10 essays on Christian theological engagement with Islam

originally given as papers at a series of seminars held at Campion Hall, Oxford in 2010 and 2011, supported by Georgetown University's Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs the essays can now be downloaded

The authors and titles are:-
David Marshall, “Muhammad in Contemporary Christian Theological Reflection”
Daniel A. Madigan SJ, “Revisionist Historiography and Christian Attitudes towards Muhammad”
David Marshall, “Roman Catholic Approaches to the Qur’ān since Vatican II”
Martin Whittingham, “‘Deciding by the Gospel’: Some Protestant Christian Responses to the Qur’ān since the Nineteenth Century”
Michael Ipgrave, “Provocation and Resonance: Sacramental Spirituality in the Context of Islam”
Catriona Laing, “Constance Padwick’s Study of Muslim Devotion: a Provocation to Christian Mission”
Gavin D’Costa, ‘Interreligious Prayer between Christians and Muslims’
Richard Sudworth, “Christian Responses to the Political Challenge of Islam”
Damian Howard SJ, “Islam and Christianity: on ‘Religions of Law’”
Gavin D’Costa, “Do Christians and Muslims Believe in the Same God? Reflections on Miroslav Volf’s Allah: A Christian Response”

There are also a number of questions for further reflection.

Questions can be addressed to  the organiser of the seminar series, Revd David Marshall (revdem63@yahoo.co.uk).

Lots on in September

Loads of events coming up in September some of which didn't make it in to the August update so here is a diary and some reminders.........

Sunday 9th September Fez: City of Saints - a Radical Middle Way Film, 11.30am Rich Mix Cinema, 35-37 Bethnal Green Road London E1 6LA

Monday 10th September - 12th September  Southlands College, University of Roehampton, 80 Roehampton Lane, London SW15 5SL Women, Authority and Leadership in Christianity and Islam bringing together academics and community organisers to explore key issues concerning the role of women in Christiainity and Islam today More information and link to booking Last Booking Date for this Event 3rd September 2012

Wednesday 12th - Thursday 13th September  Media City Uk, Salford Quays - BBC Religion & Ethics invite you to join RE:THINK 2012; a brand new festival designed to explore the essential issues of faith, philosophy and ethics across the multicultural landscape of Britain today.The festival promises to inspire with searching and provocative debate and will feature special festival editions of some of the BBC’s best-known religious output.  Sessions include:
• Professor Richard Dawkins in conversation with Dr Jonathan Sacks, The Chief Rabbi
• The Moral Maze (special Festival edition)
• The Big Questions with Nicky Campbell (special Festival edition)
Further info and bookings rethinkfestival@bbc.co.uk

Wednesday 12th  JustShare Lecture, 6.05pm at, St Mary le Bow Church EC2V 6AU "There is no wealth but life - the contrasts between financial, social and ecological wealth" with Molly Scott Cato

Thursday 13th Sept  St Ethelburga's Using personal storytelling in palliative care Reviewing the defining stories of our life is a natural and inescapable process when we are approaching our own death. This sensitive and highly rewarding training workshop with personal story experts - Roi Gal-Or . Aimed at hospice chaplains and others who work with the ill or dying. Info and booking

Sunday 16th September is Awareness Sunday 2012 www.awarenesssunday.com see how you can make a difference.

Wednesday 19th September 8.30pm The Ismaili Centre, 1 Cromwell Gardens, South Kensington, London SW7 2SL  The Awareness Foundation Annual Lecture Faith and Politics with Rabbi Shaul Rosenblatt, Sayed Ali Abbas Razawi & The Revd Nadim Nassar. Book  020 7730 8830 or lecture@awareness-foundation.com

Non-stop Turmoil or Global Spring?

 - a cutting -edge conference in confusing times -

Jim Kenney, Founder and Director of the interreligious adult study centre Common Ground, Deerfield, near Chicago, was formerly the International Director for the Parliament of the World's Religions. He master-minded the groundbreaking gatherings of the Parliament in Chicago (1993) and Cape Town (1999) AND he is coming to the UK to lead three conferences based on his his book  Thriving in the Crosscurrent: Hope and Clarity in a Time of Cultural Evolutionary Sea Change (Quest Books 2010).

Friday 26th and Saturday 27th Ocotber 2012 at St Margaret's Church Lee, SE13 5EA contact Alan Race alan.race2@virignmedia.com 020 8852 8377
Saturday 3rd November 2012 at St Philip's Church Leicester LE2 1HN  contact Sonya Brown son.the.rev@me.com 0116 210 1744

'a chance for people of different religions and philosophies to hear about the evolution of religion and spirituality in a progressive way'

Human beings honoured before God - The Archbishop of Canterbury's Eid Greetings

The Most Revd Dr Rowan Williams has sent his traditional message of greeting to Muslim friends and fellow workers pointing out that this will be his last such before standing down as Archbishop of Canterbury.

Reviewing the last ten years of Christian Muslim realtions he says

"As I look back over the last ten years, it is clear that our relationship as Christians and Muslims has grown and deepened. it has not been an easy time, and there are huge challenges that we still face together. Nevertheless, we have learned how to quarry together the resrouces we have of a vision of human beings honuored before God. The word honour, I believe, is one we should learn to use more freely, and even extravagantly, when we talk about our human world. We honour human beings because God in his creation and in his dealings with beings honour them."

For the full text see The Archbishop's website

August Update

As the Olympic torch passed by St George the Martyr Church, Borough High Street, on 26th July, people from many different faiths gathered to celebrate and to make a pledge to seek the wellbeing of the city and to work together for the good of all who live there. The words of the pledge were inspired by the teaching of the faiths and can be seen here. You are invited to use the pledge in your locality. This was a Near Neighbours event, attended by The Rt Revd Michael Ipgrave, Bishop of Woolwich, and Baroness Hanham, Communities Mininster.

Other News
The Directory of Social Change is inviting nominations for 2012 Social Change Awards. These are designed to recognise those "working to achieve apositive change in society", and they are open to individuals, charities, community groups, funders, companies and public bodies. you can nominate yourself/organisation - deadline 9th September, or recommend others for nomination - deadline 2nd September. The public will vote in October. See www.socialchangeawards.co.uk.
From Near Neighbours two training opportunities for talented young adults in eastern London. The first for 18-25 years olds from any faith is a four day non residential scheme run by Catalyst in two London venues 17th,18th, 30th 31st Ocotober. The training is free but participants must be sponsored by their Priest, Pastor, Imam, Rabbi. If you would like to nominate someone contact Tim Clapton nearneighbours@theology-centre.org The second is a day event, on 3rd November, for 18-30 year olds from Christian of Hindu communities in the East End of London. Application to Tim Clapton (see above) by 24th September.

Events
Monday 1st October a training day for anyone planning a Pilgrimage to the Holy Land. 10.30 am - 4.30 pm at Lambeth Palace. Deadline for applications is Tuesday 4th September. See here for details.
Monday 8th September Redbridge Faith Forum Interfaith Buffet Dinner at Kaftan Restaurant, 253 High Road ilford IG1 1NE 6pm until late. All dietry requirements will be catered for. £10 in advance or £12.50 on teh door (children under 3 free, 4-13yrs £5.00) Book with Shamshia Ali or Saira Yakub faith.forum@redbridge.gov.uk or 0208 708 2478/2445

New Courses for Autumn
The St Paul's Forum kicks off a new season of Public Conersations with the theme The Case for God. Speakers include Francis Spufford, Karen Armstrong, David Bentley Hart, Timothy Radcliffe OP and BrianMcLaren. These are evenings 6.30 - 8.00pm starting on Monday 17th September. For details of these, the Sunday Forum events, reflection days and retereat email forum@stpaulscathedral.org.uk or 0207 236 3553
The London Spirituality Centre has published its 2012/13 programme. The centre is based in The Church of St Edmund the King Lombard Stree EC3V 9EA see www.spiritualitycentre.org for all that the centre has to offer.

Advance Notice
At Heythrop College Thursday 15th November 3.00 - 5.30pm, his Eminence Cardinal Angelo Scola, Archbishop of Milan will speak on The Religions, Plurality and the Common God: The Proposal of the Oasis Foundation. Contact Annabel Clarkson a.clarkson@heythrop.ac.uk, 0207 795 4203 or see www.oasiscenter.eu/en

New Term - Resource Reminder

Whether you are involved with a Church School or your parish is developing links with the local state school it's important to keep up to date with developments in religious education.

The Religious Education Council has a wealth of information, links and resources on its website from the recently launched All Party Parliamentry Group on Religious Education to what students think about the subject and why it has value in the curriculum. Like all good organisations they have a monthly news bulletin. Check the website and consider adding RE teachers specifically to parish intercessions from time to time.

Another resource this time aimed specifically at primary school children is Open the Book. This charity provides volunteer actors to present bible stories in a lively and engaging way in a ten minute format that fits in to the colletive worship slot. The scheme has been running since 1999 (so they must be getting something right) and their in put comes at no cost to the school.

July Update

This is the time of year for signing up for that course you’ve always meant to get around to doing............

The University of Roehampton has three new MAs starting this September:
- MA Theology and Religious Studies
- MA Contemporary Catholic Studies
- MA Religion and Gender

Available either full-time or part-time, these courses focus in-depth on the role of religion in national and international culture and society, both historically and in the contemporary world. Whether you left university recently or some time ago, the flexible nature of the courses means you can study at a pace convenient to you.

The Queens Foundation also has a New post graduate programmes from Post Graduate Certificate to MA available in September 2012 (subject to validation) including a post graduate certificate in Inter Faith Engagement. All the programmes are flexible, affordable, suitable for a wide range of people, and designed for those who want their theology to connect with their practice. Study for one year part-time on a range of Post Graduate Certificates and then continue to a post graduate Diploma and MA in Theology and Transformative Practice. If you want rigorous theology, stimulating company, and thinking that connects with, informs and is informed by practice, investigate further at www.queens.ac.uk/programmes  or speak to Gail on 0121 452 2619
Events

Tuesday 24th July The Rt Hon Tony Blair, Archbishop Rowan Williams and Charles Moore will be discussing the role of faith in public life at the final event in the Westminster Faith Debates series. Read details of this and other news from Theos.
And a reminder of the conference Monday 10 - Wednesday 12th September Women, Authority and Leadership in Christianity and Islam - Southlands College, University of Roehampton, London SW15 4EE Conference fee, Non-residential £150/Residential £250 Bursaries are available, details on request - bookings via Caroline Matthews c.matthews@roehampton.ac.uk  or Lucy Parsons l.parsons@roehampton.ac.uk