One of the key features of the globalisation is that we constantly encounter people whose outlook on the world is very different from our own. This is especially true of a global city like London. It is even more so in colleges like Imperial, RCA and RCM which attract staff and students from all over the world. With this comes a great number of potential encounters with people with very different religious and philosophical beliefs to ourselves.
Interfaith Dialogue is a way for people from different religious and faith traditions to explore their similarities and differences.
There are some simple skills for deep listening that make it easier for us to hear different view points. Thes skills will be introduced in a workshop ‘How to do Dialogue’ led by Lucy Campion from Interact http://www.interact-uk.org.uk/ . This takes place on Wednesday 26th Oct at 2.30- 4pm. This will take place in the Chaplaincy Centre, East Basement, Beit Quad.
The skills also allow us to be rooted clearly in our own traditions but able to work respectfully with those with whom we might not always agree. Dialogue is not about making a shallow consensus or blurring our differences. Rather by listening and understanding we gain a deep appreciation and respect for views different from our own. These skills are simple but highly significant and readily transfer to the workplace and other kinds of groups.
The following two Wednesdays 2nd and 9th Nov from 2.30- 4pm join us in the Chaplaincy for Interfaith Dialogues on topics chosen by the students attending the workshop.
The final session is a tour of the Victoria and Albert Museum on Wednesday 18th November 2.30-5pm. The tour will focus on objects relating to burial customs. We will follow the tour with a dialogue about religious practices relating burials and dying. We hope to have people from a wide range of faiths and spiritual practices attending who are willing to talk about their own funerals and burial. Numbers are limited so please contact a.willson@imperial.ac.uk to book a place, please give a mobile number and an indication of your religious tradition/world view.