Anniversary: 20 years of Cambridge Interfaith Programme

A composite photograph featuring 10 of those taking part in the events
A composite image (CIP, 2022) using images provided by those featured or from CIP archive

Update: Thank you to all who attended. Recordings of the livestreamed events are available to watch again on YouTube:

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Couldn't attend?Submit an anniversary greeting to the CIP team and others (Google form).

Cambridge Interfaith Programme was founded in 2002. Early events included a gathering of Jewish, Christian and Muslim scholars in Cambridge that summer.

As we enter our 21st year, Professor Esra Özyürek (Sultan Qaboos Professor of Abrahamic Faiths and Shared Values and CIP’s Academic Director) and colleagues invite past, present and future stakeholders to join us in Cambridge to celebrate our collective achievements and learn more about current work.

The programme reflects CIP’s core commitments:

  • Advancing academic research and interaction in the fields of anthropology and theology at the University of Cambridge, with a special focus on religion and inter-religious relations
  • Reaching outside the University, to share and develop our work in partnership with communities of faith and to the benefit of society, a commitment now embodied by CIP’s Religion and Global Challenges Initiative
  • Promoting deep and informed conversation within and between the three Abrahamic faiths, and with persons of all faiths and none

Schedule

Monday 5 September

11:00am  Anthropologists in trialogue [Watch on YouTube]

Dr Tim Jenkins (Cambridge), and Dr Michal Kravel-Tovi (Tel Aviv) join Professor Esra Özyürek to discuss the contribution of anthropology to the study of relations between & beyond the Abrahamic faiths.

2:00pm Scriptural Reasoning

Coordinated by Sultan Qaboos Research Associate, Dr Giles Waller.
On site participants only. 

4:30pm Managing interfaith relations [Watch on YouTube]

Panel discussion with Rev Dr Catriona Laing (Anglican Chaplain in Leuven, Belgium and a former CIP Project Manager), Miriam Lorie (former CIP Public Education Manager and rabbi-in-training), and Nadiya Takolia (Scriptural Reasoning Coordinator, Rose Castle Foundation—and formerly for CIP). Chaired by CIP Programme Manager, Dr Iona Hine.

6:00pmAnniversary reception

With a welcome from Professor Esra Özyürek, and a few words from Founding Director Professor David Ford. 
Hosted at Selwyn College.

7:00pm Dinner at Selwyn College

Join the CIP team and friends for a celebratory meal.

Tuesday 6 September

10:00am  Meet the team [Watch on YouTube]

A chance to quiz current CIP personnel, including our newest team member Dr Anastasia Badder (who will join via Zoom). Questions to be submitted in advance (when registering via Eventbrite).

11:30am Between religion and theology [Watch on YouTube]

Current and former academics from the Faculty of Divinity discuss the significance of Cambridge Interfaith Programme as a meeting point for different disciplines. Panellists include co-author of Cambridge Interfaith Programme’s original Academic Profile, Professor Ben Quash (King’s College London); Dr Ankur Barua (Cambridge), Acting Director of CIP in 2017–2018;  Dr Daniel Weiss, Coexist-Polonsky Senior Lecturer in Jewish Studies, Chair of the CIP Management Committee; joined by CIP Associate Dr Safet HadziMuhamedovic and Dr Simone Kotva.
Chaired by Professor Esra Özyürek.