Committee for Interreligious Dialogue
The Scottish Bishops' Committee for Interreligious Dialogue exists to make Catholics and others aware of the importance of interreligious dialogue within the life of the Church. Enjoy browsing this site to discover more about the work of the Committee and how you might get involved.
Interfaith News & Events from the Scottish Bishops' Committee
"The Jewish people have suffered so much in history … And, in the last century, we saw so many brutalities on the Jewish people and we thought that this was over... [but] today the practice of persecuting the Jews has begun again here and there. Brothers and sisters, this is neither human nor Christian. The Jewish people are our brothers, and they should not be persecuted..."
Pope Francis November 13th 2019
Headteachers
Sr Isabel Smyth, secretary of the Scottish Bishops' Committee for Interreligious Dialogue, recently led a workshop at the Catholic Primary School Headteachers’ meeting on the place of other faiths in our Catholic schools.
The religious leaders of Scotland met at the beginning of October at the University of Glasgow, on the day we marked the 20th anniversary of the birth of Interfaith Scotland, originally called the Scottish Interfaith Council.
It was a joyous event at which those present were entertained by the Hindu Ladies choir, heard about the history and present situation of Interfaith Scotland as well as its future hopes. A 20th anniversary cake was cut by two of the Honorary Fellows, Mrs Dianne Wolfson and Sr Isabel Smyth, after which there was a quiet reflective moment in the University Chapel, followed by singing from the University choir.
Click here to read Sr Isabel's Blog Post reflecting on this significant milestone.
The Bishops' Committee extend warm congratulations to Interfaith Scotland for all the wonderful work they have done over the past 20 years - and we look forward to the next 20!
LINKS
Church Leaders visit Edinburgh Mosque
As part of the Scottish Interfaith Week 2019 programme Christian and Muslim leaders have met to dialogue about their organisations, beliefs and people. The meeting took place at Edinburgh's Annandale Mosque on Tuesday 12 November. The delegation was led by Rev Cedric Blakey, Interfaith Relations Committee convener of the Scottish Episcopal Church representing the Primus who was unwell. Those present, some pictured below, included the Rt Rev Colin Sinclair, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the Most Rev Leo Cushley, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Edinburgh, and Abdadim Elgehani, Imam of Annandale Mosque, members of the Mosque and Fr Jeremy Bath, Vicar Episcopal for Ecumenism and Interfaith Dialogue for the Archdiocese.
This dialogue event follows one in 2018 that took place at Giffnock Synagogue in Glasgow.
