24 November, 2024
We are delighted to support the Scriptural Reasoning event Encountering God organised by Beyond Difference.
Scriptural Reasoning
ALL Welcome
Date: 24 November, 2024
Time: 14:00 – 16:00 GMT
Venue: Chesham Mosque, 212 Bellingdon Road, Chesham, HP5 2NN
Panel Speakers
Senior Imam Allama Arif Hussain Ashrafi Saeedi
Kati Gholam, the Committee Member of Beyond Difference, shared: “The latest event staged by Chiltern interfaith group Beyond Difference was a Scriptural Reasoning exercise on the subject of ‘Encountering God’. Chesham Mosque kindly hosted the event at the end of November last year: although there was torrential rain from storm Bert throughout the day, 47 audience members attended from many faiths and none, including 17 who were new to Beyond Difference. After a brief introduction from Beyond Difference chair Arabella Norton, the speakers, Thea Gomelauri – Director at Oxford Interfaith Forum; Rev. Edward Bowes-Smith – Rector at St. Mary’s in Chesham and Imam Arif – Senior Imam at Chesham Mosque gave their views on the significance of their religious books to their own and perhaps other faiths. Then, in small groups, the audience was invited to debate similarities and differences in the chosen texts: there was considerable energetic conversation during this part of the meeting. In the plenary session, groups put questions to the speakers, starting with practical matters, for example about the form of the texts, but later discussion turned to more faith-based questions, which generated some interesting debate between the speakers. An example of feedback from one audience member shows how much they valued the session: ‘I thought it was an absolutely excellent event – inspirational, fascinating and very well worth attending. Everyone in our small group agreed and we had a very powerful discussion which led a member to indicate they wished to find out more about a specific biblical passage based on another member’s very moving testimony. The mutual warmth and genuine spirit of enquiry in our group session was very special. My husband, also found it very helpful and worthwhile. Beyond Difference is a very valuable organisation and the respect and increased understanding it fosters is something to be proud of.'”
The Event Gallery
(Photo courtesy of Jyotveer Singh Gill, Fellow of the Oxford Interfaith Forum)
