With the living God at the Centre

The Committee for Interreligious Dialogue will be holding its annual colloquium event. The new two-part format consists of an online element in November and a residential event next February.

Online event: November 24^th 7.00pm to 9.00pm (Open invitation)

Residential event: February 23^rd and 24^th 2024 at the Conforti Centre in Coatbridge (Limited places available)

The Committee are delighted to announce that the Rev Professor Will Storrar the Director of the Centre for Theological Inquiry in Princeton will offer a keynote speech and facilitate both events.

The colloquium serves as an adult faith formation opportunity for members of the Catholic community interested in the work of interreligious dialogue, those Catholics active in Interreligious Dialogue, and those who would like to learn more on how become involved.

It will explore the Church’s teaching and history of Dialogue in the context of both the Scottish and Global Church experience. Our theme this year is “with the living God at the Centre”, looks to explore the role of “religious experience” in interreligious dialogue.  

The questions in our conversations and sessions will include…

• What is a personal or communal religious experience?
• How important is language in describing religious experience and what are its limits?
• Has our understanding changed in the 21^st 
• How does our personal and communal experience shape our dialogue in this area? 
• In what ways do we share our religious experience? and what are the benefits and challenges that emerge in this type of dialogue experience? 
• How are we enriched in our own faith through conversations with those of other faiths in sharing our religious experience?
• What challenges do contemporary religious believers of all faiths encounter when using the language of religious experience in an increasingly non-religious Scotland?

Prof Will Storrar 

The common thread in Will’s varied career is lifelong learning about the power of collaboration for the common good.

As a student in the 1970s, he learned the power of the open forum to bring diverse voices into dialogue, while working for the Rector of Edinburgh University.

As a parish minister in the 1980s, he learned the power of local leaders to mobilise communities facing the end of the industrial era in the West of Scotland.

As a university lecturer and civic activist in the 1990s, he learned the power of civil society to organize for the public good in the campaign for the Scottish Parliament.

As director of Edinburgh University’s Centre for Theology and Public Issues in the 2000s, he led research on the potential of global civil society and digital democracy.

He directs the Centre of Theological Inquiry in Princeton, where visiting researchers harness the power of transdisciplinary thinking on global concerns.

His publications include “A World for All?” on global civil society, and “Yours the Power” on faith-based organizing in the USA. Will is an Honorary Professor of Edinburgh University.