interfaith – Interreligious Dialogue in Scotland

Interfaith Scotland celebrates “Exceptional” school engagement work at Scottish Interfaith Week Interfaith video launch

Interfaith Scotland recently held a special launch event for their short film marking 20 years of Scottish Interfaith Week (SIFW).

Among the speakers at the launch were Joe Sikora, Interfaith Officer for the Catholic Church and Claire Butler PT of Religious Education at St. Roch’s Secondary, Glasgow who have been collaborating on engaging young people in interreligious dialogue for the past year.

St. Roch’s were one of a number of schools who took part in a pilot programme leadership programme run jointly by the Xaverians, Pax Christi, Justice and Peace Scotland and the Interfaith Officer. The aim of the course is to encourage pupils taking part in the Caritas Award to engage in activities related to the work of these agencies of the Church in Scotland.

Following on from the two-day residential course, St. Roch’s Caritas pupils took part in the 2025 Human Fraternity Day Conference held in the Bute Hall at the University of Glasgow.

At the video launch, Joe Sikora explained how a number of factors had aligned to create an opportunity for young people to become engaged in interreligious dialogue and to work together from their respective religious backgrounds.

In her introduction, Dr. Maureen Sier, Director of Interfaith Scotland described the work being done as “exceptional”.

Claire Butler went into more detail about how the experience of the leadership course and subsequent school workshops had enabled the pupils to learn and grow in their understanding of each other’s faith traditions. Several of the pupils wrote about their experiences in their final submission for their Caritas Award.

Daniel, an Ethiopian Orthodox student said: “The most valuable experience for me was the inter-religious dialogue that I had with Roman Catholics and also Buddhists as they really boosted my knowledge about the two religions and gave me the chance to speak about my own. I think it surprised a lot of people that in terms of food laws, I have more in common with my Muslim peers than my Christian ones.”

Wesam, a Muslim student said: “I went to an overnight retreat and learned about Interfaith dialogue. From my perspective I never judge any religion, but I know some people do so this type of work is very important. Anyone from any race or religion can act in a way that causes conflict between different faiths, but interfaith dialogue encourages us to see brothers and sisters rather than enemies. As a Palestinian Muslim, I have personal experience of the importance of shared values and looking for common ground.”

This year the theme for Scottish Interfaith Week is “Our Future” with a focus on young people. Young people are the future, but they are also our present.

As we look to what’s next for Scotland’s diverse communities, we must listen to the voices of today’s young people. The younger generations will continue to build bridges between our nation’s many faiths and cultures, and work like that been carried out between the Interreligious Dialogue Committee and the schools will empower them to do so.

Claire butler

Claire Butler

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Mar 20 2025

2025 Symposium

Bishops, Interfaith Dialogue, Scotland

Our Speakers – Dr Maureen Sier, Director of Interfaith Scotland, Martha Ines Romero, General Secretary of Pax Christi, Ravinder Kaur Nijjar, Religions for Peace

On March 7th and 8th the Bishops’ Committee for Interreligious Dialogue held its annual symposium at the Conforti Institute in Coatbridge. The focus was on peace building in interreligious dialogue.

The main speaker on Friday evening was Martha Ines Romero who is the General Secretary of Pax Christi International, a Catholic peace movement, with 120 member organisations worldwide which promotes peace, respect of human rights, justice and reconciliation throughout the world.

Set up at the end of the Second World War, Pax Christi believes that peace is possible and that the vicious cycles of violence and injustice can be broken. It’s work for peace and advocacy for non-violence action are admirable but not straightforward. Should a country defend itself? Are boycotts really non-violent or are they masking an attitude of non-violence? How do we avoid a black and white response to conflicts without knowing the history of the people as is often the case.

Those of who work in the field of interreligious dialogue know that there are times when years of hard work and relationship building can be out under stress by events far beyond our influence, never mind control. Wars and conflicts get simplified down to the one religious group at odds with another. This can lead to difficult conversations between people of different faiths here in Scotland.

Someone with a wealth of experience in managing these difficult dialogues was out main speaker on day two of the symposium, Dr. Maureen Sier, Director of Interfaith Scotland. She spoke about her experience of difficult dialogues in Scotland. This made us face the nitty gritty, not only of dialogue but also of peacebuilding. Maureen suggested that conflict in Scotland can be caused by three things:

When global geo-politics is driving communities apart
When the media amplifies a story of division and causes communities to be suspicious or worse towards each other
When the topic under discussion is a contentious one

She then shared with us some of her experiences and the insights she has gained from them.

Firstly, she spoke about her engagement in intra-faith dialogue between the Ukrainian and Russian Orthodox Churches. Prior to the recent Russian invasion of Ukraine there was already tensions running high in Ukraine because of conflict in the Donbas and Crimea region as far back as 2014 (Ukrainians highlighting that this was a Russian invasion. Into this conflict between Christian churches who found themselves on opposite sides, she invited both parties to reflect on the words of the Beatitudes, not least the lines “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” The impact of studying scripture together allowed them to make commitments to work together, and friendships were made that developed over the 4 days.

She also spoke about the series of “Courageous Conversations” organised by Interfaith Scotland and Interfaith Glasgow, to address the strain being put on Jewish/Muslim relations here in Scotland in light of the events in Israel/Palestine over the last 2 years.

The message, however, remains the same. Dialogue is the way forward, provided you can create the safe space and the conditions required to give it the prospect of success.

Our symposium concluded, (on International Women’s Day) with a panel session where our two keynote speakers were joined by another champion of interreligious dialogue Ravinder Kaur Nijjar. Ravinder spoke eloquently about the Sikh understanding of both inner peace and peace building. Similarly both Maureen and Martha shared the understanding of faith from their own religious point of view. In a lovely moment of coming together, Martha share with Ravinder that she actually sings a Sikh meditation in Spanish as part of her own meditation routine.

The conversations among participants showed a recognition of this and a growing understanding of the importance of interreligious dialogue as a tool for peace. It is something that takes us beyond talking about peace to engaging in it. And to engage in it with integrity we need to seek an inner peace and compassion through our own religious practice.

As Pope Francis said: “The path of interreligious dialogue is a shared path to peace and for peace; as such, it is necessary and irrevocable… it is an urgently needed and incomparable service to humanity, to the praise and glory of the Creator of all.”

2025 Symposium Read More »

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Feb 18 2025

Human Fraternity Conference 2025

Christianity, Interfaith Dialogue, Islam, Scotland

By Joseph Sikora

On February 4^th well over 100 members of the Catholic and Shia Muslim communities came together in the magnificent Bute Hall of Glasgow University to mark the 6^th anniversary of the signing of the Human Fraternity Document by Pope Francis and Sheikh Al Tayeb from Al Azhar university in 2019.

Organised by the Ahl Al Bait Society Scotland and the Committee for Interreligious Dialogue of the Bishops' Conference of Scotland, the event this year focused on engaging young people in the work of interreligious dialogue.

The conference featured presentations from sixth year students from two of Glasgow’s Catholic schools, St. Roch’s and Holyrood secondaries. The schools were chosen for the religious, ethnic and cultural diversity of their student cohort. In preparation for the conference Joseph Sikora, Secretary of the Interreligious Dialogue Committee and Dr. Ahmed Khweir, of the Ahl Al Bait Society – Scotland, visited both schools and conducted workshops with the S6 pupils many of whom were working towards their Pope Benedict XVI Caritas Award.

The workshop introduced the students to the collaborative work carried out by the Interreligious Dialogue Committee and Ahl Al Bait Society – Scotland. It also introduced the pupils to the context and content of the Document on Human Fraternity, focusing on the key themes contained in the document. The students were invited to engage in some interreligious work raising awareness of the document in their schools and to present their work to the conference.

Each school was presented with a tree sapling as a symbol of a new beginning and growth in interreligious dialogue in schools and collaboration with the organising bodies.

The keynote speakers at the conference were Bishop Brian McGee, President of the Interreligious Dialogue Committee and Dr. Mohammad Ali Shomali, the founding director of the International Institute for Islamic Studies and the Risalat International Institute, which has a focus on interfaith dialogue.

They both addressed the conference on the significance of engaging with young people in dialogue with a view due building a more just and harmonious future. Bishop McGee reflected on the significance of the event and the ongoing dialogue between Catholics and Muslims given that this year marks the 60^th anniversary of Nostra Aetate. Dr. Shomali, who joined the event online from Austria, repeatedly highlighted the sense of justice and eagerness to act that young people possess.

In the second half of the evening the pupils presented to the conference about what they had learned from the document and how they had and would incorporate it into their interreligious activities in the future. It was clear that both schools were already doing a great deal to celebrate the diversity within their communities in a way showed a respect and interest in difference religious traditions.

The final part of the conference was a general discussion on how young people could become more directly involved in interreligious dialogue and work and on how schools, universities and youth programmes could help in developing that capacity

Click on any photo below to enlarge and open a slide show

Bishop McGee

Dr Shomali

Pupils from St Roch's High School with Bishop McGee

Pupils from St Roch's High School giving their presentation

Pupils from Holyrood High School with Bishop McGee

Pupils from Holyrood High School giving their presentation

Conference Participants

Human Fraternity Conference 2025 Read More »

Dec 5 2024

Interfaith Reception

Interfaith Dialogue, Scotland

In late November, the committee welcomed representatives of many faith communities to our annual Faith Reception in the Archdiocesan offices in Glasgow.

The committee were delighted to welcome as a special guest, Lord Provost Jacqueline McLaren, and keynote speaker and Parliamentary Officer for the Catholic Church at Holyrood, Mr. Anthony Horan.

The reception was the committee’s formal contribution to the many activities that had taken place across the country as part of Scottish Interfaith Week.

This year, the reception was preceded by a guided tour of the cathedral led by archdiocesan archivist Mary McLure. The story of the cathedral’s many interesting features, the art, mosaics, windows, statues and decoration is a truly fascinating one and our guests thoroughly enjoyed the tour.

Around fifty guests and members of the committee were welcomed by Bishop McGee, President of the Interreligious Dialogue Committee, in the Eyre Hall to listen to Anthony Horan’s reflections on the challenges that people of faith can experience but opportunities that interreligious dialogue offers when facing up to the challenges of the modern world.

He spoke of how all people of faith in Scotland, including Catholics, can be singled out for abuse and discrimination simply because they have a faith. However, he also pointed out that there are places elsewhere in the world where oppression on the basis of faith can be far more serious and violations of basic rights stemming from religious bigotry can result in people losing their lives.

He praised the work done by people of all faiths and interfaith organisations in tackling prejudice and discrimination. He praised the leadership of the representatives present and their work for the most poor and vulnerable in society.

In his talk he also reflected on the issues facing our society today and explored both the opportunities for collaboration on core concerns such as poverty, homelessness, but also the challenges that we face when dealing with complex moral issues such as the current moves to allow people to end their lives at a time of their choosing.

You can find the full text of his talk here.

Following the talk there was the usual get together over food and the spirit of friendship was evident throughout the room in the laughter and conversations people shared.

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Interfaith Reception Read More »

Nov 30 2024

Stronger Together

Interfaith Dialogue, Scotland

Talk given by Anthony Horan, 2024 interfaith Reception, November

Lord/Lady Provost, Bishop Brian, faith leaders and friends, it is a pleasure to be with you here this evening at this annual interfaith reception.

A long, long time ago, when I was just a young lad, I think maybe 13 or 14 years old, I was playing golf at my local club. I had only just joined the club; my parents thought it would be a good idea as I was showing signs of promise at the game. It was my first proper outing with the other members of the club.

So, I went out and I am afraid to report that I played badly. It was awful and I ended up finishing last. If you Google the word ‘abysmal’ you will find a little summary of my performance that day at the top of the search items.

Now that was bad enough, but something else quite specific happened that day; and it has stayed with me ever since. A single moment that put me on edge, on guard.

I was desperately trying to make a good connection with the ball on one of the fairways (actually it was in the rough, I always ended up in the rough!) as another group of players were about to tee off from an adjacent tee. I mishit the ball a couple of times and at one point I looked up to see the other group of players having a bit of a giggle, as you would. Perfectly understandable given my comical efforts.

But, in a bit of a fluster and to try and make a joke out of the situation, and in my naivety, I then proceeded to cross myself as if to call on a higher power to help dig me out of my dire sporting predicament.

Now I think it is safe to say that the mood turned rather sour.

I had gone from an unthreatening, benign, figure of fun, to the enemy. And so, they hurled abuse, including the ubiquitous cry of “fenian b”, and, I think it’s safe to say that I was on edge for the remaining 15 holes of my round as a result of this incident.

In the grand scheme of things this is not a particularly serious event. I emerged unharmed, just a little psychologically bruised and with a fresh new awareness of bigotry and intolerance and the reality that I too could be the subject of it.

This little episode unearthed a sinister undertone of intolerance, discrimination and abuse when it comes to religion. And whilst the situation has undoubtedly improved over the years it still exists to some degree.

And, of course, it isn’t just Catholics who are on the wrong end of it. Other Christians, Muslims, Baha’i, Jews, Sikhs, Hindus and many, many more can be on the receiving end of abuse, and worse, simply because of their faith.

This is especially the case in other parts of the world where people are abused, some are oppressed, some are violated, some are even killed for their faith.

Here in the UK it is, on the whole, not too serious, but people can still be subjected to awful intolerance and discrimination on the basis of their faith. And sometimes it can get more serious.

But we know that this isn’t the way it ought to be. That is not how we in our faith communities are called to live out our lives. And we know there is a different path. A path which seeks a peaceful existence among those who may hold differing views, including differing views on the big important questions about life.

And I think that all of us gathered here tonight would agree that this peaceful way of life is something that we ought to aim for and, in many ways, it is something that we do experience to a large extent here in Scotland.

Now, wouldn’t it be lovely if I stood here and said that everything was rosy and that our various faith communities agreed on everything, and we all get along fabulously well all of the time.

Well, I think it’s fair to say that we do get along fairly well, most of the time.

But, as is often the case, there are challenging issues; ones that we will not agree on, that will highlight significant differences of opinion; elephants in the room if you like. And we ought to recognise these; we shouldn’t shy away from recognising them and addressing them.

Now, there are issues that are less contentious, I would say, like poverty, homelessness, and the importance of human dignity that we can all pretty much agree on.

But there are other issues which can highlight significant disagreement between faith communities and even within some faith communities.

For example, assisted suicide, or assisted dying (the terminology is very much dependent on your view). A highly emotive, sensitive, and fundamentally important topic that attracts plenty of robust debate and considerable disagreement. And this is one of those issues which causes disagreement within some faith communities too.

The issue of gender identity is perhaps another. Much disagreement on a deeply personal and sensitive issue.

And that’s just a couple of examples.

So, the picture isn’t one of unalloyed warmth and cosiness.

We don’t agree on everything. We have different perspectives on key issues, sometimes very different perspectives.

The tragic situation in the middle east comes all to easily and all to sadly to mind. The situation there is significant for all of us but more so for our Jewish and Muslim brothers and sisters. There will be differences of opinion on the social and political approaches to dealing with the conflict. There is justifiably a lot of emotion involved. And, as a result, there may be very strong, very strong, and robust disagreement. And that is fair. Because it is a very serious matter; a matter of life and death, sadly, far too much death, too many lives ruined, futures destroyed, no hope.

So, it is an issue that can evoke much disagreement, between nations, between cultures, between religions, and between individuals.

But despite disagreement and difference, here we are. Together.

Gathered together, talking together, breaking bread together. We are here, together.

And that is massively important.

Despite disagreement, we can be together. And we can talk, we can discuss, we can debate.

And that’s what we need more of in society, at every level in society.

Sadly, the effect of social media means that much of our social debate nowadays is played out online. Not face-to-face. And this can result in shaming, abuse, even threats of violence. All too easy to do from the comfort of sitting behind a screen without having to face the reality of one’s actions.

And all too often those perpetrating this are people who ought to know better. It’s not just young people as I am sure you know. There are adults too. And sometimes politicians. Far too often I have witnessed politicians bating one another in ways unbecoming of their office.

But thankfully I look around me this evening and I see people who refuse to get drawn into tit-for-tat online squabbles or who will engage in intolerance, discrimination, or abuse.

I see leadership. True leadership. Good leadership. I don’t know you all personally, some I know better than others, but I am absolutely confident that you are all people who want to secure peace and help those in need, most especially the poor and vulnerable.

And that is why it is so important for you to continue to be a good and positive example in your communities and to encourage others to do the same.

Let’s take the issue of poverty, in particular massive issues around homelessness in Scotland and a housing crisis which means many families, including many children have no permanent home here in Scotland. And this includes many people who have fled dangers in their homeland.

My parish priest recently told the story of his driving down to the church one day and seeing parishioners packing all sorts of stuff into the back of a car. Food, clothing, bedding, and all manner of bits and bobs. He went over to enquire what was going on and was told that an Afghan family had recently come to the town with nothing but the clothing on their backs and the local community were providing them with the basic necessities to get by. The dad in the family had been shot in the face in Afghanistan and the family had to flee for their lives. It’s a tragic story and one that is all-too-common, I fear.

But, despite their tragic circumstances and the fear they must have felt and having to leave their home, this family are probably quite fortunate. They are alive, they have managed to reach safety here in Scotland, and the local community is taking care of them. The local food bank has stepped up, the clothing bank stepped up, and parishioners have even approached the priest and thrust cash into his hand urging him to use it to help the family.

This story does not stand on its own. It is one of many.

And whilst on one hand this story is a sad one, it is also a heartwarming and hopeful one.

And I know that these little stories of love and hope are happening across Scotland, most especially in your communities. Because of you and the people you lead and support; the faith communities of Scotland are doing wonderful things.

So often we hear of vulnerable people, including many who are new to the country, approaching faith communities for help.

It is no accident that our communities are focal points for people in need. Historically you, and those who have gone before you, have been on hand to provide a warm place to rest, a hot meal and other food provisions, essential winter clothing, toiletries, nappies, prams, school uniforms, and general support and advice, and love. And that’s just a few of the things that you and your communities do to help those in need.

These desperate people need a focal point, and that is your communities.

If I may just close off with some personal experiences of working with faith communities in my own day-to-day work in the Catholic Parliamentary Office, (where I have been in post since 2016).

As you know, both the UK and Scottish Parliaments are currently considering proposals to legalise assisted dying, or assisted suicide. Now I know that there will most likely be different views on this issue in this room. Some faith communities are in favour, some are opposed, and there is also internal disagreement within some faith communities about whether or not it is the right thing to do.

It’s a particularly sensitive and emotive issue and one which needs to be handled carefully. I think that is one of the issues I have with the Bill in Westminster. Notwithstanding my own personal opposition to the principle of what is being proposed, I do not think that the time afforded to scrutinise Kim Leadbeater’s Bill (it was published just two weeks ago tonight) ahead of the vote on Friday is anywhere near sufficient. And, of course, it will only be a five-hour debate on Friday before MPs are asked to vote on it.

If you think about Brexit, which was a very significant constitutional matter; hours, days, weeks, months, even years were spent scrutinising the proposal to leave the EU.

And the issue of assisted dying is surely no less important. It’s literally a matter of life and death and ought to be subjected to the highest degree of scrutiny before parliamentarians are asked to vote on it.

But I am pleased to say that, in terms of both the Holyrood and Westminster proposals on assisted dying, I have worked closely with those faith communities who are opposed, including other Christian communities and the Muslim community, and we have effectively shared resources and knowledge to work on this issue.

We even held a joint event in the Scottish Parliament earlier this year, bringing together the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, an Imam from Dundee, and Bishop John Keenan of Paisley, to sign a declaration opposing assisted suicide.

And I have witnessed some excellent collaborative engagement between faith communities on issues around tackling child poverty, including a successful call for an increase to the Scottish Child Payment, and also calling on the Scottish Government to give social care workers fair pay.

Another example of working with faith communities came a few years ago with the Scottish Government’s Hate Crime and Public Order Act. You may recall that there was quite the hoo-ha about this legislation, in particular the potential to restrict free speech and free expression, including a vociferous challenge from the entertainment industry, specifically comedians, who were worried that their edgy routines may no longer be welcome in Scotland.

In terms of the religious angle, there was a fair amount that was noble about the legislation, but there were also some aspects of concern, including a broad and, in my view, ill-defined clause on inflammatory material which we in the Catholic community were worried might censor some of our teachings on beginning of life and human sexuality and marriage, for example.

In the end this clause was removed.

But during the many discussions and negotiations that were had between stakeholders, my own Church included, and government ministers and civil servants, we discovered all sorts of atypical alliances. At one point, in relation to one specific aspect of the legislative proposal, we, the Catholic Church and other Christian churches, were at one with the Humanists of Scotland. A most unlikely alliance I am sure you will agree. But there you have it; with God all things are possible!

And so, I think that is the tone on which I would like to draw a close to my little reflection this evening.

We have many differences, and we are mature enough to acknowledge these. But these differences do not prevent us from working together where there is common ground. And these differences cannot make us indifferent to one other and preclude the potential for working together.

Last year, during her reflection in this very room, Sister Isabel spoke about “going forth” as collaborators on a vast project to make the world a better place for everyone. The work of that project continues.

I recall that it was not too long ago that some of us sat around the same table with the First Minister as violence erupted in other parts of the UK. We all had one aim in mind at that gathering: to work together to maintain peace. Together. (that word again)

May we all continue to work hard and maintain a laser-sharp focus on peace and helping the most vulnerable across all communities in Scotland.

And your continued leadership is key to sustaining that peace.

We are a stronger, more effective, force for good, when we are together.

Thank you.

Stronger Together Read More »

Apr 4 2024

Interfaith Insights 3

Buddhism, Interfaith Dialogue, Religious Practice

Interfaith Insights 3 – Zen Buddhism

Welcome to our third “Interfaith Insights” conversation.
In this interview Anthony MacIsaac learns more about Zen Buddhism from long time friend, theoretical physicist, and Bruce Lee admirer, Neil Warrack, a Zen Buddhist living in Glasgow.

Anthony Macisaac

Anthony: As I understand it, you are Zen Buddhist. Perhaps you could give me a rundown of what drew you to this, and of where Zen stands in relation to other forms of Buddhism?

Neil: My first interest in Eastern traditions and philosophies probably came via martial arts and, in particular, Bruce Lee movies. A good friend introduced me to Bruce Lee via the film “Enter The Dragon”, which certainly left an impression. I ended up videotaping “Way of The Dragon” which was on TV late one night; in that film – which I watched endlessly – I saw clearly in his character what all Buddhists would recognise as ‘right thought’ and ‘right speech’, two aspects of the Noble Eightfold Path.

I read about the martial art he developed, Jeet Kune Do, and was very interested in the underlying philosophy which was one of ‘no form’, which is like developing a selection-box of techniques from different formalised martial arts which would allow a fighter to respond without thought or constraint. I guess there is an advantage to being less predictable in a fight, but his approach also had a notion of ‘this is all you need’.

As a person he seemed content – I was attracted to that. There was also something about his disciplined nature that I loved. The idea that discipline ‘in the right direction’ can produce, eventually, unconstrained action is something that still attracts me. It reminds me of a jazz musician using a repetitious practice just so they can get up on stage and play something they have never played before. It seemed like a nice form of freedom.

Years later, whilst studying abroad in Hong Kong, a Zen Monk who was living at the halls of residence with us taught a group of us some very basic meditation techniques. I loved the apparent simplicity of it and the feeling that everyone was welcome and equally ready to start Zen meditation. When I moved back home to Glasgow, I looked up a local Zen group and headed along, not long after that, I guess I had the thought of, “OK – so, I’m a Zen Buddhist now.”

Compared to other forms of Buddhism, I think Zen is characterised by its emphasis on meditation practice. Zen is a word derived from another word meaning ‘meditation’. Certainly, as I’ve experienced it, meditation is an extremely important part of Zen that is probably central in the life of anyone who calls themself a ‘Zen Buddhist’.

Anthony: If we had to speak of God, how would you approach this?

Neil: You and I have often spoken of God and, although I don’t believe in a being who created the universe at some other time before I existed, I think we are often talking about the same thing and I certainly think we understand and agree with each other a lot of the time, despite the differences in the way we use language. I think we are both often verbally dancing around the fact that we see ourselves as being a part of something much, much bigger.

I find monotheistic religions often speak of a God who wants us to be a certain way, and non-theistic religions, like Taoism for example, speak of a ‘way’ that is natural or preferable in some sense. I find these two ideas are often in agreement when it comes to some of the big-picture things. It’s perhaps a bit funny to put it like this, but I believe that God is the thing that doesn’t require my belief. God is that thing which persists, regardless of my personal opinions. God is love, yes, and kindness and compassion, of course. But for me God is also hate, frustration and sadness as well. These things arise despite our beliefs! To follow that logic, I believe God is also sandwiches and traffic lights and all those other, less-dramatic, things.

I find conversations about faith so fascinating when I feel a deep agreement between two people who may seem to have very different ways of looking at the world. You and I studied physics together and, at its core, physics is the process of asking the question, “What can we, as individual humans, agree upon?” We call those agreeable notions ‘facts’ and say they point to some larger, more fundamental, truth; a truth that doesn’t care about our differing private opinions. Physics and Buddhism agree that we are part of a very big ‘whole’, the universe, but I think we can go even further and say that not only are we part of something bigger but that there really isn’t a very good notion of ourselves at all. That’s because it isn’t needed by Buddhism or by physics, and it can often be detrimental to our realisation of what is true.

The ‘self’ doesn’t really exist in Buddhism in any sort of fundamental way, and in the physics of quantum theory we also have no notion of ‘self’, although physicists don’t really use that word. In our currently popular form of quantum theory, we have the notion of ‘measurement’, to put this another way, we have the mathematical description of an observation, but there is no real ‘observer’ in the maths. There is no bit of the calculations that you can point to and say, “That’s the thing that is observing!” Most quantum theorists probably agree that this is slightly unsatisfactory or maybe just that it is a little non-intuitive, but the theory doesn’t require an observer at all. Our assumption that someone must be the observer leads us directly to logical paradoxes. We get into confused thinking just by imposing our own opinions and ideas onto that which is in front of our eyes. I love the phrase in the American declaration of independence that goes, “We hold these truths to be self-evident”. For me physics and religion, and all life, is about exploring that which is truly “self-evident”, I think when I speak of God, I’m speaking about something which, hopefully one day, we can all agree is clear and self-evident.

Anthony: To move away from pure theology, how is your community organised? You told me before that you have a Roshi (master), and perhaps you can tell me more about this relationship. It sounds similar to the role of a Spiritual Director in Catholic Christianity.

Neil: We have, in our Glasgow ‘Sangha’ a ‘Sensei’. The Sangha is just the Buddhist community. The whole world is a Sangha really, but in our own local one we have a qualified teacher who we call Sensei. This is a person who has had their insight verified by someone who has had their insight verified by some who has had their insight verified by…. you get the idea. We have Roshis and other Senseis in our larger Sangha; connected groups in Sweden, Finland, the U.S.A, and elsewhere. Roshi means ‘old master’ or ‘old teacher’ and it is usually honorific, at least in our tradition. Besides Senseis and Roshis, which you might call ‘teachers’, we have Priests and Abbots who are trained in the wider areas of Buddhist tradition, philosophy and ritual. It is common for a teacher to be a Priest or an Abbot, but it is not essential. Likewise, we have Priests who are not teachers. I think it would be reasonable to think of a Roshi as a spiritual director, although I’m not 100% what that means in Catholicism!

Anthony: You have spoken before about the idea of illusion and enlightenment. As we move away from maya (illusion) towards the ‘real’, what might we experience? In other words, what might enlightenment feel like? If I understand correctly, it will certainly mean that our language becomes somewhat redundant, and that we may enter into a form of experience that can’t quite be expressed. I’d also ask here about the role of Buddhist scriptures – to what extent do these help?

Neil: I think words are powerful, but they have a slippery dynamic nature, I think that’s apparent whenever people take something the wrong way, which seems to happen all the time! But, to go a bit further than that, words are often used as a way to communicate, and we are often communicating ideas like, for example, ‘murder is wrong’ or ‘I need to catch my train before lunch’. I think Buddhism is a tradition of exploring something which is not an idea. Of course, reality can be conceptualised, but it is obviously more than just a concept and Buddhism is a framework of sorts to explore reality in a way which moves away from conceptualisation. The term often used is ‘direct experience’. My teacher often says, ‘we have a lot of ideas – we probably don’t need any more’.

So, if I can talk of enlightenment at all then it is perhaps best to say that it’s about directly experiencing our world in a way that is a little bit more aware of our very human preoccupation with conceptualising everything. We believe our conceptualisations very readily and this belief is an attachment that is not required by nature. I think of ideas as being sticky; some ideas are a bit sticky; others are really sticky. Buddhism says that our ideas, and any associated ‘stickiness’ they may have, are essentially a form of delusion and enlightenment is about becoming unstuck, or realising that there is, in fact, nothing for ideas to even stick to. The whole thing gets difficult (even sticky itself) when we talk about it, but I guess that’s part of the fun?

Anthony: Finally, you have a masters in theoretical physics and are currently completing a research masters in experimental particle physics, what impact do your physics studies have on your Buddhism and vice-versa? I’m also interested in whether there is an interplay between your Buddhism and your work as a musician.

Neil: In truth, my Buddhist practice cannot be separated from any other aspect of my life, be that studying physics, playing music, or eating breakfast. So it’s everywhere.

If the benefits of meditation practice, for example, didn’t extend outside the realm of those moments of meditation, why would I bother?

This must be true of all religious practice; it changes the way you move around in the world and the way you experience things. I suspect most Christians aren’t playing a gamble of ‘if I am good now, then I get heaven later’. That would be hard to maintain for a lifetime without any real daily payoff, we all like to see returns in the short term, right?

To be a bit less vague, my Buddhist practice allows me to deal with the emotional bits of life in a more complete and fulfilling way. This way, I feel like I feel more, it’s good. I believe that meditation can also help with concentration. Before I developed a regular meditation practice, playing music seems to have been my meditation. It puts you right there in the moment and you learn to lean on something that requires no thought, especially when playing with others; there is a wordless communication that never ceases, if you care to tap into it, and you can sort of sit back and watch it all happen. And when it’s flowing and you are ‘in the zone’, there really are no wrong answers, there’s just the music, calling and responding to itself, and sometimes it’s really enjoyable… and sometimes it’s really not.

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Feb 19 2024

Human Fraternity Conference in Glasgow

Christianity, Interfaith Dialogue, Islam, Scotland

Dr Duncan MacLaren

Over 100 people from the Shia and Catholic communities with other invited guests attended this event organised by the Scottish Catholic Bishops’ Committee for Interreligious Dialogue and the Ahl Al-Beit Society- Scotland in Glasgow’s City Chambers on 7th February.

The purpose of the conference was to celebrate Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together, the document signed by Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed Al-Tayeb, in Abu Dhabi in 2019. The United Nations celebrates the document on 4th February every year as the International Day of Human Fraternity to promote “cultural and religious tolerance, understanding and dialogue”.

16906 Uae Human Fraternity 600 384 — Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Cairo’s Al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmad al-Tayeb signed the 'Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together' on February 4th in Abu Dhabi. [Photo courtesy of the UAE Embassy in Lebanon]

Every year, the Bishops’ Interreligious Committee and the Shia Ahl Al-Beit Society organise a conference to help publicise the document, urge people of faith to study its contents and help bring the document alive in the public domain.

The two main speakers were Sheikh Dr Mohammad Ali Shomali, a distinguished Muslim scholar, academic, philosopher and theologian who has spoken on interfaith issues in many countries over the last twenty-five years and Bishop Brian McGee, Bishop of Argyll and the Isles and President of the Scottish Bishops’ Committee for Interreligious Dialogue. They both tackled the document’s challenges and possibilities for us in the contemporary world.

Conference 3 — Joseph Sikora, Secretary of the Bishops' Committee, with Keynote Speakers Dr. Shomali and Bishop McGee alongside Azzam Mohamad of Ahl Al Bait - Scotland

Sheikh Shomali reminded us that, whether we are Muslim or Christian, we both face remarkably similar challenges and possibilities. He began his talk by reminding us that the document had been well received around the world and mentioned that Pope Francis was inspired to write his own encyclical (Fratelli Tutti) on universal fraternity.

The Sheikh talked about our common humanity under God and, how reminding ourselves of our divine source, we should manifest love in our lives and centre on reconciling people, bringing them together. He cited the Holy Qu’ran that even reconciling two people who were alienated from one another was better than one year of fasting and praying - though these two are necessary in our lives as well! If we ignore our common humanity, we will often treat people as animals and not as creatures of God. He cited the Holy Qu’ran that God’s best plan was to create human beings though he gave us free will. Too often, we misuse our divine creation by shedding blood or creating mischief and that is when we forget that we share a common humanity. Unity does not come through the sword but in manifesting God’s love, mercy, and kindness and to work for reconciliation - to bring people together. Sheikh Shomali, who is based in London, ended with a word of admiration for our interfaith efforts in Scotland.

Bishop Brian, fresh from a 13-hour dash by ferry and train from Barra, reminded us of the good that religion can do in the face of many who judge it solely as a divisive force because “we believe in a Creator and the world is not merely a planet but part of Creation, entrusted to us by the Creator. People of faith ought to be more inspired than anyone else.” He then declared the Document on Human Fraternity as one excellent example of what Faith can offer in terms of its wisdom. He said, “From its very first sentence the document challenges us with the importance of equality in rights, duties, and dignity and seeks to encourage us with the values of goodness, love, and peace.....It has been welcomed by many political and intellectual leaders throughout the world as, in the words of the United Nations’ Secretary General, António Guterres, a ‘model of interfaith harmony and human solidarity’ and an inspiration to ‘renew our commitment to stand together as one human family’”.

Bishop Brian also welcomed the presence of young Muslims and Catholics from schools and universities in the City Chambers to learn about and, above all, put into action the document’s vision not just in a theoretical but practical way which leads to people treating one another with respect, promotes listening to the other person and his or her faith tradition and learning about our similarities of belief. In addition, Bishop Brian emphasised that we should also appreciate our differences and work together to improve life for all, especially the poor and vulnerable.

In the second half of the evening, the participants at round tables discussed the talks and put their thoughts down on paper as to how we could continue to bring people of different faiths together. These have now been typed up and will be distributed to everyone who registered.

As we left the City Chambers, I spoke to some pupils who attended the event from St Roch's Secondary School in Glasgow as they had taken part in interfaith activities during Interfaith Week. They told me they enjoyed the talks and the discussion in groups at the Human Fraternity event and how proud they were of their school’s diversity.

The evening concluded with the presentation of lifetime achievement awards to Sr Isabel Smyth SND, former Secretary of the Bishops’ Committee for Interreligious Dialogue, and Azzam Mohammad, Director of the Ahl Al-Beit Society. Both have been involved in interreligious dialogue and action for many years and their interactions have resulted in a close friendship. Congratulations to them both.

Conference 4 — Sr Isabel Smyth SND, recipient of the Lifetime Service Award

Dr Duncan MacLaren is the representative of the Archdiocese of Glasgow on the Bishops’ Committee for Interreligious Dialogue.

Pictured in our header image: Duncan MacLaren, Joseph Sikora, Bishop McGee, Azzam Mohamad and Sr. Isabel (presented with awards for lifetime service of interfaith dialogue), Ahmed Khweir and Fr. Charles Coyle.

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Jan 8 2024

Interfaith Insights 2

Interfaith Dialogue, Religious Practice, Scotland

Welcome to our second “Interfaith Insights” conversation.
Here Anthony MacIsaac is in conversation with fellow Yazidi students…

The Yazidis are an ethno-religious group found in Kurdistan (northern Iraq), Armenia, Georgia, and Iran. Their religion is founded upon ancient beliefs and practices, and was informed by the medieval Sufis, especially by one of their major religious figures: Shaykh Adi ibn Musafir.

Yazidis have been persecuted over the centuries and most recently were targeted by Islamic State (ISIS). As a result, many Yazidis no longer live in their traditional homeland area but now form a diaspora in several countries across the globe.

Dialogue between Anthony MacIsaac and two Yazidis – Kalash Tamoyan, and Samo Bakoyan. Many thanks to the Institut Kurde for helping facilitate this initial dialogue:

Anthony: It’s great to meet with you! Are you from Kurdistan, or elsewhere?
Samo: We are both from Armenia. There are also Yazidis in Georgia.

Kalash: There are 11-13 villages with Yazidis in Armenia, they are concentrated in these areas.

Anthony: I read that Lalash (Kurdistan) is the most sacred place for Yazidis, have you been?
Samo: Of course! We try to go when we can, usually once a year, but the situation with getting the necessary visas is complicated.

Kalash showed us video footage and photographs of Lalash.

Anthony: So, you go there on pilgrimage? Are there many feasts among the Yazidis?

Samo: Yes. There are three major feasts, and also many others. Of course, we also celebrate our birthdays and our marriages. Marriage is the most important celebration for us, it is something sacred.

With another video, Kalash showed us a traditional Yazidi marriage, in which a green branch must be prepared, symbolising life. This branch is central to the ceremony, without it the marriage cannot be accomplished.

Anthony: What about initiation? Is there something analogous to Baptism, with Christianity, or to circumcision?
Samo: Initiation is important. There are no ritual requirements for girls, but for boys their hair must be cut ceremonially. This can only be performed by a Shaykh, each family has a Shaykh, who is like their family patriarch.

Kalash: The boys’ hair must be cut at the age of one, we try not to wait longer than that.

Anthony: What happens if you are in the diaspora, and can’t access the Shaykh? I imagine there aren’t many Shaykhs in France?

Samo: That’s right, there aren’t many here. Many live in Lalash, dedicating their lives to prayer, and they are our religious authorities. If they are not here to cut the boys’ hair, for initiation, we cut it ourselves, but we must send it to them in the post.

Anthony: That’s very interesting!

Samo: The Shaykh treats the hair ceremonially, when he receives it, and this validates the initiation of our sons.

Anthony: On the level of belief, how do you understand God and His work? I read that you believe in seven major Angels?

Samo: Yes, there are seven. The most important is Melek Taus.

Anthony: Am I right in thinking he is represented as a peacock?

Samo: This is just representation! It shows his beauty, he is not a bird himself, but angels have wings…

Anthony: The other six angels – what is their function?

Samo: We’d need to ask one of the Shaykhs, our faith is passed on by oral tradition!

Anthony: And God always speaks via Melek Taus, or can God speak in His own ways?

Kalash: Oh yes, God can speak for Himself! But Melek Taus is very important in our faith.

Samo: Melek Taus was with Adam and Eva in the Garden of Eden.

Anthony: What of people? Are the Judeo-Christian Patriarchs and Prophets considered significant by the Yazidis? What of Jesus Christ and Mary?

Samo: They are certainly important, and we have heard their names. There are many stories, which our Shaykhs know better. For us, they are all people of God, but we also venerate Shaykh Adi ibn Musafir, whose tomb is in Lalash.

Anthony: What about Muhammad, as Shaykh Musafir was Sufi? There must be some Islamic influence.

Samo: The simple answer is no, for us Muhammad is not considered one of God’s chosen prophets. We have been very persecuted over the years. In 2015 we suffered from a genocide, and many of our people were kidnapped by Daesh (ISIS). The Ottoman Empire also persecuted our people. Islam and the Yazidis struggle to exist together.

Kalash: But the Christians in Armenia have been excellent to us, they have helped us, and made us very welcome. We live side-by-side, in peace.

Kalash showed us another video, of a new Yazidi place of worship, in Armenia. The building looked impressive, and had seven towers, with the central tower being the largest. On each spire was one of the seven Angels of God. God is known as Xwedê .

Anthony: What about more spiritual questions? How do you pray? And what do you believe about death and the meaning of life?

Samo: We can pray three times a day (sunrise, noon, sundown) and we usually wash our hands, and our faces before prayer. Life is a mystery, and I can’t say what happens after death! For funeral services, we do pray, and we always insist on burial, never cremation.

Anthony: How do you understand the presence of evil, especially in the context of suffering, which seems to have really affected your own community, tragically?

Samo: It is tragic, but we can’t understand it completely. All is good. We don’t believe in any devil. God is good, the world is good.

Anthony: I suppose the only other thing I was going to ask was whether you have any prohibitions in your religious beliefs?

Samo: Yes, Yazidis can only marry Yazidis. But the Yazidi identity is always passed by the girls – which is why we must initiate the boys by cutting their hair.

Anthony: That parallels with the Jewish belief, of identity passing via the mother?

Samo: Yes, it does! And we don’t eat pork. We do drink alcohol however.

Kalash: In Armenia we like to drink vodka. Sometimes we drink vodka in ritual celebrations, with two hands, and saying a prayer of thanksgiving. In Scotland, you have good whisky?

Anthony: Yes, we do! Thank you so much for your time, and it has been remarkably interesting for me.

Kalash: You must visit Lalash, it is very welcoming to everyone.
Samo: I hope we can meet again, and we can discuss more of your questions. Until next time, and I hope you have a nice Christmas. We celebrate it by giving presents to the children, but we don’t have any religious dimension attached to it.

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Oct 11 2023

Interfaith Learnings – Sr Isabel Smyth SND

Interfaith Dialogue, Scotland

Interfaith Learnings – Sr Isabel Smyth SND

The Scottish Catholic Edition 31 web I have been invited to take part in the monthly faith to faith dialogue organised by Interfaith Glasgow and St Mungo’s Museum of Religious Life and Art. The dialogue will focus on how positive and fruitful interfaith dialogue can enrich one’s own faith and spiritual journey. It’s one that I look forward to. There’s still a suspicion and fear amongst some people of faith that interfaith dialogue will somehow compromise or threaten their own beliefs and practices. For me this has not been the case. I can honestly say that my own faith and spirituality have been enriched and transformed by my work in interreligious dialogue and my contact and friendship with people of other faiths.

My interfaith journey began when I studied world faiths at Lancaster university, met and talked with people of other faiths for the first time in my life and then went on to teach world religions as part of my job in preparing students to teach religious education in Catholic schools at a time when the RE syllabus had moved from being focussed on Christianity to include world religions. This meant trying to give students an insight into the faith of others by explaining some of their beliefs, introducing students to their scriptures, visiting places of worship and encouraging the students to engage in dialogue by visiting the International Flat and taking part in meetings of the Glasgow Sharing of Faiths. To give the students an insight into the wisdom and beauty of a faith I tried to teach it with appreciation and respect, from the ‘inside’ so to speak. Just as a stained-glass window can look quite dull from outside a building but different when seen from inside with the sun lighting up the diverse colours so too another faith can, I would suggest, only be appreciated when we have crossed over, tried to stand in the shoes of another and view it and the world from their perspective. John Dunne, a catholic theologian, sees the work of interreligious dialogue as a crossing over into the world of another and coming back to our own to see it with new eyes. It is this crossing over that brings about a transformation in faith and change of perspective. And along the way I have made many interfaith friends which I greatly value and for which I am very grateful.

So, what have I learned? I’ve seen my faith from the perspective of another and realised something of its exclusive and oppressive aspects. I was brought up to believe that there was only one truth and that was to be found in the Catholic Church. How wrong we were to think that we were the only way to truth and salvation and that others lived in ignorance of that truth. I have come to recognise, appreciate, and be inspired by the wisdom and truth that I have discovered in other faiths. So too I am glad to say has the Catholic Church. I also appreciate the diversity to be found within faiths. For me this is what makes interfaith relations interesting and challenging because it is very easy sometimes to think that when we use the same words e.g. God or even religion we mean the same thing. We can’t take that for granted. This is where real face to face dialogue happens and it can’t be done quickly. Recently Interfaith Glasgow in partnership with the Council of Christians and Jews produced a report on Difficult Dialogues. It recorded a dialogue that took place over several years, longer than intended because of Covid. I was privileged to be part of that and it was one of the best experiences I’ve had of dialogue because we really listened to one another and honestly shared our common understanding of shared concepts. It also brought out that there is a variety of understandings of people from within one faith and it’s important not to generalise that what one person believes, and thinks is necessarily indicative of what everyone within the faith believes. Interfaith dialogue is a face to face, person to person activity.

Getting to know another faith, experiencing its hospitality and visiting its place of worship is to recognise the sacredness of all faiths. When we encounter a person of another faith we are standing on holy ground, we’re encountering the sacred, the divine in that person and in that tradition. It is indeed a privilege. And sometimes it’s to recognise that another faith might do some things better than our own or its scriptures and teaching lead us to reflect and gain a new insight into our own faith. Krister Stendhal- Ras when he was at Harvard coined the phrase holy envy in urging believers to find beauty in other faiths and there are many things that I admire and could be envious of. But I’ve also come to realise that there are both liberating and oppressive aspects in all faiths and that in interfaith relations it’s important to compare like with like. It’s easy sometimes to compare the best of our own religion with the worst of another or even the worst of our own with the best of another. There is good and bad religion.

Perhaps above all else my interfaith journey has led me to realise that I am a member of a much wider community than my own. I feel in my being that we believers make up a vast community of people who are striving to live a good life and desire the welfare of all sentient beings as well as our planet. I believe that when we each in our own way commit our lives, perhaps our day to following what we believe to be right together we generate a great energy for good, something Christians would call the Kingdom of God, which while hidden is still powerful. Together we are sowing seeds that we hope will grow and flourish, we are in the words attributed to Archbishop Romero prophets of a future not our own.

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Oct 11 2023

Interfaith Reception 2023

Interfaith Dialogue, Scotland

Friends from Other Faiths Flock to the Eyre Hall in the Curia of the Archdiocese of Glasgow
by Duncan McLaren, Member of the Bishops’ Committee

Members of the Scottish Bishops’ Committee for Interreligious Dialogue were delighted with the turnout of faith leaders on 28th September.

This was our first Interfaith Reception since the Covid pandemic which stopped the annual meeting from taking place for three years.

Over 60 leaders from communities representing the major faiths as well as friends from the other Churches, local politicians and the Director of Interfaith Scotland were welcomed by the new Interfaith Officer, Joe Sikora. He was standing in for the President, Bishop Brian McGee, who had to go to Belfast due to a family bereavement.

FR5 (002) The guests enjoyed a talk by Sr Isabel Smyth SND, the former Secretary of the Committee and a renowned and well-loved promoter of interfaith dialogue in Scotland. She reflected on what she had learned over three decades about interreligious dialogue and talked about how her interaction with other faiths led not only to knowledge about them but how it transformed and increased her own faith. She focused on four things.

Firstly, on the need for gratitude. Gratitude for the wisdom and insight gained from the faith of others, for the widening of her perspective so that my notion of God, faith has expanded beyond what it was in my own tradition, and for the friendships of many of the people she has encountered over the years.

Secondly, she reflected on the need to “honour the pain” that has marked the chequered history of religious encounters, including the exclusive and oppressive aspects of her own religion, and a long-held belief that the Catholic faith contained the only truth and others lived in ignorance.

She also reflected how interfaith dialogue had given her the ability to see things “with new eyes”. In particular the diversity found within faiths which makes interreligious dialogue so interesting and challenging.

Finally, Sr. Isabel reflected on the way forward or “going forth”, as collaborators in a vast project to make the world a better place for everyone to live in justice and peace.

Everyone was relieved to meet up again which could be heard in the conversations, the laughter and the invitations given out so freely. Over a simple meal, the atmosphere was one of genuine dialogue, made all the easier because of the friendships forged previously.

A Shia Muslim guest commented: “I always enjoyed coming here and used to meet with the late Archbishop Mario Conti. We became good friends!”. A Hindu lady who never missed this event in the past said she felt “very much at home as usual”.

It is an occasion such as this that reminds us we are all building, through our interfaith work, peaceful communities which spread that message of living in harmony together throughout society.

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