Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long
as ever you can.
John Wesley
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Read a report of the recent District Inter Faith Conference held in Bradford
Om Parkesh Sharma
It is with deep sadness that the Methodist Church learned that Mr Om Parkesh Sharma has passed away. He was a senior figure in the Hindu community and made a highly significant contribution to building good inter faith relations in the UK. He was actively involved in several inter faith groups including the World Congress of Faiths and was involved in the meetings which led to the setting up of the Inter Faith Network for the UK in 1987 and served as both a Co-Chair and Vice-Chair for many years. A person both of graciousness and generosity, he will be greatly missed by members of all faiths who are engaged in inter faith relations. The Methodist Church sends its condolences to members of both his family and the Hindu community.
Methodist Conference statement and motions supporting Inter Faith Relations
In 1999 The Conference adopted the statement: ‘Called to Love and Praise’ that stated: ‘Christians of all traditions are at the beginning of a long period of growing dialogue with people of other faiths. To refuse opportunities for such dialogue would be a denial of both tolerance and Christian love… Christians may enter such dialogues in the faith that God will give them deeper insight into the truth of Christ.’
Read a summary of the statement and motions supporting Inter Faith Relations (pdf)
Inter Faith Relations event at the 2010 Methodist Conference in Portsmouth
Personal and theological reflections on the spiritual journey: 'evangelism, social action and engaging with people of differing cultures and religious faiths'
This event took place on Monday 28 June in the Lord Mayor's Banqueting Room of Portsmouth Guildhall. Speakers included the Revd Dr Barbara Glasson, director of the Touchstone Centre, Bradford, and Imran Malik, a student at Cliff College, Bristol. You can read a report of last year's event here.
Inter Faith Relations leaflet
A new Inter Faith Relations leaflet is now available.
You can download the leaflet as a pdf, or if you want printed copies, please email your request to barrowj@methodistchurch.org.uk, specifying the number that you need, the address to which they should be sent and the date by which they need to be received.
District links
Many Districts have a person who provides a link between the Inter Faith Relations Office and their District. Regular newsletters are sent to them.
Read the latest letter (pdf)
UN Decade of Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue, Understanding and Cooperation for Peace
In January 2008 the World Council of Churches (WCC) co-hosted an inter faith consultation at the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey. Those present included religious bodies, inter faith organisations and faith based organisations with whom the WCC are in on going dialogue. It was agree to propose an initiative to the United Nations general assembly. Consequently, in November 2008, the general assembly approved a resolution which requests several UN agencies to work together in facilitating the consideration of such a decade. For further information see the WCC website www.oikoumene.org.
Inter Faith Relations Officer’s visit to South India
In December 2008 Joy Barrow, the Inter Faith Relations Officer, visited South India during which she visited the Henry Martyn Institute in Hyderabad, the United Theological Seminary in Bangalore, the Tamil Nadu Theological Seminary in Madurai and the Church of South India headquarters in Chennai.
Read Joy Barrow's report on the visit to South India (pdf)
