Beyond Difference

10 May 26 – Journey from Faith Learners to Faith Leaders

On Sunday 10 May, Beyond Difference held its most recent interfaith event at Chesham Town Hall, bringing together three Faith Learners who are each on the journey to becoming Faith Leaders: Junior Imam Usman, who has recently joined Chesham Mosque to work with Imam Arif, Rob Perkins, Curate at St. Mary’s Church, and Richard Greene, Student Rabbi, working with the South Bucks Jewish Community.  Opened by Chesham Mayor, Parveiz Aslam MBE, the event explored themes including calling, community leadership, technology, misinformation, intolerance and the importance of respectful dialogue. Despite coming from different faith traditions, our speakers shared strikingly similar values around compassion, moral responsibility, service to others, and the importance of genuine human connection.  The conversation repeatedly returned to the importance of face-to-face dialogue, respectful disagreement, learning from one another and the importance of community, compassion and moral guidance in everyday life.

Following the panel discussion, audience members joined small-group conversations with the speakers, creating an open and welcoming environment for deeper interfaith dialogue.  Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to such an engaging and hopeful event.

What first drew you to your faith, and how did you begin to feel called toward leadership?

Each of our speakers were drawn to faith leadership early in their careers, but they each acted on that urge at different times: one immediately, one after several years of a career, and the other after a much longer alternative career.

As future faith leaders, what kind of impact do you hope to have in your communities for example, how do you feel you can influence your congregation, local community and society?

Imam Usman described how the mosque gives an opportunity to talk about life’s problems, and encourage people to behave as good Muslims.  He described how the Prophet Mohammed encouraged congregations to add water to soup so that they could share it widely with people in need.  Curate Rob Perkins made a similar comment, that the Church could encourage people to behave in a morally good way and help each other.

Do you use modern technology with your congregation? Do you see it as more of an opportunity or a challenge for meaningful faith dialogue?

All our faith leaders make use of technology for communication, administration and organisation.  Student Rabbi Richard Greene and Rob Perkins described how services are live streamed, and the Imam described how the call to prayer and then the audio from the mosque are shared with the congregation.  Imam Usman particularly saw technology as a challenge, that young people would be drawn to online content rather that seeking advice from community elders. In a quick poll of the audience, only 1/3 thought that social media was a generally positive influence on faith.  There was a question from the audience about whether an artificial intelligence could ever have faith, and Rob Perkins replied that AI is created by humans and not God, and so it can not.

Do you see an increase in challenges such as polarisation, conflict and intolerance? How do you deal with this?

Richard Greene said that the most important thing was to accept that disagreements will happen, but to always be respectful.  He was previously a journalist, and from this perspective he pointed out that “bad news sells” and that the algorithm will push the most extreme views.  He gave an example of the huge press coverage of the recent Golders Green stabbings, but almost no mention of Julie Siddiqi taking over 100 women to walk together show solidarity between faiths.  Personally, I found this a very comforting perspective to my generally negative view of the media. 

Rob Perkins also used a good analogy, that the few seconds of reaction to the extreme and intolerant views were like road rage, and that we can learn to let it go.  He described the loss of nuance being characteristic of online discussion, and that we need to encourage much more face to face interaction.  Imam Usman similarly described how young people need the experience and wisdom of their elders and community leaders.  He praised events such as “Eid for Everyone” which encourage dialog and respect across the whole community.

Questions from the audience:

How can we encourage people to join the interfaith conversation when they don’t believe that people of different faiths should interact?

Rob Perkins said that we need to keep questioning and Richard Greene similarly described how the most important thing was that people should talk to each other and that there is always value in honest debate.  He referred to a “dispute for the sake of heaven” (makhloket l’shem shamayim), which is a Jewish ethical concept defining constructive conflict aimed at discovering truth rather than winning for personal ego or power. Unlike divisive arguments, this approach is characterised by respect, compassion, and shared commitment to a higher purpose.  Imam Usman said that having dialog with other religions has always been part of Islam. 

How can we limit the damage of misinformation?

Rob Perkins said that we should use grace as a way of life and felt that people are getting better at it. Richard Greene agreed that people were getting better at checking facts.  Imam Usman said that Islam teaches that if you share a lie and the community acts upon that lie and does harm to someone, then the sin will be on the shoulders of the person who shared the lie.  Following the Southport stabbings, I believe the UK justice system tries to work in the same way.

Please can the speakers share their favourite passage from their holy text?

Rob Perkins – 1 Peter 3:18: “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.”

Richard Greene – Leviticus 19: “You shall be holy, for I, the Lord, your God, am holy.”

Imam Usman – Surah Al-Hashr 59:21: states that if the Quran were revealed upon a mountain, it would humble itself and break apart in awe and fear of Allah.