Woolf Institute

Improving relations between religion and society through education.
Founded by @kessler_ed

[Woolf Institute @Woolf_Institute]

There's still time to register for the next Interfaith Connection Cambridge event hosted by the Cambridge Baha’i Community.

It's a great opportunity to learn how each of our faiths cherish community and contribute your own ideas and reflections in a spiritual consultation (details below).

The Interfaith Connection Cambridge brings together people of faith in Cambridge so that we can learn about one another’s traditions, understand one another better, extend hospitality to one another, and become friends.

Theme: Community and Consultation

Date & Time: 2 June from 6 to 8pm

Location: Downing Place United Reformed Church

Register for free at: https://t.co/uIrsLomfOu

#interfaith #community #consultation #cambridge

[Woolf Institute @Woolf_Institute]

Eid Mubarak from the Woolf Institute!

Eid ul-Adha honours the prophet Abraham’s devotion to God and his willingness to sacrifice his son.

#EidMubarak #Abraham #AbrahamicFaiths #Islam

[Woolf Institute @Woolf_Institute]

Today marks the beginning of Hajj, the annual pilgrimage made by Muslims to Mecca.

It occurs during the final month of the Islamic calendar, Dhū al-Ḥijjah, and about two million people perform the pilgrimage each year.

Read more about it at: https://t.co/wShBxJhQUi

#hajj #haj #mecca #islam

[Woolf Institute @Woolf_Institute]

We are proud to have recently launched the How To Continue Talking: Research Report.

Drawing together two years of research, interviews, event attendance, and analysis, the report examines the key reasons why and how interfaith dialogue in the UK has suffered since the 7th October 2023. Providing an academically rigorous study of the state of interfaith relations as manifest through local, regional, and national initiatives, the report also offers suggestions for paths forward to building stronger and more resilient interfaith relations.

Swipe through to see the key themes and recommendations ➡️

Read the full report and reflective guide at: https://t.co/FgXk9gXP3C

#HowToContinueTalking #Dialogue #MuslimJewishRelations #Judaism #Islam #IsraelPalestine

[Woolf Institute @Woolf_Institute]

Last week we hosted 'Threads, Echoes, and Ink: Uncovering Minority Voices in Medieval Spain, Sefarad and al-Andalus' with @institutocervanteslondon organised by Woolf PhD Scholar Juan Moreno.

Our presenters, Juan, Emma Olson (Woolf PhD Scholar), and Abigail Glickman (MPhil) shared their research on medieval Spain, exploring themes of cultural memory, music, manuscripts, textiles, and identity. Thank you to Seherish Abrar and to everyone who joined us for such an engaging evening of discussion, questions, and conversation.

@socmedimedit

#medieval #medievalspain #culturalmemory

[Woolf Institute @Woolf_Institute]

Yesterday, we welcomed our commissioners to the Woolf Institute for the third meeting for the Commission on Interfaith Relations, chaired by Dr Ed Kessler MBE.

Following reflections from Vice-Chair Bishop Lusa Nsenga Ngoy, commissioners heard presentations from Evie Sacks, Leo Taylor, and Adam Aslam on how young people encounter and interpret conflict, how these issues manifest in schools, universities, communities, online spaces, and faith settings, and what this may mean for social cohesion and specifically inter- and intra-faith relations.

Commissioners also considered evidence gathered at the most recent public participation session (Leeds, 5 May), followed by a plenary and deliberations.

Many thanks to our speakers and to all commissioners who were present.

@Lustherev @JhuttiJay @shabnabegum @andrewcopson @FrancisTDavis @SallyFosterFul1 @andrewkpike

#Interfaith #GlobalConflicts #CommunityResilence #CommissionOnInterfaithRelations

[Woolf Institute @Woolf_Institute]

@thecep Please email [email protected] and we'll send you a copy.

[Woolf Institute @Woolf_Institute]

The Struggle to Belong – Woolf Annual Lecture

Last week, we were honoured to welcome former Labour Cabinet minister, Professor John Denham, to deliver the annual Woolf lecture.

His talk explored the roots of ‘Englishness’ and ‘Britishness’ and how these have increasingly come to reflect different values in contemporary society, divisions exacerbated by the exclusion of England from structures of governance. The necessary response: the establishment of a parliament for England; entrenched devolution of power in England; and the re-founding of the union as a voluntary collaboration of nations.

The lecture was followed by a response by Professor Michael Kenny (Professor of Public Policy at the University of Cambridge) and a Q&A.

Particular thanks to our speaker and to Dr Mohammed Ibraheem Ahmed for facilitating the event.

@BennettInst
#interfaith #englishness #nationalism #publicpolicy #policy #belonging

[Woolf Institute @Woolf_Institute]

Last week, Woolf staff attended the King’s Garden Party at Buckingham Palace.

We are immensely grateful to have received an invitation to such a wonderful occasion.

#interfaith #religion #royalfamily #kingsgardenparty #royal

[Woolf Institute @Woolf_Institute]

Congratulations to Dr Ani Avetisyan, Woolf Affiliated Researcher and Rothschild Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Cambridge, has had her book ‘Arabic, Judaeo-Arabic, and Garshuni Versions of Ibn Al-Akfānī’s Treatise on Bloodletting: Linguistic Variation in Late Judaeo-Arabic’ published by Brill this week.

Access at: https://t.co/FO1WTPb6QO

#Judaism #Arabic #JuadeoArabic

[Woolf Institute @Woolf_Institute]

'Antisemitism is evil, it must be confronted wherever it appears'

The Bishop of Willesden, Lusa Nsenga-Ngoy, the Church of England's Lead Bishop for Interfaith Engagement and Vice-Chair of the Commission on Interfaith Relations, spoke at the Standing Strong: Extinguish Antisemitism rally in London earlier this week.

Read the full address at: https://t.co/Rmkhfn7r55

@Lustherev
#antisemitism #interfaith #HopeNotHate

[Woolf Institute @Woolf_Institute]

How can we create loving and vibrant communities by serving together? How do listening and consultation help in the process of building community?

Join us for the next Interfaith Connection Cambridge event hosted by the Cambridge Baha’i Community to learn how each of our faiths cherish community and contribute your own ideas and reflections in a spiritual consultation.

The Interfaith Connection Cambridge brings together people of faith in Cambridge so that we can learn about one another’s traditions, understand one another better, extend hospitality to one another, and become friends.

Theme: Community and Consultation

Date & Time: 2 June from 6 to 8pm

Location: Downing Place United Reformed Church

Register for free at: https://t.co/uIrsLomfOu

#interfaith #community #consultation

[Woolf Institute @Woolf_Institute]

Our Reflective Guide to Talking About Israel-Palestine in Interfaith Settings is now live on our website.

Emerging from our How To Continue Talking project - which has spent the last two years examining how interfaith relations in the UK have been impacted by violence in Israel-Palestine - the guide offers practical suggestions on how to facilitate dialogue relating to the region.

Based on our examination of what works in real interfaith settings, we offer examples of best practice that we invite facilitators to reflect upon when thinking about how to carry out difficult dialogue.

You can access the guide at: https://t.co/FgXk9gXP3C

#HowToContinueTalking #Dialogue #MuslimJewishRelations #Judaism #Islam #IsraelPalestine

[Woolf Institute @Woolf_Institute]

Last week, we were delighted to present the findings of our How To Continue project in the House of Lords at an event attended by policy makers, interfaith practitioners, and faith leaders.

The project’s lead researcher Dr James Sunderland outlined some of the challenges that have emerged in the interfaith space since the 7th October 2023 and paths forward for reforging disrupted relations on the ground in the UK.

Our research found a number of key areas that have led to disruptions in interfaith relations in the UK over the last two and a half years. These included:

· Differing uses of language and terminology by communities around Israel-Palestine
· The use of different spaces for dialogue
· The challenges that intense emotions and difficult topics cause for interfaith practitioners

Following the presentation, a panel of speakers from different faith perspectives spoke movingly to guests about their experiences of interfaith amidst the fall out from violence in Israel-Palestine and how their own experiences give them hope for building a better society together. All speakers stressed the need of faith communities to come together in difficult times to support one another and tackle the issues that impact us all

Particular thanks to Lord Wajid Khan for hosting us and to all of the speakers and panelists for their contributions.

Read the report at: https://t.co/FgXk9gXP3C

@ImamMonawar
@RabCharley
@rsopher

#HowToContinueTalking #Dialogue #MuslimJewishRelations #Judaism #Islam #IsraelPalestine #Interfaith

[Woolf Institute @Woolf_Institute]

Unfortunately, we have had to postpone today's webinar, held in collaboration with the Society for the Medieval Mediterranean.

A new date will be decided and announced on social media in the foreseeable future - we are sorry for any inconvenience caused.

@socmedimedit
#medieval #medievalmediterranean

[Woolf Institute @Woolf_Institute]

Threads, Echoes, and Ink: Uncovering Minority Voices in Medieval Spain, Sefarad and al-Andalus

Thursday 14 May, 17:00 at the Woolf Institute

Usually, when thinking about Medieval Spain, one thinks about castles, kings and knights. Spain is understood as an extension of Christian Europe. Its cultural diversity – when considered – is framed as a sort of European version of the Crusades.

This event aims to look at Medieval Spain under a different light: one in which the ‘otherness’ of those of different faiths is not seen as alien, but understood as part of a rich cultural heritage; and one that is not focused on the history of power, men and warfare, but rather on the histories of poets, philosophers, women and everyday people.

All these voices, intertwined, form the choir – sometimes harmonious, sometimes dissonant – that was the culture of Medieval Spain. This event will consist of three 15min talks. Each of them will look at Spain and Medieval Mediterranean culture from a different perspective.

The event will conclude with a discussion between the speakers and questions from the audience.

Sign up: https://t.co/ad9hoAO5mw

[Woolf Institute @Woolf_Institute]

Dr Ed Kessler met Rabbi Mirvis, Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations, today to discuss the state of play in interfaith relations, following the rise in antisemitism and the Golders Green attack earlier this week.

#interfaith #judaism

[Woolf Institute @Woolf_Institute]

Please join us for the next Interfaith Connection Cambridge event which takes place on 2 June from 6 to 8pm.

This instalment will be hosted by the Cambridge Baha’i community at Downing Place United Reformed Church and takes the theme ‘Community and Consultation’.

The Interfaith Connection Cambridge brings together people of faith in Cambridge so that we can learn about one another’s traditions, understand one another better, extend hospitality to one another, and become friends.

Register for free at: https://t.co/uIrsLomfOu

#interfaith #community #consultation

[Woolf Institute @Woolf_Institute]

Join us for our next webinar, organised in collaboration with the Society for the Medieval Mediterranean (details below).

Title: Florence, Naples and the Ottoman Empire: Trade and Diplomacy in the Second Half of the 15th century.

Chair: Gül Şen (University of Bonn)

Speakers: Cristian Caselli (Georg-August-Universität Göttingen), Andrea Raffaele Aquino (Sapienza Università di Roma)

Access via the following link: https://t.co/toBEzW0Xv9

@socmedimedit

#interfaith #medieval #mediterranean