Building Bridges Through Interfaith at the Manchester Institute of Religion
Students at the Manchester Institute of Religion in the UK have spent the past year learning about religions of the world, their beliefs and practices, and how to most effectively develop positive relations with those of other faiths. The ten week course covered topics such as: “Why should Latter-day Saints learn about other faiths?”; “The Importance of Religious Freedom”; and exploration of the lived reality of religions such as Islam, Sikhi, Buddhism, Judaism and others forms of Christianity.
The course was supplemented with visits to a local Ahmadiyya Mosque and a Sikh Gurdwara. The students were hosted by members of the different faith communities and had the opportunity to learn and ask questions about living as a Sikh or Muslim in Manchester in the modern world.
The course was based on five principles of inter-faith engagement developed by the teacher, James Holt, a local Church member and Professor of Religious Education at the University of Chester. James teaches and writes about the different religions of the world, and how to teach and learn about them.
Kunda Musonda, the Director of the Manchester Institute of Religion, reflected, “It was wonderful to receive professional insights to help us to better understand world religions and the similarities and differences of these religions with the Church of Jesus Christ. My faith was increased by recognising the Lord’s hand in the lives of many outside of our church membership and this has motivated me to become more involved in interfaith dialogue.”
The principles of learning about other religions and inter-faith engagement at the heart of the course are:
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Do not neglect our own faith and religious practice
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Be honest about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and First Vision and their legacies.
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Appreciate the truth found in other religions
- When you are trying to understand another religion, you should ask the adherents of that religion and not its enemies
- Recognise the messiness of religion
- Don’t compare your best to their worst
- Use language that is respectful and as understood within religions
- Leave room for "holy envy"
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Be open to developing one’s own religious practice and understanding.
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Help others live their religion.
Each lesson drew on scriptures, the writings of Church leaders and the teachings of the other religions based on how they are understood within that tradition. This meant that when the students engaged with other religions they were able to recognise the value and purpose of such dialogue.
Gordon B. Hinckley suggested that in such encounters members should “Look for their [those of other religions] strengths and virtues, and you will find strengths and virtues in your own life.” This in no small part came from defining oneself − in asserting and defending unique and divergent beliefs with those taught in other religions. It also came in the encounters between people and religions.
One student reflected, “I loved learning about religions from such a qualified source and really getting to understand the depth of the light that is faithfully rooted in people from all times and places.”