“Academic Freedom & Religion: companions or combatants?” and “Muslims in the UK prison system” are just two of the events being held in Lincoln to mark Inter Faith Week, which is being promoted by the government in a bid to strengthen relations between various religious communities across the UK.
It started on Sunday, November 15th and continues until Saturday 21st, when a walk from the cathedral to the Friends Meeting House, via Jews’ Court and the Lincoln Mosque, will take place.
Other events include a screening of the film “Beyond our differences”, with a discussion afterwards, which is being hosted by the University of Lincoln’s Epeonian Society.
According to interfaithweek.org, the week-long event is designed to “strengthen good inter faith relations at all levels in our increasingly diverse society… [and] increase understanding between people of religious and non-religious beliefs,” amongst other goals.
Les Acklam, chaplain at the University of Lincoln, says that inter faith relations are “an important issue that we really have to address in society”.
“We often think we’re living in a secular bubble, and like religion’s old hat, but 95% of the world’s population claim some sort of religious belief.
“I encounter some alarming prejudice, out of ignorance. If you’ve never met people of other faiths and you denounce them, that’s ignorance. And that’s what fuels the next generation.”
Here is a list of the events taking place in Lincoln:
Wednesday November 18th
3pm seminar: “Muslims in the UK prison system” led by Zuber Vawda, chaplain at HMP Lincoln, held on the Brayford Campus in MC3221, in the MHT building.
Thursday November 19th
1pm seminar: “Academic Freedom & Religion: companions or combatants?” led by Terence Karran of the Centre for Educational Research and Development, on the Brayford Campus in MC3220, in the MHT building.
8pm Epeonian Society discussion/debate: Stimulated by a showing of “Beyond our differences”, an award-winning film examining the role of religion in some of the toughest and most complex issues in the world. Cargill Lecture Theatre, on the Brayford Campus.
Saturday November 21st
2pm Lincoln Inter Faith Walk: From the cathedral to the Friends Meeting House, via Jews’ Court and the Lincoln Mosque.