This quick start guide tells you how the Equality Act changes what voluntary and community organisations need to do to prevent and address discrimination on grounds of religion or belief when providing goods, facilities or services to the public.
Archive for FIFE
FCO: Freedom of Religion or Belief – how the FCO can help promote respect for this human right
Freedom of religion or belief is a human right whose enjoyment is important to achieving the UK’s strategic priorities, particularly as regards conflict prevention and resolution. It is a sensitive issue in many countries.
These guidelines, elaborated with the help of specialist stakeholders, aim to provide a simple introduction to the issues for FCO posts and desks, some responses to frequently raised issues, and other resources for those who wish to go deeper into the subject.
DfE: Materials used to teach about world religions in schools in England
The study includes an evaluation of the published materials readily available to schools for teaching the 6 main world religions in the UK.
Guide on Religion and Belief in the Armed Forces
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-on-religion-and-belief-in-the-armed-forces
This Guide is designed to explain how the Equality Act 2010 applies to service in the Armed Forces, and to increase awareness of some of the most commonly practised religions and beliefs in the UK.
DFID: Religion or Belief Core script
Religion or belief in one form or another plays a part in the lives of most of the world’s population. DFID celebrates and values the diversity brought to its workforce through individuals and aims to create an environment where the cultural, spiritual, religious beliefs and non-religious beliefs of all its employees are respected.
Danny Fisher: Assisting the Process” Class (for Hartford Seminary)
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLx1TsBVcyUVLHcMvTQ4klgZ3VBwozC5tL
Published on 14 Apr 2013
COURSE DESCRIPTION: When we speak of “life transitions,” we’re usually talking about dramatic, sometimes unforeseen developments that represent major shifts in the course of life—things like birth, death, marriage, divorce, chronic illness, and so on. Life transitions, though, may also include comparatively more subtle (but often no less important) adjustments brought on by things like retirement, children leaving home, moving, relationship endings, and more. Simply put, life transitions are changes that, unexpectedly or not, alter the course of life and lay significant claims on our hearts.
This course will examine life transitions in the context of spiritual care and counseling, looking careful at the ways in which religion and spirituality can help (and possibly hinder) the negotiation of life transitions. In addition, while this course will consider beliefs and practices from the five major world religions, as well as those from Native American spirituality and indigenous faith traditions, it will anchor itself deliberately in the Dharma-based religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism). Whereas much work on multifaith approaches to spiritual care and counseling often puts more emphasis on the Abrahamic traditions (consciously or not), this course will turn that trend on its head a bit. By doing so, we hope to both increase students’ awareness of religious others and help the class develop a more robust set of tools for spiritual care and counseling. We will begin the course with a film, Nina Paley’s “Sita Sings the Blues” (2008), which tells the story of a modern young woman processing a painful break-up through contemplation on the Ramayana and the music of early twentieth-century jazz singer Annette Hanshaw. This should serve as a quite well as a conversation-starter, and segue nicely into readings, lecture, and discussion about religion and spirituality in life transitions. Our required texts will include “What Really Helps: Using Mindfulness & Compassionate Presence To Help, Support, And Encourage Others” by Karen Kissel Wegela, the novel “The Namesake” by Jhumpa Lahiri, “My Family and Other Saints” by Kirin Narayan, and “Grief, Transition, and Loss: A Pastor’s Practical Guide” by Wayne E. Oates. There will also be selected short readings and articles made available online.
MESSAGE OF PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE FOR FEAST OF VESAKH
MESSAGE OF PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE FOR FEAST OF VESAKH
Vatican City, 2 May 2013 (VIS) – Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran and Fr. Miguel Angel Ayuso Guixot M.C.C.I., respectively president and secretary of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, signed the message that, on the occasion of the feast of Vesakh, that dicastery annually sends to the followers of Buddhism.
“Christians and Buddhists: Loving, Defending, and Promoting Human Life”.
Following is the letter in its entirety.
“On behalf of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, I would like to extend my heartfelt greetings and good wishes to all of you, as you celebrate the feast of Vesakh which offers us Christians an occasion to renew our friendly dialogue and close collaboration with the different traditions that you represent.”
“Pope Francis, at the very beginning of his ministry, has reaffirmed the necessity of dialogue of friendship among followers of different religions. He noted that: ‘The Church is […] conscious of the responsibility which all of us have for our world, for the whole of creation, which we must love and protect. There is much that we can do to benefit the poor, the needy, and those who suffer, and to favour justice, promote reconciliation, and build peace’ (‘Audience with Representatives of the Churches and Ecclesial Communities and of the Different Religions’, 20 March 2013). The Message of the World Day of Peace in 2013 entitled ‘Blessed are the Peacemakers’, notes that: ‘The path to the attainment of the common good and to peace is above all that of respect for human life in all its many aspects, beginning with its conception, through its development and up to its natural end. True peacemakers, then, are those who love, defend, and promote human life in all its dimensions—personal, communitarian, and transcendent. Life in its fullness is the height of peace. Anyone who loves peace cannot tolerate attacks and crimes against life’ (‘Message for the World Day of Peace’ in 2013, n. 4).”
“I wish to voice that the Catholic Church has sincere respect for your noble religious tradition. Frequently we note a consonance with values expressed also in your religious books: respect for life, contemplation, silence, simplicity (cf. ‘Verbum Domini’, no. 119). Our genuine fraternal dialogue needs to foster what we Buddhists and Christians have in common especially a shared profound reverence for life.”
“Dear Buddhist friends, your first precept teaches you to abstain from destroying the life of any sentient being and it thus prohibits killing oneself and others. The cornerstone of your ethics lies in loving kindness to all beings. We Christians believe that the core of Jesus’ moral teaching is twofold; love of God and love of neighbour. Jesus says: ‘As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love’. And again: ‘This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you’ (‘Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 1823).The fifth Christian Commandment, ‘You shall not kill’ harmonizes so well with your first precept. ‘Nostra Aetate’ teaches that: ‘the Catholic Church rejects nothing of what is true and holy in these religions’ (NA 2). I think, therefore, that it is urgent for both Buddhists and Christians on the basis of the genuine patrimony of our religious traditions to create a climate of peace to love, defend, and promote human life.”
“As we all know, in spite of these noble teachings on the sanctity of human life, evil in different forms contributes to the dehumanization of the person by mitigating the sense of humanity in individuals and communities. This tragic situation calls upon us, Buddhists and Christians, to join hands to unmask the threats to human life and to awaken the ethical consciousness of our respective followers to generate a spiritual and moral rebirth of individuals and societies in order to be true peacemakers who love, defend and promote human life in all its dimensions.”
“Dear Buddhist friends, let us continue to collaborate with a renewed compassion and fraternity to alleviate the suffering of the human family by fostering the sacredness of human life. It is in this spirit that I wish you once again a peaceful and joyful feast of Vesakh.”
IFN: Interfaith Week 17 to 23 of November 2013
http://www.interfaithweek.org/index.php/resources?eprivacy=1
Resources for those planning to mark Inter Faith Week in a variety of contexts.
Religion in England and Wales
Published on Dec 11, 2012
Video from the ONS looking at Religion in England and Wales from information taken from the 2011 Census.
It looks at the the number of people of each of the main religions in England and Wales, as well as, comparisons between the 2001 and 2011 Census.
Finally, the video also covers religous beliefs by region, and looks at the areas of high and low proportion who identify themselves as Christian.
REC: RETHINKRE
The ReThinkRE website is focussed on three key messages: (1) RE has never been more relevant and beneficial for young people; (2) RE is a popular, highly valued and academically rigorous subject; (3) RE is under threat from Government policy and action is needed to safeguard its future. The site (and campaign) also articulates one key aspiration: we want to see every young person in every school given access to good quality RE. Please see www.rethinkRE.org for more information and to sign up to the campaign.
Taken from : http://www.religiouseducationcouncil.org/content/view/315/62