North London Interfaith Events

Our aim is to break through barriers of ignorance and prejudice so that harmonious living in a multifaith society becomes a reality.

The earth - our common home: reverence or exploitation?

This was a workshop led by two Quakers, Alec Davison and Jennifer Kavanagh. The aim was to take an issue of vital importance to us all and by working together find points of common concern that would bridge the faiths. It was a way of getting to know one another better than is possible in a talk and questions session.

Three themes were explored in turn by different processes of group work, following inputs and quotations from the facilitators. In Celebration we shared in pairs some of our personal experiences of 'moments of glory', 'signals of the transcendent', 'spots of time' that we had encountered in 'nature' and we explored what we felt had been happening in such peak experiences.

In Relationship and responsibility through an ongoing series of encounters in pairs, we asked what humanity's relationship with the earth and other living beings should be; what our understanding of the sacred and a sacramental vision for the earth was; whether the masculine way is to dominate and the feminine way is to care and how that might be better balanced. We also looked at some practical ways in which society could stop abusing the earth and the first steps we would take personally to begin to put that into action.

In Faith and commonalities we worked in small groups of different faith members to hear what our faith said about such issues and whether we felt that was enough at this time of crisis, and then how we may be separated by our different beliefs but united by the needs of our common home.

Summary of workshop led by Alec Davison and Jennifer Kavanagh to Hampstead Interfaith Group (North London Interfaith) on 19 September 2006.