New conference highlights importance of interfaith dialogue

Church of Scotland representatives attended the inaugural Faith and Belief Conference in Edinburgh today.

Rt Rev Dr Shaw Paterson, Moderator of the General Assembly, and Rev Fiona Smith, Principal Clerk to the General Assembly, joined delegates from faith and belief communities, politics and academia to discuss interfaith relations and dialogue.

It is a vital way to lower barriers, eliminate fear and distrust and increase understanding and mutual respect.

The conference at the Mansfield Traquair Centre, a former Romanesque style church, was organised by the Scottish Government and First Minister John Swinney attended.

Faith and belief groups have an important role in bringing communities together to foster mutual respect, collaboration and understanding in order to reassure people that difference can be positive.

At the heart of interfaith relations is the desire to connect with Scotland's diverse faith communities through authentic dialogue, humble solidarity and loving service.

Christians are encouraged to listen to and understand the experiences and challenges faced by other faith communities and act in solidarity as allies in tackling discrimination through education, advocacy and awareness raising,

Rev Fiona Smith is a co-president of the UK Council of Christians and Jews, formed after the Second World War, and she addressed the conference.

She highlighted the Jewish Christian Glossary which was produced by the Church of Scotland and the Office of the Chief Rabbi.

It is a glossary of words and terms that members of both religions use but understand and hear in different ways.

Mrs Smith said: "The heart of the glossary conversation was to take words that we have as Christians and Jews that are in common - Chosen People, Kingdom of God and Holy Land.

"All sorts of words and to actually talk about what our different understandings are.

"All the parties to this discovered a deeper truth which was less about what we said to one another but more about how we listened.

"It was in the listening that things actually began to change, it was in the listening that the fruits of friendship deepened, it was in the listening that new perspectives were opened up and it was in the listening that humility was born.

"To listen with a pure and open heart takes courage because it opens you up to see a new perspective.

"Difference is at the heart of the beauty of our creation and the difference that everybody brings to this conference today is what will make it a wonderful occasion as we open our hearts to listen and to learn because that is where respect comes from.

"I commend to you all the Jewish Christian glossary, it's on the Church of Scotland website, and it's accessible to everybody.

"I commend it to you also to think about what other ways of using this model which identifies difference as the starting point that there are other dialogues to be heard."

Mrs Smith said the word hope is an active verb and the Jewish Christian Glossary is a "hope filled way of being".