Inter-faith summer schools train future leaders in art of “intelligent disagreement”

bjb42 — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 11:38:06 +0000

Each summer, the Cambridge Inter-faith Programme, which is based at the ̽��ֱ��’s Faculty of Divinity, brings together an international group of students from Islamic, Christian and Jewish backgrounds, for a three-week programme of immersion in inter-faith education.

̽��ֱ��aim is to lay the ground for mutual understanding and friendship between them, while nevertheless acknowledging that the three “Abrahamic” religions, as they are known, are far from the same.

̽��ֱ��programme therefore tries to scrutinise what coexistence means in practice, by looking at what models each of the three religions offers the other for peaceful and serious engagement. Ultimately, the hope is that the participants will learn to turn their differences into fruitful faith leadership in a much wider sense as their careers progress.

“ ̽��ֱ��aim is to learn to live well with disagreement, or to disagree intelligently,” Dr Mike Higton, academic co-director with the programme, said. “Coming to an agreement on theology, politics or any other subject is not our aim, nor is the creation of some sort of neutral middle ground.”

“What we can do is explore each tradition, and look for the forms of coexistence and friendship that are possible between traditions that remain distinct and different.”

Over the course of the three weeks, the participants undertake an academic programme based at Madingley Hall, ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge. They not only study, but also live and dine together, according to the traditional Cambridge college model.

̽��ֱ��programme itself features lectures from academics and a range of guest speakers, including Professor David Ford, Regius Professor of Divinity at the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge; the renowned Muslim scholar, Sheikh Abdul Hakim Murad, and Middle East peacemaker Yehezkel Landau.

There are also sessions devoted to the practice of scriptural reasoning, in which the participants meet to read passages of their respective sacred texts, discuss the content, and explain how their various traditions have been shaped by them. Through this, they gain a deeper understanding of both their own sacred texts and those of others, as well as their possible interpretations.

̽��ֱ��programme also involves visits to religious communities around the UK including a weekend in Birmingham, and time in London’s East End.

This year’s cohort involves representatives from Egypt, Kuwait, Pakistan, Tanzania, the UAE, Oman, Israel, the USA, France, Italy, Germany and the UK.

Emerging religious leaders from around the world have arrived in Cambridge for a programme which aims to build understanding between faiths and teach them to “live well with disagreement”.

We aim to explore each tradition, and look for the forms of coexistence and friendship that are possible between traditions that remain distinct and different.

Mike Higton

Cambridge Inter-faith Programme.

Summer school participants during a tour of the ̽��ֱ��.

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̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge - Mike Higton

Inter-faith summer schools train future leaders in art of “intelligent disagreement”