Moments of embrace – taking a hospitable approach

In my research of the month, I talk about a hospitable approach to religion and worldviews, and a pedagogy of embrace. Someone pointed out to me this week that in many ways this was ‘lived out’ recently when photos emerged of Muslims embracing protesters outside UK’s oldest mosque in Liverpool.

Creating space, encountering others and listening for wisdom lie at the heart of what I propose as a hospitable approach to religion and worldviews education. I use the analogy of an embrace to capture the heart of what this means not only in terms of pedagogy, but in terms of what it means ontologically for those enacting the embrace. It seems to me this approach is needed more than ever before.

I was on holiday in Portugal when the horrifying scenes in many cities across the UK emerged on my social media feed. On Culham St Gabriel’s social media feed, we got behind the Faith and Belief Policy Collective Statement which so clearly articulated how many of us feel in the charity sector and faith and belief space. We held on to and continue to hold onto hope and love amidst the displays of hate.

At Culham St Gabriel’s our vision is for a well-informed, respectful and open society.

In a recent board meeting, prior to the recent riots, trustees agreed to make the following a key focus area for future grant making in 2024-25.

• interfaith/belief dialogue and promoting warmer community relations in schools and communities, including consideration of ‘the common good’

Do you or your organisation have a project which you need funding for to bring communities together? Do you have a grassroots project that needs some funding to get off the ground?

We are currently supporting several projects which aim to foster warmer community relations, religion and belief literacy, as well as researching where religion and worldviews education takes place beyond schools. These include work led by Theos Think Tank, Queen’s University Belfast, Faith and Belief Forum, The Religion and Belief Literacy partnership and the Open University. These varying projects are engaging with children and young people, faith and belief community groups, parents, the civil service and public sector employees. We will continue to support initiatives which aim to provide a positive narrative in terms of dialogue and interfaith and belief engagement.

Next weekend we are hosting a stand at the Greenbelt Festival. The festival organisers say:

Our history is firmly rooted within a Christian tradition which is world-affirming, politically and culturally engaged. Ours is a belief that embraces instead of excludes. And, as such, the festival is an inter-generational celebration, inclusive and accepting of all, regardless of ethnicity, gender, sexuality, background or belief.

This vision seems more appropriate than ever before. Our team will be there welcoming and accepting all.

Kathryn Wright

CEO, Culham St Gabriel’s

Further reading

Kathryn’s research of there month: https://www.reonline.org.uk/research/research-of-the-month/

BBC News article: Mosque leaders find moments of hope after violent disorder: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c84jjv7kp1wo

Faith and Belief Policy Collective Statement: https://faithbeliefforum.org/working-to-quench-the-flames-of-hatred/)

Greenbelt website: https://www.greenbelt.org.uk/