talking, listening and mutual understanding arefundamental to human meaning, identity andsurvival. Faiths and beliefs are intrinsic and universalto this entire process.” SHaP WoRKING PaRTy oN WoRLD RELIGIoNS IN EDUCaTIoN

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Participants in dialogue at an IFN day event for local inter faithpractitioners, Coventry (Photo: IFN)

Inter-Faith Council for Wales members in dialogue (Photo: IFN)

Student leaders from The Council of Christians and Jews CampusLeadership Programme on a training weekend (Photo: CCJ)

1. Why Dialogue?5

Here are just some of the reasons that people have said that theyhave become involved in dialogue:

a desire to build friendships and relationships

of trust

wanting to explore in depthhow other groups understand

an issue

a wish to explain one’s own faith or belief

a wish to correct particularmisconceptions about one’s

own faith or belief

tackling prejudice andcountering hatred

pursuit of learning and truth

wishingto ensure one’s faith or

belief group is well integratedinto the local community and in

conversation with othergroups

lookingfor ways to work togetherfor the common good on a

sound foundation ofunderstanding

findingways to explore areas of

difference and to find waysforward that are as mutuallyacceptable and productive

as possible

seeking to address issueswhere there may be historical

or current disagreement

interest andenjoyment

trying to understand how one’s beliefs relate to those

of others

interest in the beliefs andpractices of others

The importance of dialogue❉

6

IFN asked its member bodies why theythought inter faith dialogue was important.Here are a few of their thoughts:

“In an increasingly diverse society, it is essential forpeople of different faiths and beliefs to encounterone another, engage in dialogue and work togetherin social action. our respective faiths shape how weinteract with the world; if we learn about each other’sfaiths we come closer together, making a differenceto the challenges our communities face.” CoUNCIL oF CHRISTIaNS aND JEWS

“Inter faith dialogue is essential in our world todaybecause there is so much ignorance about eachother’s ways, beliefs and practices and so manypeople spread false reports and rumours aboutothers and other groups. These only lead to greaterprejudice and misunderstanding. It is only bylearning the truth from each other and by meetingeach other that we can allay fears and start to buildtrue links and relationships with each other for thebenefit of our society.”FaITH NETWoRK 4 MaNCHESTER

“you can store up a vast amount of distorted ideasabout other faiths and people, which can be used toalienate them and even demonise them, thusjustifying any hatred you develop. opening yourselfup to face to face dialogue makes you realise thatthey are human and just like you.”WELWyN HaTFIELD INTER FaITH GRoUP

“all religions teach good things in life: non-violence,truth, honesty, compassion, amity and such. It is onlymisinterpretation through ignorance which causesproblems. Dialogues can help improveunderstanding.” INSTITUTE oF JaINoLoGy

“Interfaith dialogue and community cohesion workare major priorities of the Board of Deputies of BritishJews.  We know that building good relations betweencommunities can proactively prevent tensions,racism and violence. Dialogue is always an importantfirst step towards interfaith cooperation, whether innew or ongoing contexts. By opening upconversations, we can help break down themisconceptions and prejudices that can pose achallenge to the cohesiveness of our society.” BoaRD oF DEPUTIES oF BRITISH JEWS

“Interfaith dialogue is an opportunity for us to discusssignificant matters with other communities. It is alsoan important context to share the beliefs held byHindus and how these shape our lives, promotingbetter understanding, respect and harmony.”HINDU CoUNCIL UK

“Dialogue breaks down barriers, crosses boundaries,and helps to tackle prejudice, ignorance,misinformation and fear.” NaTIoNaL aSSoCIaTIoN oF SaCRES

The importance of dialogue❉

7

“It is very easy to make assumptions about people. Itis surprising how often when you actually speaktogether that you realise the background and seethat misunderstandings have arisen.” HoUNSLoW FRIENDS oF FaITH

“Talking about diverse beliefs and views on particularissues in safe environments allows for deeperunderstanding to develop between religioustraditions, often challenging stereotypes and gettingto the heart of what really motivates communities towork together for the common good.” INTERFaITH SCoTLaND

“only through open and honest dialogue can we everhope to find the common ground that connects allfaiths.”THE DRUID NETWoRK

“Because we learn best about other faiths throughengaging with authentic representatives of otherfaiths; because there is much to learn; because thereis great value in friendship despite difference;because there are many common causes and valuesover which we can unite our voices and influence inthe public sphere.”yoRK INTERFaITH GRoUP

“Dialogue helps us understand each other better andenables us to deepen our bond of friendship.” SPIRITUaLISTS’ NaTIoNaL UNIoN

“What is unknown is often feared and almost as oftenmisunderstood. Through dialogue we can get toknow each other and what we believe. True dialoguewill allow us to correct misunderstandings and bygetting to know each other can lead to a building upof trust and cooperation in communities.” SoUTH EaST ENGLaND FaITHS FoRUM

“In today’s world with its easy access to internethatred and ‘fake’ news it is even more important thatwe learn about other faiths and dispelmisunderstandings about our own particular faithand thus try to overcome the religious and racialhatred that blights our lives.” INTER-FaITH CoUNCIL FoR WaLES/CyNGoR CyD-FFyDD CyMRU

“Dialogue is a fundamental necessity of a democraticmulti-faith society.” JoSEPH INTERFaITH FoUNDaTIoN

“With all the misinformation and scaremongering atthe moment it is more important than ever for faithgroups to get together and talk – about similaritiesand differences, successes and failures – if they are toimprove understanding, break down barriers andstrengthen bonds of friendship.” WaKEFIELD INTERFaITH GRoUP

“With dialogue there is a chance of friendship and anability to work together for the good of all.” NETWoRK oF BUDDHIST oRGaNISaTIoNS (UK)

The dialogue of daily lifeInformal dialogue occurs in the course of ordinary life– for example between classmates talking, co-workers sharing lunch, parents waiting to collecttheir children from school, a football team in training,or participants in a joint social action project. Suchinteractions are not usually planned or prepared inadvance, and most of the time religion or belief is notthe topic of conversation. However, from time to timeissues linked to them do arise and significant interfaith dialogue and encounter takes place whenconversation turns to each other’s faith, how it ispractised, and what it means in people’s lives.

There are lots of topics that naturally give rise toconversations of this kind – such as births,celebrations, bereavement: the common lifeexperiences that we share. Being present at thefestivals and life rituals of our friends, neighbours,work colleagues and others brings us intoconversation about those things that matter to usdeeply.

“I remember a conversation with a Jain colleagueabout how she and her husband were choosing thename for their baby, and the way this was done, andthe naming ceremony. It was very different fromwhat happens in my tradition (Christian) and weenjoyed discussing it and each got a bit moreunderstanding of each other’s world.”

Sadly, another reason that people of differentbackgrounds find themselves in conversation in thecourse of their day to day encounters can be theimpact of global events or problems closer to homeon their shared lives.

“a Muslim friend talked about her deep anxiety in thistime with so many terrorist attacks where peoplesometimes look at her suspiciously on the street (shewears a hijab). We ended up talking about a numberof aspects of our different faiths and our lives. Ilearned much and I hope that these conversationsalso gave her a sense of support at a difficult time.”

Not all day to day encounters are positive or benign.Ignorance, impatience, indignation at perceivedwrongs and other factors can make the conversationin the workplace, on the bus or elsewhere a negativeexperience: the reverse of genuine dialogue. Forthese kinds of reasons, IFN has always been stronglysupportive of the development of good multi faithReligious Education and opportunities for positiveencounter in shared spaces, as well as other factorswhich help people of different backgrounds engagewell with one another. This practically focusedbooklet cannot explore in any detail issues such asequality, social justice and responsible mediacoverage but as IFN documents such as Faith,Citizenship and Shared Life In Britain Today underline,they affect the ways in which people engage with

2. Different kinds of dialogue: an overview8

each other and need to be addressed alongsidecross-community and inter personal relationships.

The dialogue of actionSome dialogues arise in the course of projects set upto increase community cohesion and/or throughsuch contexts as joint social action.

Community project dialogues can be close in theirnature to ‘the dialogue of daily life’ – rooted in theprocess of neighbourly encounter. Examples includethe projects currently being funded by the NearNeighbours Programme. ‘Faithful friendships’ is oneof the themes of its work. The following example isfrom work with it by one of its partners – the ChristianMuslim Forum.

“Jenny and Saraya met through a Christian MuslimForum residential conference. They spoke to eachother for 30 seconds in an ice-breaker game anddiscovered both had the same favourite colour – blue.The group of women who met at the conferencecontinues to meet at events and for meals in eachother’s homes. Recently Saraya organised acollection for harvest working with Jenny’s church.The collection by ISRa-Feed The Poor and all Saints’King’s Heath brought in 235 kgs of food – enough toprovide 450 meals.”NEaR NEIGHBoURS

“There is more that binds us together than keeps usapart. We have daughters the same age and we havelots to talk about. It’s about building bridges, not walls.”

Mitzvah Day, Sadaqa Day, Sewa Day and Inter FaithWeek annually see people of different backgroundsworking on projects together with many personaldialogues happening during the day – and oftenresulting in longer term friendships, discussion andcooperation.

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Saraya and Jenny in dialogue (Photo: Dharmendra Patel, OutroslidePhotography)

Undertaking cross-faith work to make a positive di�erence to local communities, be it through social action or dialogue and shared learning, can be hugely bene�cial to your area. Yet engaging people of di�erent faiths in community projects can seem di�cult. Reaching out to someone who may appear very di�erent and wondering how to strike up a conversation can be daunting, let alone coming together in dialogue or to act on shared issues within your local neighbourhood.

This toolkit aims to help you to reach out and engage with people of di�erent faiths in your local area, to create a successful project that engages people of di�erent religious backgrounds, as well as to develop and deepen cross-faith understanding and relationships along the way. Many projects will naturally encompass a mixture of di�erent perspectives, including non-religious beliefs.

Included are some Key Principles (pg2) to consider: the overarching values that need to be accounted for when working across faiths. This is followed by some Practical Steps (pg5) to consider to make your project a success. Finally, some information on Promoting Your Activities (pg12) is included, helping you to share your project and involve more people.

FAITHS WORKING TOGETHER TOOLKITC O N N E C T I N G F O R T H E C O M M O N G O O D

Participants in conversation atNorthampton Inter FaithForum conference (Photo: IFN)

“The dialogue that arises through action, in the courseof faith communities working together for socialjustice, can be a very powerful one resulting ininformed and strengthened engagement together forthe common good.” CHURCHES ToGETHER IN ENGLaND

ongoing joint social action through routes such ascommunity organising and cooperation on particularissues such as health, justice or the environment alsosparks conversations of a profound kind. Likewise,dialogues can give rise to joint action:

“This year we have started running interfaithdialogues at the local universities. after two goodintroductory events at one of the universities, theactual dialogues have started, initially with smallnumbers but increasing significantly each time.There were lots of really good questions, open andhonest discussion and a noticeable excitement forthe next session and to continue this type ofengagement in the following year. There was alsokeen interest in engaging in joint projects together, inparticular charitable and social action projects,which are being arranged in the near future.” FaITH NETWoRK 4 MaNCHESTER

"We consider that in an inter faith context it is veryimportant to work together with other religiousgroups for the social and economic benefit of thecommunity. Dialogue with others can be animportant part of the process of joint working,helping us understand each other's bases for action." CHURCH oF JESUS CHRIST oF LaTTER-Day SaINTS

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Three special days‘Mitzvah Day’ (www.mitzvahday.org.uk) is a•Jewish-led day of social action whichencourages inter faith involvement. Theobjective is to encourage people to give theirtime, rather than their money, to worthwhilelocal causes, whilst also creating deeperlinkages within communities and supportingcharities.

Sadaqa Day (www.mysadaqaday.org) is a day•of social action led by Muslim community forindividuals, community groups, mosques,women’s groups, schools and families.organisations and individuals from other faithshave also joined in.

Sewa Day (www.sewaday.org) is an•international day of social action where peoplecome together to do good in their communities.The term ‘sewa’ is rooted in the dharmictraditions; although the involvement is wider.

Structured inter faith dialogues Some dialogues are ongoing and involve acommitment to talking together over a significantperiod of time or on a continuing basis. Theparticipants, contexts and topics will vary. They mayhave a theological, philosophical, spiritual, ethical orsocial dimension or may have a number of thesesimultaneously. Participants may be of various kinds,for example, institutions of particular communities,scholars of different faiths, academics, interestedindividuals, consultative secular bodies seeking togauge the views of faith and belief bodies, orparticular groups such as women, young people orworkplace colleagues.

Local inter faith dialogues

In local communities around the UK there are a widerange of initiatives which bring people together indialogue. These include over 250 local inter faithbodies in the UK. you can find the nearest ones to youat www.interfaith.org.uk/locator.

The discussions and dialogues that these local interfaith bodies arrange help people to learn more abouteach other’s beliefs and practices and developawareness of differences and commonalities.Sometimes ongoing discussions will focus onparticular local issues and may take place in thecontext of a consultation exercise by the localauthority or other public agencies.

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above, left and right: Participants in dialogue at an IFN day eventfor local inter faith practitioners, Bristol (Photo: IFN)

“The Councilof Faiths has played an important role inuniting people from all faith communities so that thechallenges they face can be tackled together. Itorganises events so that the people have opportunityfor sharing their traditions and values. at the heart ofthis is the opportunity for open and honest dialoguewhich is at the heart of Newcastle being a City forPeace. Such events and opportunities have helpeddifferent communities live in peace and harmony.”NEWCaSTLE CoUNCIL oF FaITHS

“a rich source of dialogue for Harrow Interfaithmembers is the programme of invitations toparticipate in faith community festivals, services,lectures, gatherings for prayer, joyous celebrationsand solemn commemorations.” HaRRoW INTERFaITH

“We have had several ‘attitude to …’ discussions ontopics such as food, prayer, death and violence fromdifferent faith perspectives, with half a dozen shortcontributions and lots of open discussion. Thesehave proved informative, enjoyable and thoughtprovoking.” WaKEFIELD INTERFaITH GRoUP

“We held a… lecture… on the subject of the financialcrisis. our speakers were Jewish, Christian and Sikhbusinessmen and the meeting was chaired by ourmayor, who is also our patron. They all put forwardsuch strong cases, and answered questionsafterwards in such a way that everyone came awaywith much better understanding of the various waysof working and dealing with finance within faiths and

thus gained more understanding of how the faithswork.” WaTFoRD INTERFaITH aSSoCIaTIoN

National level dialogues

In the last twenty five years dialogues involvingnational faith community bodies, and in some casesalso non-religious belief bodies, have becomeincreasingly common.

Most national faith communities are, from time totime, involved in institutional dialogue, whetherthrough their own engagement in a particulardialogue or through inter faith bodies in which theyplay a role. The dialogue may be theological orhistorical or on matters of social concern. Somediscussions focus on particular topics, such asresponses to hate crime, the environment or organdonation.

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Faith leaders in dialogue at a meeting with the First Minister ofScotland (Photo: Interfaith Scotland)

National faith communities

Sometimes dialogues are initiated by individual faithcommunities or denominations or leaders withinthese.

“Baha’is work to create spaces in local communitiesfor people of all backgrounds to come together, topray and consult on the spiritual and material needsof their communities and to be in dialogue. This isrooted in the injunction in our scriptures to ‘Consortwith the followers of all religions in a spirit offriendliness and fellowship’.  Effective publicdialogue is also vital and the all Party ParliamentaryGroup on the Baha’i Faith recently held a seminar onthe role of dialogue in promoting social cohesion.” BaHa’I CoMMUNITy oF THE UK

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Communities Minister, Lord Bourne of aberystwythconsulting round table of faith leaders on integration

IFN Faith Communities Forum in discussion with DCLG official about tackling hate crime (Photo: IFN)

“We host, participate in and encourage our membersto engage with inter faith dialogue. It is a necessity forcreating a harmonious society and pluralism(anekaantavaada) is one of the core principles ofJainism which  teaches tolerance, co-existence andrespect for the beliefs of others.”  JaIN NETWoRK UK

National faith community bodies are part ofworldwide communities and the issues that theyexplore will also reflect that.

“CTBI is working with the Board of Deputies of BritishJews in bringing together synagogues and churchesfor honest conversations about peace building andreconciliation in Israel-Palestine.”CHURCHES ToGETHER IN BRITaIN aND IRELaND

Inter faith organisations

Inter faith organisations, including dedicated interfaith centres, arrange opportunities for dialogue andhelp support or arrange dialogues. These may beabout religious themes or aspects of living togetherin a multi faith society.

IFN’s Faith Communities Forum is an example ofdialogue between national bodies. It meets fourtimes a year. Through it, representatives from IFN’smember National Faith Community RepresentativeBodies come together to discuss matters of mutualconcern. Topics recently on its agenda includenational faith communities’ approach to inter faithengagement; tackling hate crime; responding to theneeds of refugees; and integration.

In youth contexts

Dialogues in the school classroom are veryimportant. Religious Education enables youngpeople to have the chance to develop skills fordialogue – including on controversial issues. Someschools have developed inter faith groups anddialogues have also taken place through youthforums supported through the National associationof Standing advisory Councils on Religious Education(NaSaCRE) and Westhill.

opportunities for dialogue are also found in anumber of youth organisation contexts, for examplethrough the JLGB inter faith National Citizen Serviceprogramme for years 11 and 12(https://www.jlgb.org/ncs) and Girlguiding andScouting.

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Participants in dialogue at IFN’s young Voices, young agents forChange event (Photo: Myles Fisher for IFN)

Inter faith discussion and dialogue is found in mostuniversities and colleges. Since the early 2000s,student faith organisations, chaplaincies, and theNational Union of Students have put considerableenergy into this area and individual religion andbelief societies on different campuses areincreasingly building dialogues into theirprogrammes, including a great many throughnational Inter Faith Week.

Inter faith organisations with campus programmes,such as the Joseph Interfaith Foundation and theCouncil of Christians and Jews, also play a veryimportant role.

“CCJ’s Campus Leadership Programme arose fromrequests on campus for assistance in dealing withinter faith work at a time of rising intolerance atuniversities. For many students university providesan opportunity to engage with students from otherfaiths. However, mistrust between faith groups andconcerns about causing offence can lead students tostay within their faith societies. Such inclusivityamong faith groups only serves to increasemisunderstanding and stereotypes. The aim is toencourage engagement between faith groups oncampus. CCJ appoints and supports Student Leadersto run inter faith initiatives at their universities. Bytraining students to create their own events weensure that these tackle the current issues faced bystudents on campus.” CoUNCIL oF CHRISTIaNS aND JEWS

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Participants discussing inter faith engagement on campus and inthe workplace at 3FF’s Interfaith Summit (Photo: 3FF)

Among women

over the last two decades, a number of women’sinter faith dialogues have come into being, mostlydeveloped by and for women. Some of these areshort term or informal, others, such as those ofgroups of the Women’s Interfaith Network, are longterm.

“Women play an increasing role in inter faithdialogues locally and nationally. Many find it veryvaluable to be part of women's dialogue and WIN'sevents and local groups help that happen.”  THE WoMEN'S INTERFaITH NETWoRK.

There are also a number of new women’s initiativesemerging, such as the Nisa-Nashim(www.nisanashim.org) group for Jewish-Muslimwomen’s inter faith engagement and the UK Women

of Faith Network of Religions for Peace UK(http://www.religionsforpeace.org.uk/about/uk-women-of-faith-network/). They both enabledialogue, and in the case of the former with a project,professional development and social action focus.Interfaith Scotland also has a programme ofencouraging dialogue between women of faith.

Academia

Institutions of Higher Education and specialistinstitutes have a very important role in hosting andsupporting dialogues and in studying the nature andimpact of inter faith dialogue itself. a number of UKuniversities now have departments or centres with aspecial focus on this, or on closely related fields suchas peace studies, reconciliation, mediation,community relations and religious pluralism. Insome universities, such as Leeds, whose CommunityReligions Project is a member of IFN, this work islongstanding. There are also centres with a link toparticular faith traditions such as the oxford Centrefor Hindu Studies or the Centre for Christianity andInterreligious Dialogue at Heythrop College as well asinstitutes such as the Woolf Institute working directlyin the area of dialogue.

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Participants at a Women’s Interfaith Network meeting (Photo:Women’s Interfaith Network)

“It is vital that we better understand the challengesand complexities surrounding religion and beliefboth within and between faith communities. as such,it is hard to think of a time when the academic studyof inter faith understanding and inter faith dialoguehas been more important for our society andcollective futures.” THE WooLF INSTITUTE

The workplace

Workplaces are increasingly taking the role ofreligion in people’s lives more seriously (see:https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/advice-and-guidance/religion-or-belief-guidance-employers).as a result of this, a number of forums in work placesare developing, many encouraged and supported bythe Employers’ Network for Equality and Inclusion.These can enable dialogue between members ofstaff and leadership teams about how best tosupport the religious needs of employees in aconstructive way that enhances the workingenvironment.

In some cases, employees may talk with each otherabout their faith traditions and non religious beliefs –what is important to them, how they can mutuallysupport each other and how they can grow inunderstanding colleagues with whom they sharemuch of their week. Some workplaces, such asLeicester City Council have faith based staff groupswhich sometimes talk or carry out projects together.

Online Dialogue

The widespread adoption of new communicationtechnologies opens up many and variedopportunities for inter faith dialogue. Examples ofonline spaces being used to engage in dialogueinclude:

Dedicated online dialogue programmes •

online inter faith discussion forums that are open•to all

Closed discussion forums and Facebook groups•and Whatsapp discussion groups

Discussion within the comments columns of•platforms such as youtube

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Members of the Leicester City Council Interfaith Taskforce on anInter Faith Week social action project (Photo: Leicester City Council)

Two-way, three-way and multi faithdialogueThe various types and contexts for dialogue outlinedin the previous section may involve two traditions,sometimes three – or many. Terms sometimes usedfor these kinds are ‘bilateral’, ‘trilateral’ and‘multilateral’.

Two-way dialogue – bilateral

Dialogue between people of different faithssometimes takes place between members of twoparticular faith communities, especially where thereis a historic imperative or a current need. Thesebilateral dialogues often look at areas ofcommonality, opportunities for gaining knowledgeand developing understanding as well as exploringsignificant differences.

a number of IFN’s member bodies focus on relationsbetween two faiths, and dialogue is an importantpart of their work. National faith community bodiesalso have such two-way dialogues as an effectiveway of coming to know particular communities.

Bilateral dialogue is often used as a method of deepengagement. These conversations can allowparticipants to have profound exchanges, and toencounter other traditions in detail. Sustainedbilateral dialogue can also be a powerful toolthrough which to tackle specific problems affectingcertain groups, historic or otherwise, and tocontribute to community cohesion. Bilateral

dialogues allow relationships of trust and friendshipto be formed, and these can be transformative forwider society.

“Multi faith dialogue and bilateral dialogue are bothneeded. Bilateral dialogue helps people to speaktogether about the things that really matter to themin and between their respective traditions. at theSion Centre our primary focus is bilateral dialogue(Christian-Jewish). Many more bilateral dialoguesare needed.”SIoN CENTRE FoR DIaLoGUE aND ENCoUNTER

“Two-way dialogues can be an opportunity forprofound discussion between members of differenttraditions.  The Buddhist Society's centre has, overthe years, played host to a number of dialogues ofthis kind, including a Buddhist-Christian dialoguegroup with participants from a number of different

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Council of Imams and Rabbis in dialogue at Joseph InterfaithFoundation event

strands within each tradition and high level nationaldialogues between Buddhist and Christian faithleaders.” THE BUDDHIST SoCIETy

Three-way dialogue – trilateral

Usually three-way, ‘trilateral’, dialogues take placewhere a number of traditions share some aspects oftheir religious heritage, teaching or practice. In theUK this is particularly common in the case of the‘abrahamic’ traditions of Christianity, Islam andJudaism.

Multi faith dialogue – multilateral

Dialogue between several faiths, and sometimesnon-religious beliefs, is also referred to as‘multilateral’ inter faith dialogue. Which groups areinvolved depends on the context and the

demographics of an area. It may also be affected bythe policies on engagement of those involved.

It is perhaps the most common form of dialogue atlocal level, where inter faith bodies generally involvemany, if not most, of the faith communities in theirareas. It is also the usual basis for dialogues arrangedby inter faith organisations with a multi faithmembership.

“It is very important that Dharmic traditions arecontributors to dialogue and that their perspectivesare understood.” CoUNCIL oF DHaRMIC FaITHS

Multilateral engagement is also very common indialogues that are between external bodies andpublic agencies, such as central or local governmentwhen they seek to engage with faith communitiescollectively over issues such as tackling hate crime inthe community or the religious needs of refugees orasylum seekers. Multilateral ‘consultative dialogues’are, however, often supplemented by bilateralconversations involving political leaders or theirofficials with individual faith and belief groups toenable a deeper sounding out of views fromcommunities. In this context, a concern amongcommunities can be the pattern of communitiesinvolved and whether they are sufficiently wellrepresented and heard in such contexts. another canbe questions around representivity itself and who isable to speak on behalf of particular groups.

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Members of IFN’s Faith Communities Forum in dialogue (Photo: IFN)

Dialogues differ greatly in terms of approach andstyle. Here we highlight five very differentapproaches.

Sharing of storiesSometimes, a very informal approach is adoptedwhich is perhaps closer to the dialogue of everydaylife – for example the sharing of stories. Thisapproach can help develop friendship and trust.

“Starting with personal stories is always a helpful wayto build a container of trust and understanding. It canhelp develop a richer understanding of theuniqueness of each person's point of view. Invitingparticipants to share something of the journey bywhich they came to care about the issue underdiscussion, or what it means to them, can create avery positive start to dialogue.” ST ETHELBURGa’S CENTRE FoR RECoNCILIaTIoN aND PEaCE

one local group reflects on how sharing of storieswas a very important style of dialogue in theirfoundational stage:

“For many years we met once a month in a sequenceof venues... mostly places of worship of our variousfaiths. There was a core of people who usually cameand got to know each other very well, and otherscame when it was their venue’s turn. There were noset topics; each session started from what memberswanted to share, except that, on many occasionswhen a conversation got so deep that we couldn't do

it justice in the time, we would continue it later in thenext meeting. There was a very great deal ofstorytelling, both people's individual stories, andstories told as part of their religious practice. Theoutcomes were deep friendships, the setting up of acouncil of faiths, and the development of multi-faithculture in our town.” LoUGHBoRoUGH CoUNCIL oF FaITHS

Sharing of stories can have significant impact. ayoung person involved in 3FF commented oninvolvement in an event:

“Hearing the stories of the fellow speakers furtherembedded the initial reason I joined 3FF: tohumanise religion and beliefs. Hearing the variedand personal journeys of people from differing walksof life allowed me to appreciate the diversity... in allbeliefs and all people.” 3FF

Dialogue around scriptural texts an approach which is based on texts and mutualengagement with these is ‘Scriptural Reasoning’. Thisis a means of inter faith engagement whereparticipants meet to read and reflect together ontheir sacred texts and where dialogue takes place.

3. Some approaches20

“Unlike some forms of inter-faith engagement, it is notabout seeking agreement but rather exploring thetexts and their possible interpretations across faithboundaries, and learning to ‘disagree better’. Theresult is often a deeper understanding of others' andone’s own scriptures, as well as the development ofstrong bonds across faith communities.” CaMBRIDGE INTER FaITH PRoGRaMME

Use of panels and audience/paneldiscussionInter faith bodies, and some others, frequently makeuse of panels and audience discussion, sometimesfollowed up by smaller discussion groups, to enterinto dialogue on matters of common interest.

“During 2016 Harrow Interfaith promoted a series ofQuestion Times, Dimbleby style, in the CouncilChamber of Harrow Civic Centre, whereby scholarsfrom our faiths, three at a time, formed a panel tofield wide ranging questions from the audience onmatters of belief, tradition and thoughts abouttopical issues. Panel responses to the questions wereinvariably deep and thoughtful, prompting spiritedcontributions and follow up questions from theaudience.” HaRRoW INTERFaITH

Seminars and workshops on particularissuesSeminars with dialogue focused on particular topicsare often used for social issues.

“Religions for Peace worked with national faithcommunities to explore the issue of continuedinvestment in nuclear weapons. a series of multi-faithworkshops were held around the UK where people offaith were able to share their religion’s teaching onwar and conflict. This led to the conclusion that ourcommon security must be achieved without thethreat of nuclear weapons. Joint action followed toraise grassroots awareness of the topic of multilateralnuclear disarmament in light of a UN initiative,making resources available and sharing best practicein an area often neglected at a local level.”RELIGIoNS FoR PEaCE UK

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a Scriptural Reasoning session at the British Museum (Photo:Cambridge Inter-Faith Programme)

Fast moving ‘mini dialogues’Sometimes dialogues are generated at top speed.‘Speed faithing’ is a popular way to talk with peopleof different faiths and beliefs, and has featured inmany campus inter faith events. Quizzes, too, arepopular.

“The interfaith quiz night was a youth-led interfaithevent and it was astounding how different it felt fromour more sedate dialogues. There was music, pizzas,communal chanting of familiar songs, realexcitement at the competitiveness of thecompetition and yet despite what felt like a littlechaos there were many meaningful and enjoyableconversations (particularly around the faith basedquestions in the competition).” INTERFaITH SCoTLaND

Dialogues in the course of learning eventsand visits to places of worshipLocal faith and inter faith groups often comment thatvisits to other people’s places of worship as part of afaith trail prompt discussions which lead to longerconversations and sometimes to involvement inmore formal dialogues. Places of worship are often agood starting point for discussion.

This dialogue may take place as part of a faith trail,walk, or pilgrimage. Talking on the move can be morerelaxed and enable the opening up of significantquestions in a way that is more comfortable for somepeople.

“Through the visits organised by the inter faith groupsto different places of worship we have sometimesintroduced people to one another and given themways to contact one another directly. Without ouropening the door and arranging these events someof the direct communication might not havehappened at all, or would have been harder toestablish.” aLTRINCHaM INTERFaITH GRoUP

or it may take place through an ‘open door day’ suchthose held in Bristol each year or in a context such asthe now annual Visit My Mosque day organised by theMuslim Council of Britain.

Some organisers of regular opportunities to visitplaces of worship have commented that groupsoften find it more comfortable to host others than to

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Quiz winners Eastwood High School, Newton Mearns, with Directorof Interfaith Scotland at St Ninian’s High School, Giffnock

visit other places of worship. If you are organising thiskind of activity, this is a dynamic to be aware of, and,as one survey respondent put it, to “activelyencourage participants to bless others by beinggracious guests as well as gracious hosts!”

Dialogue over foodWhen people meet together over food there is often aspecial quality to a dialogue. ‘Dine at mine’ inter faithmeals and other inter faith discussions over food –including at festival times and in contexts such asThe Big Lunch – can be a great opportunity fordialogue.

‘Iftars’, when Muslims break the fast at the end ofeach day in Ramadan, are now regularly the

opportunity for them to invite people from othercommunities to share in food and conversation.

“The Holy Month of Ramadan is an important time forMuslims to reflect on how they relate to other people.The breaking of the fast each day providesopportunities for encounter and dialogue and thiscan be seen clearly in Mosques that hold inter faithiftars. often, involving leaders from other faithcommunities they lead to dialogue on local issues ofconcern to people of faith and provide a foundationfor further discussion and action.” BRITISH MUSLIM FoRUM

Festivals in other communities provide similaropportunities.

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an inter faith iftar at the Bradford Grand Mosque with the Bishop ofBradford (Photo: British Muslim Forum)

Students from Edge Hill University in dialogue during a visit to GuruHarkrishan Sahib Gurdwara, Manchester (Photo: Paul Smalley)

Agreeing ground rules for dialoguesDialogue is important and it can be powerful. But itcan also prove counterproductive and upsetting ifparticipants are not in agreement about groundrules. Having agreed rules for dialogue is not aboutcensoring what people want to say; it is aboutensuring a common sense of purpose and respectfulengagement.

one of IFN’s earliest publications was its code:Building Good Relations with People of Different Faithsand Beliefs. This was developed in 1993 by a multifaith working group in consultation with IFN’smember bodies and is endorsed by all organisationsthat join IFN. It is reproduced on pages 26–27. Itprovides important principles for dialogue.

Other guidelinesMany of IFN’s member bodies have, in addition, theirown guidelines which are framed in the light of theirown experience.

“Dialogue is very important for people to understandeach other better.  Genuine dialogue is not acollection of monologues: banks of the river thatnever meet. It requires starting with a receptive mindand being willing to engage in a genuine two-wayprocess.”  VISHWa HINDU PaRISHaD UK

“We need ‘safe’, respectful, forums with goodetiquette infusing dialogue where we can listen withlove and respect to those who present varying faithperspectives.” yoRK INTERFaITH GRoUP

“at 3FF co-creating a shared safe space withparticipants which frames a dialogue in whichcomplex issues can be navigated in a sensitive andmeaningful way is critical to ensuring success. Thisagreement, to which all participants are held by thefacilitator, includes elements such as a presumptionof goodwill and a commitment to engaging indialogue to understand rather than debate topersuade, and creates the mutual trust and respectwhich is required to explore complex ideas.” 3FF

4. Dialogue Practicalities24

Participants in dialogue at IFN’s National Meeting (Photo: MylesFisher for IFN)

“The success of dialogue is dependent on both partiesbeing prepared to listen to one another, beingcurious about how ‘the other’ understands theirbeliefs and how those beliefs play out in life.Planning how to respond to the point ‘the other’ ismaking, rather than truly listening is an obstacle tosuccessful dialogue.” THE PaGaN FEDERaTIoN

“Embrace humility – by preparing to leave our comfortzones, to become vulnerable, and to launch out intodeep water. Enable dialogue – by recognising andexpressing our need for each other across religious,cultural and social boundaries. Enjoy hospitality – byaccepting the precious gifts that are offered by othersalong the way as a blessing and not a threat.” EaST oF ENGLaND FaITHS aGENCy

“How amazing it is in our meetings together to dosome deep listening amongst inter faith friends in anatmosphere characterised by respect andgentleness.” DEVoN FaITH aND BELIEF FoRUM

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‘Dialogue on the spot’ at IFN meeting (Photo: Myles Fisher for IFN)

Participants in dialogue at an IFN day for local inter faithpractitioners (Photo: IFN)

Interfaith Scotland volunteers with Belief in Dialogue booklet(Photo: Myles Fisher for IFN)

Building Good Relations with People ofDifferent Faiths and BeliefsIn Britain today, people of many different faiths andbeliefs live side by side. The opportunity lies beforeus to work together to build a society rooted in thevalues we treasure. But this society can only be builton a sure foundation of mutual respect, opennessand trust. This means finding ways to live our lives offaith with integrity, and allowing others to do so too.our different religious traditions offer us manyresources for this and teach us the importance ofgood relationships characterised by honesty,compassion and generosity of spirit. The Inter FaithNetwork offers the following code of conduct forencouraging and strengthening these relationships.

as members of the human family, we should showeach other respect and courtesy. In our dealings withpeople of other faiths and beliefs this meansexercising good will and:

Respecting other people’s freedom within the law•to express their beliefs and convictions

Learning to understand what others actually•believe and value, and letting them express this intheir own terms

Respecting the convictions of others about food,•dress and social etiquette and not behaving inways which cause needless offence

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The following principles for inter faithengagement, ‘Building Good Relations withPeople of Different Faiths and Beliefs’ weredeveloped by the Inter Faith Network for the UK,with its member bodies, in 1993 and continue tobe widely used both in the UK and beyond.

a printable copy of the ‘code’ can bedownloaded from the IFN website atwww.interfaith.org.uk/code.

Members of IFN Faith Communities Forum in dialogue (Photo: IFN)

Recognising that all of us at times fall short of the•ideals of our own traditions and never comparingour own ideals with other people’s practices

Working to prevent disagreement from leading to•conflict

always seeking to avoid violence in our•relationships

When we talk about matters of faith with oneanother, we need to do so with sensitivity, honestyand straightforwardness. This means:

Recognising that listening as well as speaking is•necessary for a genuine conversation

Being honest about our beliefs and religious•allegiances

Not misrepresenting or disparaging other people’s•beliefs and practices

Correcting misunderstanding or•misrepresentations not only of our own but also ofother faiths whenever we come across them

Being straightforward about our intentions•

accepting that in formal inter faith meetings there•is a particular responsibility to ensure that thereligious commitment of all those who are presentwill be respected

all of us want others to understand and respect ourviews. Some people will also want to persuadeothers to join their faith. In a multi faith society wherethis is permitted, the attempt should always becharacterised by self-restraint and a concern for theother’s freedom and dignity. This means:

Respecting another person’s expressed wish to be•left alone

avoiding imposing ourselves and our views on•individuals or communities who are in vulnerablesituations in ways which exploit these

Being sensitive and courteous•

avoiding violent action or language, threats,•manipulation, improper inducements, or themisuse of any kind of power

Respecting the right of others to disagree with us•

Living and working together is not always easy.Religion harnesses deep emotions which cansometimes take destructive forms. Where thishappens, we must draw on our faith to bring aboutreconciliation and understanding. The truest fruits ofreligion are healing and positive. We have a greatdeal to learn from one another which can enrich uswithout undermining our own identities. Together,listening and responding with openness and respect,we can move forward to work in ways thatacknowledge genuine differences but build onshared hopes and values.

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Pointers for productive dialogueBelow are some pointers for productive dialogue.They draw on IFN’s work over the last thirty years andexperiences and reflections shared by its memberbodies. For convenience, they are presented in achecklist format.

At the planning stageEarliest stage

Who will be part of the planning group? are wereflective of the different groups that we plan tobring together?

Who is responsible for inviting people andfollowing up?

Topics, participants and format

What are the desired outcomes of the dialogue?

What is the topic of focus or what are the areas fordiscussion?

Who shall we involve?

people from particular faith communities?–

laypeople?–

faith leaders?–

those of non-religious beliefs?–

people of a particular gender or age range?–

specialists on the issue(s) under discussion?–

government/civic figures?–

just members of our own inter faith body?–

other?–

Will the dialogue be by invitation or open toanyone who is interested?

Will people be invited in a formal representativecapacity or on an individual or other basis?

Is there a clear brief for presenters and guidancefor those participating?

Will there be a facilitator – and, if so, who might besuitable for this particular dialogue or series ofdialogues?

Do certain areas need particular care indiscussion? If so, how would these be addressed ifthey were to arise during the dialogue?

Is there a need to consult or involve a person orpersons who have particular expertise that can bedrawn upon in the course of the dialogue?

are there any issues around ‘due diligence’ interms of contributors who may have views thatcould bring the process or the organisationholding it into disrepute or even break the law?

What advance preparation may be needed?

How much time is likely to be needed in order toenter into fruitful dialogue? What is it likely to be

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possible to cover in the time available, and whatmight have to wait for another time?

If the planned participants do not know eachother, is enough time being built in for properintroductions?

Is our meeting of a kind where it may be helpful tobegin with an ice-breaker activity? (Examples oficebreakers are easy to find on the internet.)

Timing

Is the dialogue being planned for a date that doesnot clash with one of the key festivals (and theirpreparation time) or fasts of a group that it isplanned to involve?

Is the timing of the dialogue such that it does notclash with the daily or weekly religiousobservances of planned participants ?

are we giving participants sufficient notice?

Place

Is the venue likely to be acceptable to all involved?

It is important to find venues where participantsfeel at ease. For some dialogues this might point tousing venues such as community centres or townhalls. If using faith venues, it is important todiscover just where the ‘sacred’ or explicitlyreligious area of a faith community’s building maybe and which parts are considered, by contrast, asappropriate for ordinary meetings. The latterareas are usually found best for dialogue. Ifpossible, consult with those involved about thespace to be used.

If the event is being held in a faith communityspace linked to a place of worship, has informationabout etiquette/requirements been included withthe invitation?

How will any requests for men and women to beseated separately be handled?

Is there space for smaller groups to talk amongthemselves, or for participants to sit in a circle ifthey wish?

Is there a place within the venue that someone cango to if they feel need for a timeout?

Is there an appropriate space where those whowish can retire separately for prayer ormeditation?

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When considering the date and time for adialogue or series of dialogues, a multi faithcalendar is a vital tool. a widely used calendarproduced by an IFN member body is the ShapCalendar of Religious Festivals,(www.shapworkingparty.org.uk) informationfrom which is shared, with permission, on theIFN website at www.interfaith.org.uk/resources/religious-festivals.

www.shapworkingparty.org.uk

Catering

are planned refreshments suitable for theparticipants, who may have a variety of dietaryrequirements? (It is always a good idea to askabout these when people are invited.)

If a meal is part of the dialogue event, whatarrangements are in place for labelling of eachdish to avoid accidental eating of foods notacceptable to some for religious reasons?

Some other considerations

Is there an expectation of confidentiality?

Will tweeting or other social media posts beallowed/encouraged?

May participants make public their own reports onthe dialogue or will there be an agreement that allwill await the formal note/minute/report of themeeting?

Will a statement or report be produced at the end –if so, how will it be agreed and cleared?

Will the dialogue be according to the ChathamHouse Rule, where ‘participants are free to use the

information received, but neither the identity northe affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of anyother participant, may be revealed’? or willcontributions be attributed in the note – or someother noting approach used?

If the dialogue breaks down, are there contingencyplans to draw the conversation to a close and thenseek to recover the good relations that might beaffected?

At the outset of the dialogue It is often helpful for an opening statement to bemade along the lines of a reminder that dialogue isfor mutual learning and to enable people to developtheir understanding of the viewpoints of others; thatit will build on commonalities, but honour differenceand thought-through disagreement; and that alldialogue will be respectful and open.

Seek to ensure that participants agree on:

the principles upon which the dialogue is based–

ground rules –

whether people will speak formally in turn (at–least initially) or whether there will be a morefree style of conversation from the start

the confidentiality or otherwise of discussion; if–it will be recorded and whether a record of thediscussion will be published or not and, if so, ifthe record needs to be agreed by all the

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For a comprehensive guide to ‘Catering and faithbased dietary practice’, including guidelines forthe dietary requirements of specific faithcommunities, go to https://www.interfaith.org.uk/resources/publications/food.

participants (or those to whom the task ofclearance is delegated)

Once the dialogue is under wayBear in mind the points in Building Good Relationswith People of Different Faiths and Beliefs (seepages 26–27)

Seek to ensure that issues are considered equitably

Start and continue from a position of principledand respectful openness to the views of others andallow all to express their views

avoid assumptions about what is important toothers in the dialogue – what might seem a smallmatter to one person can be very important toanother

At the end of the dialogueIf possible, draw out key areas of agreement andpoints where difference remains and seek toensure that all participants are satisfied with thesummary

Ensure that all participants know what is going tohappen next

If there is unexpectedly a call for a statementabout the dialogue to be made, ask all presentabout their view on that and ensure that there isan agreed approach to any such statement beingdeveloped and cleared

Reaffirm the positive purpose of the dialogue

Seek to ensure that participants leave on goodterms

After the dialogueKeep people in touch with outcomes, where thathas been agreed

Seek to evaluate how participants experienced thedialogue, whether it has achieved its outcomes (orcontributed to these) and what its impact looks tobe

“People matter. Genuine dialogue requires carefullistening. It takes time for everybody involved to beheard. agree what has been said openly together ateach stage.” QUaKER CoMMITTEE FoR CHRISTIaN aND INTERFaITH RELaTIoNS

“Good relations require honest, well-regulateddiscussions. Dialogue requires two elements: afacilitator with a good track record; agreedparameters – readiness to listen, respect for all, theright to differ and commitment to confidentiality.also issues and their consequences need to beintroduced briefly, accurately and objectively andthen contribution sought from people around thetable. Without good rules, a dialogue can degenerateinto mudslinging or defensive talk.” CoVENTRy MULTI- FaITH FoRUM

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Some additional practical pointers foronline dialogue The internet provides rich opportunities for dialogue– and also risks.

online, it is possible to communicate with people wehave never met and to become part of conversationswhich can open up many possibilities for fruitfullearning and constructive engagement. at the sametime, it can sometimes be harder, for example, toassess a person’s motivations and character. Thesame principles and skills for dialogue which apply inface to face dialogue apply but there are also someothers:

Motivations: Be aware that motivations are not•always so easy to explore online.

Communicating: avoid communicating with•someone online in a way that you would not face toface.

Anonymity: anonymity can be helpful where a•topic is especially emotive and participants haveagreed ground rules about the need to be honestand open but also respectful. an example of thismight be use of an online forum to tease out anissue which people who know each other havefound hard to discuss in person. However, there is aneed to be careful about dialogue where one ormore people involved are contributinganonymously – anonymity does not always

encourage a sense of responsibility for one’sstatements, particularly where the participantshave no pre-existing relationship or stake in theoutcome of the process.

Forums on the internet can also be places whereindividuals may use anonymity or false identities tomanipulate or groom. Caution is important.

Just as in physical meetings, when discussingdifficult or controversial topics online, tempers canfray. Whereas a skilled meeting chairperson may helpdisagreeing parties to remain constructive, manyonline discussion spaces operate without‘moderators’, and it is therefore down to theindividuals concerned to encourage a temperate andrespectful engagement.

Skills and resources for dialogueTo benefit from, and contribute well to, a dialoguecertain skills are helpful. Many of these aredeveloped through our general education – forexample through the kind of learning in theclassroom that embeds skills of listening, questionasking and finding ways forward towards solutionsor respectful recognition of disagreement.

These skills are very much linked to the points to befound in the guidelines on Building Good Relationswith People of Different Faiths and Beliefs (pages26–27):

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working within agreed ground rules•

engaging courteously•

listening carefully and well•

avoiding unnecessary interruption of others •

asking questions which allow the respondent to•answer in their own terms

allowing others to question us•

keeping an open mind•

presenting your views clearly and explaining•helpfully

drawing others in, as appropriate•

Confidence in dialogue can be linked to the ability tocommunicate one’s own perspective well. Localmembers of faith groups can often draw on materialproduced by their national bodies which supportthem in thinking about bases within their traditionfor entering dialogue and engaging with people ofother faiths. Three different examples are below:

“as Catholics, we are encouraged to remember thatthe same Spirit that works in our hearts works inother religions, too. The theology behind this is laidout in the 2010 teaching document of our bishops,called ‘Meeting God in Friend and Stranger. Fosteringrespect and mutual understanding between thereligions’. Locally, this work is carried out by anetwork of diocesan coordinators for interreligious

dialogue and other enthusiasts, who come togetherfor regular meetings. Nationally, we provide anewsletter on interreligious matters, audio resourceson different religions, suggestions of prayer for eachother, and other helpful resources.” CaTHoLIC BISHoPS’ CoNFERENCE oF ENGLaND aND WaLES

“Resources to supportinformed andproductive dialogueare very important. TheBaptist Union of GBpublished a resourcecalled: 12 Myths of InterFaith Engagement. It ismade up of postcards, each about a different issue,which can be used with small groups, such as youthgroups, to help our members think about what isinvolved in inter faith dialogue and their role withinin it is as Baptist Christians.” BaPTIST UNIoN oF GREaT BRITaIN

There are also other skills in dialogue – for example,developing the ability to listen actively, to questionand answer well, and to avoid approaches that mayforeclose on development of an issue underdiscussion. a number of IFN’s member bodies offertraining for inter faith dialogue (see the table underResources). There are also an increasing number oforganisations that offer more general skills fordialogue.

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Dialogue and difficult issuesDialogue often focuses on topics and issues wherethe degree of difference or disagreement iscomfortable, or at the least does not disturb.Sometimes, however, participants find themselvesapproaching issues and exchanging views onmatters where there may be either a profounddisagreement or an encounter with painful pasthistory or present events.

“Many people are very uncomfortable talking aboutreligion and so avoid important issues for fear ofcausing offence. These are the very issues that we doneed to talk about, but we have to learn the skills oflistening and sharing on issues of faith and belief, notleast the very contentious ones.” NoRTHERN IRELaND INTER FaITH FoRUM

“It is rapidly becoming a core leadership competenceto work creatively with differences anddisagreements. Knowing the skills of facilitatingdifficult conversations and working productivelywith diversity is essential to our times.” ST ETHELBURGa’S CENTRE FoR RECoNCILIaTIoN aND PEaCE

It is very important to ensure that dialogue takesplace to tackle difficult issues. These should not beshunned or dialogue may seem to be of little value.However, relationships of mutual trust need to beestablished if the dialogue is to have a chance ofsucceeding.

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Launch of ‘In Good Faith’ initiative at Lambeth Palace, a jointinitiative of the archbishop of Canterbury and the Chief Rabbi of theUnited Hebrew Congregations. Modelled on their own well rootedfriendship, this partnership programme is designed to ensurepriests and rabbis based in close geographical proximity will beencouraged  to explore mutual concerns and opportunities forshared action together, initially for the coming year. (Photo:Lambeth Palace)

IFN’s Code, Building Good Relations with People ofDifferent Faiths and Beliefs, reproduced on pages26–27 and the pointers for productive dialogue onpages 28–31 should be helpful.

Difficult issues are usually complex and sensitive andthe following points may be helpful:

Extra time and resources may be needed to enable•participants to engage with historical analysis,issues of language, and issues relating to inclusionand exclusion among other things

Ground rules, as usual, need clear agreement•

Challenging issues are sometimes best addressed,•at least in the first instance, at invitation-onlyevents conducted under the Chatham House Rule

Skilled facilitation is very important•

Tackling difficult issues in a public event calls for•both skilled facilitation and a careful risk analysisahead of the event of what its impact may be

“Well facilitated dialogue, in a safe environment, givespeople the confidence to really open up and say whatis challenging, difficult and painful. The face to faceand heart to heart engagement can be difficult andchallenging sometimes but is essential if barriersbetween communities are to be broken down.” INTERFaITH SCoTLaND

“Inter faith dialogue needs to move beyondrepresentatives of different communities beingsuperficially nice to each other but not doing more to

enhance understanding and social cohesion. Thedifficulty in moving to constructive engagement liesin the balance between reaching out to othercommunities with different beliefs while preservingour own distinct religious integrity.” NETWoRK oF SIKH oRGaNISaTIoNS (UK)

Privacy and safe spacesThere is much focus in the present time ontransparency and an assumption is often made thatall discussions should take place in the full gaze ofany interested party. However, sometimes dialoguesneed a degree of privacy to develop – especiallywhere there is a diplomatic dimension to them orwhere painful aspects of shared histories are beingdiscussed. It is important to agree the basis on whichdialogues are held and reported.

Creating a feeling of a safe and trusted space isimportant for all dialogues but perhaps particularlyfor those where challenging issues may arise.

“Friendship Groups, consisting of around 10 peoplefrom different faiths, which meet in people’s homesseveral times a year, have proved really valuable safeplaces. Sometimes used to discuss topics of aspecifically religious nature, but also going into moregeneral areas, they have strengthened mutualunderstanding and trust. They also mean that thereare improved channels of communications, whichcan be used if difficult or awkward issues arise in thecommunity.”aLTRINCHaM INTERFaITH GRoUP

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Limits to dialogue?one criticism of inter faith dialogue made by some isthat it only involves those who agree or those whowill not be outspoken on difficult issues. Concernsabout hate speech and about terrorism are amongthe factors that have inevitably led those holdingdialogues to need to think carefully about thepossible impact of inviting speakers who mightheighten community tensions, damage theorganisation’s reputation or even break the law.

Both liberal and very conservative members ofparticular religion and belief traditions – or, indeedsecular figures – may find each other’s views verychallenging. However, even where there is strongdisagreement, dialogue can help make room fordifference and it is vital that some dialogues do so.

There is, however, a significant difference betweenviews at one or other end of such a spectrum andthose which break the law through, for example,inciting hatred or glorifying terrorism.

Similarly, if secular figures, such as politicians oractivists, are invited into the dialogue, there is adifference between the expression of veryconservative or very liberal views on particular issuesand demonstrating deep and demonstrableintolerance which could be seen as stirring uphatred.

It is important, therefore, when thinking aboutinviting a person to be part of a dialogue to think

through the potential impact. If your organisation is acharity, guidance on some aspects of this can befound athttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protecting-charities-from-abuse-for-extremist-purposes.

There are particular issues for schools and FurtherEducation colleges that are covered by a school’s orcollege’s safeguarding duty. Education is a devolvedresponsibility and each of the four nations of the UKhas its own safeguarding legislation and guidancewhich should be consulted in relation to speakers inschools and FE colleges.

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‘ToughtoTalk?’

Report on the2014 National

Meeting

one of the main purposes of talking to those of faithsand beliefs other than our own is to createunderstanding where previously there was none, orto strengthen existing understanding. This process islikely to involve talking to those with whom wewould not previously have engaged.

‘Widening the circle’ could, for example, involve:

Holding a bilateral dialogue between two faith•communities that have not historically engagedwith one another

Enabling dialogue on topics usually avoided due to•political sensitivities

Enabling conversation between religious and non-•religious belief groups

Encouraging intergenerational inter faith•engagement

Further dialogue and cooperation between faith•groups and public agencies, including localauthorities, or health and emergency services

on a personal basis opening up conversation with•people in the course of everyday life.

There is little point in opening out conversations ifthere is no sense of what that would achieve.Dialogues that are set up to involve new people butwithout a genuine sense of why that is important cansometimes frustrate rather than engage.

Setting up new dialoguesSometimes circumstances dictate, or at leastsuggest, who we might want to talk with about anissue or we may be invited to join an existingdialogue. However, this is not always the case andwhen deciding to talk in a structured way with otherson an inter faith basis, there are a number ofquestions that present themselves such as:

Is the dialogue that we want to develop one that is•for particular constituencies: for example specificto a particular nation or area, for women or foryoung people?

Do my/our reasons for dialogue point to engaging•with people of one, two or more traditions?

are there any other particular parameters affecting•who we choose to dialogue with?

Who will make arrangements for, and service, the•dialogue process?

Is the dialogue for a fixed duration or a longer term•initiative?

What do we hope the outcomes will be?•

a number of reports over the years have highlightedthat there are many people who rarely or neverengage in conversation about the kinds of issues thatinter faith dialogue tackles and may be isolated inmany ways. you may wish to consider what thismight mean for your organisation or localcommunity. How might you reach out to engage? are

5. Widening the circle37

there any particular issues about facilitation or styleof engagement that need to be considered?

another important question is whether dialogue, assuch, is the best route for engagement. May socialaction projects or sports projects, for example, bemore suited to at least the initial engagement? Theycan be a more accessible route into engaging andwithout pressure to come into immediateconversation on what can be challenging issues.

Reticence can be rooted in genuine concerns. Beingclear about the reasons for dialogue and itsparameters and outcomes can help address these.

“Reaching out to talk with people or groups withwhich you have not in the past normally engagedshould form a major part of dialogue. Talking to thealready converted is very satisfying but not effective.one of the aims of founding JIF was to approach andengage with those who disagree with us.” JoSEPH INTERFaITH FoUNDaTIoN

“The World Congress of Faiths has, across the lasteight decades, brought people of many differentfaiths together for dialogue andexploration,  welcoming fresh perspectives andspiritualities as part of its approach to widening thecircle of mutual learning and growth.” WoRLD CoNGRESS oF FaITHS

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a dialogue between Slough Faith Partnership and WindsorHumanists on the theme of ‘The Impact of Extreme Religion onHumanity’ (Photo: Slough Faith Partnership)

Participants at an Inter Faith Week discussion held by the all PartyParliamentary Inter Faith Group with IFN (Photo: IFN)

World Congress of Faiths discussion at the Buddhist Society (Photo:The Buddhist Society)

Making the case for dialogue“Inter faith dialogue is all ‘tea and samosas’; I like things that have an action and a concrete

outcome.”

“Dialogue and shared social action are both important. Dialogue can be an important basis foreffective shared social action.”

“The integrity of my faith may not be respected – the other person/people may try to push me toagree with their views and not listen properly to mine.”

“In a well structured dialogue with clear ground rules, this should not be the case.”

“There is not room for genuine honesty”

“Good dialogue is based on honesty on the part of participants and not preventing that.”

“My views may be misunderstood or misrepresented.”

“In a respectful and careful dialogue that should not be the case.”

“There’s an agenda at work in the dialogue that I don’t agree with.”

“Then ask for that to be bottomed out at the start of discussion, bringing the issues involved intothe open. Good dialogue has room for clear disagreement.”

“It’s a liberal multicultural agenda that makes everyone agree on lowest common denominators.”

“There is no requirement to agree as a result of dialogue – nor a set position that rules out strongdissenting views, but rather the hope of greater mutual understanding and respect.”

“History has taught me and other members of my community that there is no likely positiveoutcome; there is no point in going back to the table of dialogue.”

“It is always worth ‘coming back to the table’; new ways forward may emerge from the dialogue.”

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Dialogue – making opportunitiesFor most people the fact that they have not beeninvolved in an inter faith dialogue is more to do withthe lack of opportunity.

Publicise your dialogues and work to draw in morepeople where this is appropriate.

also consider drawing people into inter faithdialogue through a route such as Inter Faith Week.Inter Faith Week takes place every year in November,usually the third week. It features events organisedby local, regional and national inter faith groups,schools, universities, students’ unions, localauthorities, businesses, emergency services, sportsorganisations, places of worship and national faithcommunities among many others. It offers manyopportunities to take part. on the Inter Faith Weekwebsite, which can be found atwww.interfaithweek.org, you can find information,

resources and much more. Details for ScottishInterfaith Week can be found on the InterfaithScotland websitehttp://www.interfaithscotland.org/.

Why not think about holding a dialogue for the nextInter Faith Week? The Inter Faith Week Toolkit –Developing successful activities is a helpful resource. Itcan be found at: www.interfaithweek.org/toolkit.

a Baha’i Community of the UK dialogue, ‘Conversations andBeyond’ during Inter Faith Week (Baha’i Community of the UK)

Taking part in existing dialoguesIf you are a member of a faith community, you couldcontact your local place of worship or national faithcommunity representative body to find out aboutopportunities. Many local faith organisations andplaces of worship actively engage in dialogue withother faith groups (www.interfaith.org.uk/locator).The best way to find out about what is happening ata local level is to speak to someone in yourcommunity. alternatively, to see a full list of IFN’sNational Faith Community Representative Bodies, goto www.interfaith.org.uk/nfcrbs.

Many of IFN’s National and Regional Inter Faithorganisation and Educational and academicmember bodies also provide opportunities fordialogue. See www.interfaith.org.uk/members/listfor contact details and a full list and the chart athttps://www.interfaith.org.uk/involved/find-a-national-initiative.

For opportunities in Scotland, Northern Ireland andWales, visit www.interfaithscotland.org, or emailni.interfaith@gmail.com and post@cytun.cymru,respectively.

For suggestions on initiating new dialogue seepage