Presence and Engagement titles from Grove Books

Grove books recently issued the following list of titles issued in recent years which are relevant to those in  multi fatih contexts or thinking through some of the issues and opportunities that arise in such contexts.

All titles are £3.95, are post free within the UK and can be purchased online or by email sales@grovebooks.co.uk

Y14 My Friend Imran: Christian-Muslim Friendship by Andrew Smith
By exploring how having Muslim friends can influence Christians Andrew Smith opens up a discussion which seeks to find biblical resources to inform and shape encounters between Christian and Muslim young people.  ISBN: 9781851747160
P122 Multiethnic Church: A Case Study of an Anglican Diocese by Delbert Sandiford
As church attendance by white people has fallen, attendance by black and minority ethnic groups (BME) has increased, and they now make up 17% of church attendance in England. Alongside the New Testament's vision of ethnic inclusion, this makes the issue of BME representation in the church's structures and leadership impossible to ignore. This study shows how one Anglican diocese addressed the issues, the successes and challenges, and the lessons learnt. ISBN: 9781851747603
eD4 Church Schools in a Multi-faith Community by Peter French
This study considers the theological issues concerning multi-faith schools and then looks at the example of three schools in contrasting situations, drawing out conclusions from examples of good practice.
ISBN: 9781851747634
P85 The Churches and 'Race': A Pastoral Approach by David Haslam
The issue of racism is as much an issue for the churches as for society. Drawing on his long involvement in discussions about racism, the author engages with some of the key questions involved and sets out the scale of the challenge to the churches. ISBN: 1851744584
P48 Better Will Come: A Pastoral Response to Institutional Racism in British Churches by Maurice Hobbs
ISBN: 1851741992
B47 The Bible Through Muslim Eyes—and a Christian Response by Colin Chapman
This fascinating study looks at Muslim expectations concerning scripture, and explains why Christians view the Bible differently from how Muslims view the Qur'an. As such it is a powerful aid to opening dialogue.
ISBN: 9781851746811
S99 Learning from How Muslims See Christianity by David Marshall
This intriguing booklet offers us a challenge. Will we dare to 'see ourselves as others see us' and learn from it? Are we prepared to be taught by Muslims how to be better Christians? ISBN: 1851746404
W117 Interfaith Worship and Christian Truth by David Bookless
Are there occasions when Christians should worship with those of other faiths? This booklet looks at the variety of situations where the issue may be raised, from national tragedy, through school assemblies, to local pastoral and evangelistic encounters. ISBN: 1851741828

December Update

NEWS

The Office for National Statistics today released data for religious populations from 2011 Census.The statistics will be adjusted for parish boundaries over the next two months but you will be able to gain a basic impression of your local area from the numbers for your local authority. More stats details.The Director of the Contextual Theology Centre has posted a comment and Andy Mathews, an intern at St Peter's Bethnal Green, offers an example of how this information can be put to good Presence and Engagement use. All of which points towards a seminar afternoon,  Making Sense of the Census, which  PEN is arranging for Monday February 18th,  at Trinity House, Chapel Court, Borough High Street, SE1 1HW. Exact times and programme will be published early in the new year.

In other news..........RESOURCES AND COURSES 

The Anglican Communion has commissioned a report  'Land of Promise' which explores Christian Zionism and  attitudes to Israel in general. It is available to download from the Forum for Discussion on Israel and Palestine (Fodip)

The Christian Muslim Forum launched two new resources this month; When Two Faiths meet - pastoral and practical support for couples from differing faiths and The Edge Report see our earlier blog 

The latest meeting between a delegation from the Anglican Communion and from Al Azhar Al Sharif, Egypt, known as the Al Azhar dialogue, took place last month and the communique has been published. The 10th meeting, in Cairo, was the first since the revolution - the last meeting (in London) having been curtailed by the need for the Grand Imam to be in Egypt. The dialogue committee praised the al-Azhar Declaration on the Future of Egypt which promotes the need to guarantee the rights and responsibilities of all citizens. The document outlines that in accepting the rights of citizenship, the citizen also accepts the responsibility to share in the development of society and to work for peace and the welfare of all.

The Cambridge Inter Faith Programme have just launched a new Scriptural Reasoning website and opened applications for their 2013 Summer School (applications by 1st February)

The University of Cardiff's Centre for the Study of Islam in the UK (CSI-UK) has announced the jameel scholarship programme for 2013/14

Paideia The European Institute for Jewish Studies in Sweden advises that The applications for the One Year Jewish Studies Program 2013/2014 is now open but the deadline for applications is 15th January.

Theos has three new reports out Post Religious Britain?The faith of the faithless; From Goodness to God: Why Religion Makes Sense of our Moral Commitments and Religion and Law The middle title is by our own Canon Dr Angus Ritchie and the debate at the LSE which launched it is available

The Building Bridges Christian-Muslim Seminars series has a new volume published, Science and Religion: Christian and Muslim perspectives, use the link for details.

Check the blog in early January for news of up coming events.

The PEN Lecture



Two New Resources Launched by the Christian Muslim Forum

The Christian Muslim Forum recently launched two important new resources the use of which extends beyond bilateral faith relationships.

When Two Faiths Meet; Marriage, Children and Pastoral care - Ethical Principles
This is a ten commandments for good practice along the lines of their previous Ethical Witness Guidelines and then some. For over fifteen years the Inter Faith Marriage Network and the Muslim-Christian Marriage Support Group have worked to address some of the pastoral and practical issues that arise when couples come together from different faith backgrounds. This new resource offers reflections on the Ethical Principles and guidance on how they might be implemented locally. It can be downloaded or
if you would like a hard copy please contact the Christian Muslim Forum know. Copies are £5 each and for each copy sold theywill give £1 to the Inter Faith Marriage Network. Read what the Independent had to say about the launch 'How Christians and Muslims can marry – the official guide'.

The Edge Report 2012  Explores Christian and Muslim Women's Perspectives as illustrated in a number of projects and conversations happing through 2012 in seven towns and cities where Near Neighbours operates. Their expiences show that "though we might fear coming to the edge of our comfort zone, our knowledge, our expereince, if we push out we can indeed fly." These women found that the co-operations powerful friendships formed could be transformational to their communities. Download the report or contact the Christian Muslim Forum for a hard copy.