In a keynote lecture on Interfaith relations in Bradford, the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Inter-faith Advisor, Canon Toby Howarth, has said that dialogue and diversity are core Christian values which still need to be affirmed. And he said that the Bradford experience of interfaith dialogue was of vital importance to the wider society. “if we can’t lead on the difficult questions here, who will?”
Canon Howarth was speaking at the Annual Lecture of Bradford Churches for Dialogue and Diversity (BCDD) held at the Thornbury Centre which attracted a large audience from churches across the city, as well as those of other faiths or none.
Canon Haworth was born in Kenya, and has served in ordained ministry in Derby, India, Rotterdam and Birmingham where he taught Islamic studies and served as Vice Principal at Crowther Hall in Selly Oak.
In his lecture, he said the concept of dialogue was under threat – it was sometimes seen as serving a political or cohesion agenda or was suspected of ignoring differences or of being a vehicle for proselytising those of other faiths – and he spoke of his own more recent experiences as Vicar of St Christopher's, Springfield, Birmingham, a church in a majority Muslim area.
But he argued that Dialogue was grounded in the core Christian concept of ‘loving your neighbour’ which needed to be affirmed: “Side by side dialogue asks, ‘how can we work together for the common good?’ It is embracing this that has led to the Near Neighbours Programme in Bradford.”
He added, “There is something really refreshing about saying, ‘ok, we are different’. Let’s not pretend we are all ‘wandering up the same mountain in the smoke’ – we have real differences, theological differences and differences in how we see society, but we are all living as neighbours, cheek by jowl, so how can we get to know one another and do something practical for the common good?”
BCDD was launched in 2005 as an ecumenical centre for inter-religious dialogue and social action which provides resources for churches in West Yorkshire and across the M62 corridor. It works with a range of different Christian denominations, Muslim organisations, Hindu and Sikh groups and other faith bodies and seeks to share good practice across the North of England. More information at www.bcdd.org.uk
Pictured below with Canon Toby Howarth is Canon Paul Hackwood, Chair of BCDD
