Posts Tagged ‘ Scotland ’

Conversation is the foundation of lasting peace, says bishop

August 10, 2011
By

Ekklesia, Aug. 7, www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/15211

The conversation which is a cornerstone of human relationships is crucial to achieving peace in a world of conflict and injustice, Bishop Brian Smith has said.

The Episcopal Bishop of Edinburgh was speaking to a packed opening event and service for the 2011 Festival of Spirituality and Peace (FoSP), at St John’s Church in the heart of Scotland’s capital, on Sunday 7 August.

Quoting Emeritus Professor Peter Jones, giving a special lecture to mark the tercentenary of David Hume – Scottish philosopher, historian, economist, and essayist – Bishop Smith approved the definition of conversation as “a sacred and improvisatory practice in which the duty to listen precedes the right to speak.”

In certain circles, he noted, there were several topics often considered beyond the bounds of ‘polite’ conversation: namely religion, politics, sex and money.

On the contrary, “if these four are not regular features of our [global] conversation, the world will spin on some very strange axes,” the Bishop of Edinburgh suggested.

Read the complete article here.

Baroness Neuberger sets social care sights high for faith bodies

May 30, 2011
By

Ekklesia, May 27, www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/14856

The first female rabbi to address the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland has profiled the high standards that should be expected of faith-backed social care providers.

Baroness Neuberger, a high profile social reformer and member of the House of Lords, praised the Church of Scotland for its “truly amazing” care to older people in an address to the Kirk’s national decision-making body this morning (27 May 2011).

She declared: “Religious services tend to offer very good care services, in my experience among the best in the UK and indeed worldwide. Still, we Jews could learn so much from the Church of Scotland about how you care for the elderly and the dying.”

She also highlighted the contribution religious bodies can make to end-of-life provision and recognising the diverse (and not always formally ‘religious’) spiritual needs death and dying, as well as ‘ethical wills’.

‘Faith-based care’ has become a controversial issue in public debate recently, both because of concerns that private or voluntary bodies may be being used to excuse government its responsibilities in a climate of cuts and austerity, and also because of equalities concerns.

Some faith bodies receiving and deploying public funds for public benefit have sought exemptions from some equalities requirements, particularly on grounds of sexual orientation, which has been a matter of strong moral dispute within the churches.

Read the complete article here.

Other Resources

April 6, 2011
By

Values in Harmony

A resource produced by Geoff Lachlan for the Scottish Inter Faith Council in 2009, “Values in Harmony”. This includes comparative versions of the Golden Rule as found in the writings of 11 faith and belief communities and can be downloaded from

www.scottishinterfaithcouncil.org/resources/VALUES+IN+HARMONY.pdf

 

‘Belief in Dialogue – a Good Practice Guide’

This resource aims to encourage constructive dialogue between those who hold religious beliefs and those that do not hold religious beliefs.

Belief in Dialogue has been produced for the Scottish Government, and contains case studies of good interfaith practice in a number of diverse situations.

You can download the guide as a pdf from  www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2011/03/22143221/0

‘Belief in Dialogue – a Good Practice Guide

March 28, 2011
By

This is a link to the ‘Belief in Dialogue – a Good Practice Guide’ which aims to encourage constructive dialogue between those who hold religious beliefs and those that do not hold religious beliefs.

Belief in Dialogue has been produced for the Scottish Government, and contains case studies of good interfaith practice in a number of diverse situations.

You can download the guide as a pdf at www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2011/03/22143221/0

Advent resources from ACTS

November 9, 2010
By

Lindsey Sanderson, ACTS, Oct.6. www.acts-scotland.org

ACTS (Action of Churches Together in Scotland) Advent resource has this year been prepared by Andrew Sarle of IRENIC.

The writer explains how and what people of other faiths are celebrating during the period of Advent, and it is an interesting and informative read.

Copies may be downloaded here free or, for a small cover charge copies may bought from ACTS 7 Forrester Lodge, Inglewood House, Alloa FK10 2HU.

Humanists to participate in Scottish Remembrance Ceremony

October 23, 2010
By

Jessica Abrahams, The Guardian, Oct.22, www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2010/oct/22/humanist-remebrance-scotland

Humanist participation in Scotland’s remembrance ceremonies is welcome. But it should be to honour all those who died.

I was surprised to learn last week that the Humanist Society of Scotland (HSS) has finally been granted permission to lay a wreath at the Stone of Remembrance during this year’s November 11th ceremonies.

Firstly, I was surprised at the news that this makes Scotland the first nation in the UK to allow a secular organisation to take part in national remembrance day events. In a country where less than 50% of people believe in a God, this seems far overdue. The HSS say they want to represent the servicemen and women of the war who did not have religious faith, but I hope they will also be laying the wreath on behalf of all the non-religious people in the UK who wish to remember those who gave their lives without referring to a God.

Read the full story.

Iranian Baha’i jailing update

August 23, 2010
By

Vigil to highlight Freedom of Religion and plight of Baha’i prisoners in Iran – at St. Mungo Museum, Glasgow – Saturday August 28th 3pm-10pm

Many of you will know that the Baha’i community in Scotland is doing all it can to raise awareness of the cruel fate of the seven prominent Baha’is who have each been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment by the Iranian authorities. Religious leaders from all of the faith communities in Scotland have signed a letter of support calling for this injustice to be righted. It has been decided to hold a vigil next Saturday August 28th by St. Mungo Museum in Cathedral Square in Glasgow to remember all those who are suffering for their faith by focussing on this particularly stark injustice. I am very grateful to the Museum and Glasgow City Council for so swiftly giving permission for this event.

The vigil will begin at 3pm and go on into the evening and all are invited to come, even if only for a few minutes or to send a message of support. A Facebook page (www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/event.php?eid=101284086598931) has been set up for the event where you can also post messages of support.

I would like to thank everyone for their warm and generous support. It means a lot to these prisoners that people around the world of different faiths are concerned about them and working for their release

with best wishes

Allan Forsyth

Secretary

Baha’i Council for Scotland

Baha’i World News has a special report about the seven which you can access at news.bahai.org/human-rights/iran/yaran-special-report/

Scotland’s Faith Communities

July 28, 2010
By

Scotland’s Faith Communities

A guide to the beliefs and practices of a number of faith communities
in Scotland, with a directory of addresses of places of worship

Click here or on the link above to download the file (pdf, 367Kb).

If you need a pdf reader, you can download one from Adobe.

Cardinal Keith’s kitchen heaven

June 21, 2010
By

Christine Lavelle in Deadline Press and Picture Agency, Jun.16, deadlinescotland.wordpress.com/2010/06/16/16145-3064/

Scotland’s Catholic leader rolled up his sleeves and donned a tabard today as he helped out in a Sikh cafe kitchen today. Cardinal Keith O’Brien stopped in at Edinburgh’s Punjab’n Raosi Café – which translates as the Punjabi Women’s Kitchen – in a bid to unite faiths.

He mustered up some chapattis before tucking into a haggis pakora with the staff.

Workers at the Leith Walk shop said they hoped his visit would shake off “common perceptions of Sikhs as being anti-social.”

Speaking while settling down to some Indian food, the Cardinal said: “It is vitally important that we look after inter-faith relationships like this, because it is not a relationship unless people actually meet.  How do you get to know your neighbours if you do not knock on any doors?”

Prof Mona Siddiqui at Church of Scotland

June 3, 2010
By

On Wednesday 26th May, 2010 the General Assembly invited Professor Mona Siddiqui to address them. Professor Siddiqui is a professor of Islamic Studies in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at Glasgow University.

A video-clip of her address can be seen by following this link:

stream1.churchofscotland.org.uk/generalassembly/archive/2010/special_guest.php