Scriptural reasoning.

探花直播power of 鈥渟criptural reasoning鈥 to transform the way in which different faiths understand one another is to be the subject of a major lecture in Rome, by Cambridge鈥檚 Regius Professor of Divinity.

Scriptural Reasoning has transformed my understanding of both Judaism and Christianity.

Professor David Ford

Professor David Ford, who is also Director of the 探花直播鈥檚 Inter-Faith Programme, will give the Pope John Paul II Honorary Lecture today (Tuesday, 5 April). 探花直播highly prestigious annual lecture, which takes place at the Pontifical 探花直播 of St Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum), examines interreligious understanding.

Scriptural reasoning brings together members of different religious traditions in small groups to read and discuss extracts from their sacred texts. Professor Ford will argue that the process can function as a bridge between Abrahamic faiths which, without necessarily leading to consensus, can result in mutual understanding and respect.

His lecture will begin by describing the 21st century as a 鈥渒airos鈥 鈥 a particularly propitious moment 鈥 for engagement between faiths. Professor Ford himself was brought up as an Anglican in the Church of Ireland in Dublin (placing him in a 3% religious minority) and spent parts of his early academic career working in an inner city Anglican parish in Birmingham, which was both multi-ethnic and multi-faith.

鈥淪criptural Reasoning has transformed my understanding of both Judaism and Christianity,鈥 he said.

鈥淭his is not about becoming clearer regarding any of the faiths 鈥 I was much clearer about Judaism and Islam before getting to know so many Jews and Muslims. To plunge into a sea of Talmud and Hadith while trying to interpret a scriptural text is often more bewildering than clarifying. To hear Jews or Muslims arguing among themselves subverts many textbook generalisations.鈥

探花直播presentation will advocate Scriptural Reasoning as one way in which it is possible to achieve 鈥渨ise faith鈥; an understanding of faith as something which doesn鈥檛 necessarily always involve clear assertions or imperatives, but is instead about asking questions and exploring and seeking a relationship with God. This, Professor Ford suggests, has the potential to lead not just a deeper understanding of one鈥檚 own faith, but to a broader commitment between Christians, Muslims and Jews to the wider, common good.

鈥 探花直播global inter-faith challenge we face requires institutional creativity, conversation, collaboration and thorough theological work and education 鈥 locally, nationally and internationally,鈥 he concludes. 鈥 探花直播thinking required for this has, I think, hardly got going. As a catalyst for this I have not found anything as helpful as Scriptural Reasoning.鈥

探花直播lecture is a central event of the John Paul II Centre for Interreligious Dialogue, created through a partnership between the Russell Berrie Foundation and the Pontifical 探花直播 of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum). 探花直播Centre aims to build bridges between Catholic, Jewish and other religious traditions by providing the next generation of religious leaders with a comprehensive understanding of and dedication to inter-faith issues.

Details of the event can be found at , where a full copy of Professor Ford鈥檚 lecture will also be published.


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