Report: Conflict resolution and interreligious encounter at the VHI

In September 2023, four representatives of the Cambridge Interfaith Programme contributed to a four-day conference at the Von Hügel Institute for Critical Catholic Inquiry. The theme was Conflict resolution and interreligious encounter.

Based at St Edmund’s College, Cambridge, the VHI supports advanced study with a particular commitment to dialogue, encounter and transformation. Their September conference was held in partnership with the European University of Flensburg (EUF). The EUF brought a cohort of postgraduate students to participate—including Israeli, Palestinian, Albanian, Irish and German doctoral students.  

Co-organiser Dr Zeina Barakat explains: “We focussed our discussion particularly on the topic of interreligious tolerance through the dialogical model of scriptural reasoning favoured in Cambridge. The aim of this model is to methodically train participants in the empathetic perception of the interpretation of the three holy scriptures: the Hebrew Bible, the Koran and the New Testament”.

We are grateful to the EUF for permitting us to share passages from their report on the conference, and look forward to exploring further collaborations of this kind:

On Holocaust memory

The first substantive presentation was a discussion of a recent volume, “Subcontractors of Guilt: Holocaust Memory and Muslim Belonging in Post-War Germany,” written by Professor Esra Ozyurek, Sultan Qaboos Professor of Abrahamic Faiths and Shared Values, and Director of the Cambridge Interfaith Programme... Whilst the material discussed had a focus on Germany, the presentation ranged far and wide on how guilt can act as a basis for identity construction and memory formation in several other jurisdictions.

A revealing aspect was the evaluation of several social -psychological theories and contentions for the predisposition of certain societies to engage in mass violence and genocide. These theories derived from American social sciences which were advanced in the sixties and seventies. They were not necessarily generally accepted as a basis for accurate representation of periods of collective violence and hatred. A safer basis was the social, structural, and historical trajectory of societies such as Germany in the 1930s, having suffered defeat in the First World War and harboring several grievances.

There followed a very lively and informed discussion where participants related the themes of the volume to their own particular situations in Palestine and Israel as well as contemporary Germany.

Visit to Cambridge Central Mosque

The Cambridge Central Mosque, officially opened in 2019, represents a significant milestone in the history of Islamic architecture in the United Kingdom. It is situated on Mill Road, Cambridge, a remarkable blend of contemporary design and traditional Islamic elements. The Mosque project began in the early 2000s, as a result of the local Muslim community's desire to establish a place of worship to serve as a center for interfaith dialogue and community engagement. 

The most significant proportion of Cambridge’s Muslim believers were drawn from the Bangladeshi community, followed by those from the Middle East and North Africa. Conversely, the project faced numerous challenges, including financial constraints, planning permission issues, and concerns from some local community sections.

One of the most fascinating aspects of the Cambridge Central Mosque is that it was designed by David Marks, a Jewish architect. This choice of an architect from a different religious background underscores the project's commitment to inclusivity and interfaith understanding. Marks' design seamlessly incorporates Islamic architectural elements while ensuring the Mosque harmonizes with the surrounding urban landscape.

The struggles in building the Cambridge Central Mosque reflect broader challenges Muslim communities face in Western countries. Resistance from some residents and planning authorities raised questions about the extent of religious freedom and the place of Islamic institutions in Western societies. ...this struggle for acceptance and integration is a recurring theme in the history of Islam in the West.

With Dr Tim Winter

During our visit Dr Tim Winter, Shaykh Zayed Lecturer in Islamic Studies at the Faculty of Divinity, University of Cambridge (and also Chair of the CIP Management Committee), engaged [the group] in a thought-provoking discussion.... The conversation centred around the role of religion in conflicts, drawing parallels between historical conflicts which are rooted in religious differences and contemporary issues, such as Islamophobia and religious extremism. He also looked at how to transform religion into an integral part of resolving conflicts and problems.

Key points of discussion included:

• Religion as a Catalyst: Dr Winter emphasized that while religion has often been cited as a cause of conflict, it is often a catalyst rather than the root cause. Economic, political, and social factors often underlie religious conflicts.
• Interfaith Dialogue: The Mosque serves as a platform for interfaith dialogue, promoting understanding and cooperation among people of different religious backgrounds. Such initiatives were seen as crucial in reducing religious tensions.
• Educational Initiatives: Scholars discussed the importance of education in combating religious prejudice and fostering tolerance. Dr Winter highlighted the role of institutions like the Faculty of Divinity in promoting religious literacy and dialogue.
• Community Engagement and Sustainable Development: The Mosque's commitment to community engagement was lauded to break down barriers and dispel misconceptions about Islam. Its tripartite structure of an outer courtyard, inner courtyard, and central worship space enable local residents to relax in the peaceful surroundings of the front-facing garden, while the inner courtyard was designed to handle the flow of often more than a thousand worshippers at prayers and services. Additional private rooms for discussion and meetings together with a spacious café area completed the layout. Of particular note was the design team's dedication to sustainable development principles as both the materials chosen, and the natural lighting enable the Mosque authorities to reduce their energy consumption and minimize their impact on the local environment.

The visit to Cambridge Central Mosque, accompanied by Dr Timothy Winter, provided valuable insights into the history, architecture, and ongoing struggle for acceptance faced by Muslim communities in the West. It also facilitated a stimulating discussion on the complex relationship between religion and conflict and the potential for interfaith dialogue and understanding to promote peace and harmony in diverse societies. The Cambridge Central Mosque stands as a symbol of hope and inclusivity, demonstrating the power of architecture and education in fostering religious tolerance and coexistence.

An introduction to Scriptural Reasoning

A discussion on Scriptural Reasoning was led by Dr. Daniel Weiss, Polonsky–Coexist Senior Lecturer in Jewish Studies. Dr Weiss outlined the advantages of scriptural text reasoning which he described as a method for enabling dialogue between and within different faiths. It was initiated in the United States in the 1990s by Jewish and Christian scholars, who advanced the notion that they could better understand and approach the particular text in view by employing such reasoning. An essential further development was when Muslim scholars were engaged in the process which enabled the triple-actor encounter to reveal new insights which strengthened the method of interpretation.

Both Cambridge and Virginia pioneered this method. The pedagogical approach has been endorsed and further developed at Tübingen University. It was observed that the method does not insist that participants necessarily speak from a position of authority. Indeed, this openness for dialogue by any and all is one of its unique attributes for religious conversation. By employing this method, participants are prompted to understand conditions that are necessary to create a better conversation.

Keynote: Being healthily plural

The final event was a public lecture by Professor David F. Ford (emeritus, and CIP’s founding Director): “On Being Healthily Plural: Scriptural Reasoning and Its Analogues”.  This was a fitting way to bring many of the conference’s themes together, delivered in a magisterial, warm, and friendly manner. Professor Ford provided remarkable and enriching insights into an innovative technique for interreligious dialogue. He drew on his long experience with the technique given his role as one it its pioneers. 

The lecture comprised three parts. First, the speaker outlined the concept of SR, its history, and its prevalence today. He illustrated the wide variety of the actual practice of SR within several jurisdictions. Taking as his examples the work of the Cambridge Interfaith Programme and the Rose Castle Foundation, he demonstrated the application of SR in China under the headline “Faith in Leadership.” Further illustrations were drawn from the development of SR in the UK, Chile, India, and Germany.

Second, the speaker discussed analogs of SR. For example, he showed how research in the context of the SR method helped better understand religious violence in societies worldwide. Another quite different example was research on combating malaria. Professor Ford described how, regarding controversies surrounding the disputed genetic modification of malaria-transmitting mosquitoes, a joint position could be developed through SR-analogous methods.

Third, Professor Ford reflected on some personal lessons gleaned from within the speaker’s own Anglican tradition. He concluded his lecture by affirming his renewed passion for Christian unity and argued forcibly that SR-based dialogue could and should be used to work toward the goal of overcoming Christian divisions.

Professor Ford’s lecture was a very inspiring and thought-provoking piece of work. The question of why and how SR can contribute to healthy pluralistic societies will continue to exercise the conference participants and stimulate much discussion on this promising methodology for conflict resolution and the abiding search for reconciliation.

Further reading

The quotation from Dr Barakat appears in the VHI’s summary report of the event, available to read on the VHI website: European University of Flensburg announces closer cooperation with the Von Hügel Institute at St Edmunds College | Von Hügel Institute (cam.ac.uk).

The full report also details intellectual contributions from VHI Director Dr Vittorio Montemaggi, the Rev Dr Gary Mason, Director of Rethinking Conflict, and Professor Ulrich Glassmann, Vice President for Europe and International, Europa-Universität, Flensburg. It can be accessed as a PDF from the University of Flensburg website (cambridge-international-conference-short-report.pdf (uni-flensburg.de)).