Religious education is the only compulsory subject to be taught in British schools and the only one from which parents can withdraw their children. Over the last fifty years religious education has moved from focussing on Christian teaching to involving knowledge and understanding of the major world faith traditions. It aims to encourage a religious literacy that hopefully will benefit society and reduce discrimination and prejudice. The young people in our schools are hopefully growing up with an understanding and respect for difference. But it should not stop there.
A recent report from Theos is called Beyond the Classroom. Theos is a Christian religion and society think tank which researches the relationship between religion, politics and society in the contemporary world and in this report it suggests that “In a time of growing division, where religion is often seen as a problem, religious education cannot, and indeed does not, only take place within the classroom or within formal education. If we are to build compassionate, cohesive societies, we need to understand religious education as something active, lifelong, evolving and to be taken seriously” It so happens that the report was published at a time when both Scotland and England were celebrating their interfaith weeks. In both countries there will have been hundreds of events and many people will have been introduced to the world of others for the first time while others will have deepened friendships. And yet there will be thousands who knew nothing of it despite the hard work of faith communities and interfaith organisations to publicise events. This the Theos report would suggest is a missed opportunity for a better society.
At a landmark gathering in Glasgow, representatives from across Glasgow’s faith and belief communities marked the city’s 850th anniversary with the launch of the Glasgow 850 Interfaith Declaration—a statement of shared values and commitments to build a more just, inclusive, and compassionate city. It was signed by senior representatives from Glasgow’s diverse communities, with Glasgow’s Lord Provost, Councillor Jacqueline McLaren, as witness.
The preamble to the Declaration states that it is a shared wish for Glasgow’s flourishing – and a wider concern for people and planet and a commitment in a spirit of friendship and cooperation to nurture constructive relationships, to celebrate the role of faith and belief in building a more compassionate, just and cohesive Glasgow and working for equality, welcoming refugees, advocating for peace and challenging prejudice in all its forms. It is a great vision and one to whom many of good faith whether religious or not could subscribe but the challenge comes in making it a reality in our common life. I hope that the religious leaders who so willingly signed the declaration and were sincere that this indeed reflected their wishes and concerns will alert those in their charge to sign it but more importantly to live it. If the Theos report is correct then we do need more interfaith commitment and while a lot goes on at grassroot level and religious leaders are willing on occasion to come together we need the leaders within our communities to support it and witness to its importance.
This wasn’t the only interfaith declaration that came my way recently. The other one came from Jerusalem, from Bat Kol International (BKI) — an international network of educators and animators that fosters Christian appreciation and respect for Jewish communities and the practices and values of Judaism. It was not celebrating Interfaith Week but the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate and was part of new online resources to mark the anniversary. It too had an invitation to sign a 2025 Declaration on Jewish-Christian Relations as a pledge of commitment to the achievements and aspirations of Nostra Aetate. The preamble has most significance for Christians and Jews but is important I would think for all faiths and for interfaith harmony in our world. It states “On the 60th anniversary of the promulgation of the Vatican II document, Nostra Aetate (28 October 2025), you are invited to support and affirm this Declaration on Jewish-Christian Relations. By appending your name to this Declaration, you affirm your commitment to the positive changes that have taken place between Christians and Jews since Nostra Aetate, and the work yet to be realized”. But many of its pledges are more universal than that.
For example It pledges “to respect the dignity, essential holiness, and moral potential of all people without any distinctions, and to deplore hatred and persecution at any time from any source; to bring light to dispel the darkness of ignorance, prejudice, and misunderstanding by working together for justice, peace, the integrity of creation, and an end to suffering in our world; to pray for one another for peace in our hearts and peace in our world ;…… to engage in attentive and respectful interreligious dialogue;….. to support interreligious and intercultural education by promoting positive images of each other and rejecting negative stereotypes and prejudices; to seek peace and actively pursue it as we uphold the hope that one day we shall enjoy lasting peace for the benefit of all; to become a blessing for others, to receive the blessings we need for the journey we share, and for the wisdom to know we have been blessed”.
Another wonderful vision to which we can subscribe and which we can promote. Much of interfaith work is mundane. Meetings and dialogues must be arranged, catering and venues organised, even attending in inclement weather takes a commitment. There is much joy in it but not all dialogues are easy. However for me and for my many interfaith friends it is the vision set out in both these declarations that energises and motivates us and gives us a sense of purpose. We hope that our small contribution can be a witness to possibilities and sow seeds for the future. In this we are indeed blessed and pray that we might be a blessing to others, our society and our world,
A recent report from Theos is called Beyond the Classroom. Theos is a Christian religion and society think tank which researches the relationship between religion, politics and society in the contemporary world and in this report it suggests that “In a time of growing division, where religion is often seen as a problem, religious education cannot, and indeed does not, only take place within the classroom or within formal education. If we are to build compassionate, cohesive societies, we need to understand religious education as something active, lifelong, evolving and to be taken seriously” It so happens that the report was published at a time when both Scotland and England were celebrating their interfaith weeks. In both countries there will have been hundreds of events and many people will have been introduced to the world of others for the first time while others will have deepened friendships. And yet there will be thousands who knew nothing of it despite the hard work of faith communities and interfaith organisations to publicise events. This the Theos report would suggest is a missed opportunity for a better society.
At a landmark gathering in Glasgow, representatives from across Glasgow’s faith and belief communities marked the city’s 850th anniversary with the launch of the Glasgow 850 Interfaith Declaration—a statement of shared values and commitments to build a more just, inclusive, and compassionate city. It was signed by senior representatives from Glasgow’s diverse communities, with Glasgow’s Lord Provost, Councillor Jacqueline McLaren, as witness.
The preamble to the Declaration states that it is a shared wish for Glasgow’s flourishing – and a wider concern for people and planet and a commitment in a spirit of friendship and cooperation to nurture constructive relationships, to celebrate the role of faith and belief in building a more compassionate, just and cohesive Glasgow and working for equality, welcoming refugees, advocating for peace and challenging prejudice in all its forms. It is a great vision and one to whom many of good faith whether religious or not could subscribe but the challenge comes in making it a reality in our common life. I hope that the religious leaders who so willingly signed the declaration and were sincere that this indeed reflected their wishes and concerns will alert those in their charge to sign it but more importantly to live it. If the Theos report is correct then we do need more interfaith commitment and while a lot goes on at grassroot level and religious leaders are willing on occasion to come together we need the leaders within our communities to support it and witness to its importance.
This wasn’t the only interfaith declaration that came my way recently. The other one came from Jerusalem, from Bat Kol International (BKI) — an international network of educators and animators that fosters Christian appreciation and respect for Jewish communities and the practices and values of Judaism. It was not celebrating Interfaith Week but the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate and was part of new online resources to mark the anniversary. It too had an invitation to sign a 2025 Declaration on Jewish-Christian Relations as a pledge of commitment to the achievements and aspirations of Nostra Aetate. The preamble has most significance for Christians and Jews but is important I would think for all faiths and for interfaith harmony in our world. It states “On the 60th anniversary of the promulgation of the Vatican II document, Nostra Aetate (28 October 2025), you are invited to support and affirm this Declaration on Jewish-Christian Relations. By appending your name to this Declaration, you affirm your commitment to the positive changes that have taken place between Christians and Jews since Nostra Aetate, and the work yet to be realized”. But many of its pledges are more universal than that.
For example It pledges “to respect the dignity, essential holiness, and moral potential of all people without any distinctions, and to deplore hatred and persecution at any time from any source; to bring light to dispel the darkness of ignorance, prejudice, and misunderstanding by working together for justice, peace, the integrity of creation, and an end to suffering in our world; to pray for one another for peace in our hearts and peace in our world ;…… to engage in attentive and respectful interreligious dialogue;….. to support interreligious and intercultural education by promoting positive images of each other and rejecting negative stereotypes and prejudices; to seek peace and actively pursue it as we uphold the hope that one day we shall enjoy lasting peace for the benefit of all; to become a blessing for others, to receive the blessings we need for the journey we share, and for the wisdom to know we have been blessed”.
Another wonderful vision to which we can subscribe and which we can promote. Much of interfaith work is mundane. Meetings and dialogues must be arranged, catering and venues organised, even attending in inclement weather takes a commitment. There is much joy in it but not all dialogues are easy. However for me and for my many interfaith friends it is the vision set out in both these declarations that energises and motivates us and gives us a sense of purpose. We hope that our small contribution can be a witness to possibilities and sow seeds for the future. In this we are indeed blessed and pray that we might be a blessing to others, our society and our world,
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