Finding friends of faith
Friends House, the central offices of Quakers in Britain, appears in a new film shot on location across the capital, showing London's temples, Islamic centres, gurdwaras, synagogues, meeting houses and churches, opening their doors with a warm welcome in this Inter Faith Week.
Around the country, Quakers are marking Inter Faith Week, bearing in mind this guidance from Quaker faith & practice:
Do you work gladly with other religious groups in the pursuit of common goals? While remaining faithful to Quaker insights, try to enter imaginatively into the life and witness of other communities of faith, creating together the bonds of friendship… There is inspiration to be found all around us... Are you open to new light, from whatever source it may come? Do you approach new ideas with discernment? (Quaker faith & practice 1.02 6 and 7)
Catriona Robertson of London Boroughs Faiths Network said, “Against a backdrop of international tensions and increased hate crime, London's faith groups, from humble to grand, are not closed and fearful - we remain open and welcoming. In step with the Mayor's #LondonIsOpen message, this short film shows that Sikh, Quaker, Jewish, Islamic, Hindu, Christian, Buddhist and Baha'i places are open."
[QUOTE-START]
Faith communities offer more than words can say to cohesive communities. We are part of the social glue that helps our communities to flourish.
- Marigold Bentley, Quakers in Britain
[QUOTE-END]
The opening sequence of the film shows Dr Ahmad Al-Dubayan, Director General of the London Central Mosque in Regent's Park. Later, the door of Friends House is opened by London Quaker David Henshaw.
Follow the story on #LondonIsOpen and watch the film below
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Rosalind Parker and Jack Jeffreys created the film for London Boroughs Faiths Network.
Today, Tuesday, Marigold Bentley, who is secretary of Quaker Committee for Christian and Inter Faith Relations, was a guest speaker at an interfaith event at London Central Mosque. She spoke about the importance of faith and spirituality. She said, “Faith communities offer more than words can say to cohesive communities. We are part of the social glue that helps our communities to flourish.
“It is in our conversations and our working together on issues that affect us all, which makes our communities stronger. A wide diversity of faith in a society is a rich and vibrant society. Not riches in a material sense but spiritual riches. Faiths have so much to offer."
Inter Faith Week runs from 13–20 November.