We were afforded the honour and privilege to have been a party to a truly historic and pivotal event in Scottish Christian-Shia interrelations which fittingly took place at the Trades House of Glasgow with its centuries-long history, hosted by the Deacon Convener Rt Rev Dr Idris Jones, and was organised by, and saw, members of the Scottish Shia community, from Al-Huda Islamic Centre Glasgow and the Edinburgh Ahlul Bayt Society, and esteemed members of the Church of Scotland, the Scottish Episcopal Church and the Scottish Catholic Church engage in dialogue. The dialogue in which each parties’ ennobled and knowledgeable members engaged in an environment of understanding one another’s faiths whilst also celebrating our commonalities cemented the bonds mutually shared between the Shia and the Christians and paved the way for further dialogue and engagement by which all parties hope to positively impact society, achieve integration and work cooperatively on a platform of mutual awareness, celebrating our roots as Abrahamic faiths and bridging our communities to achieve civic harmony. Our thanks go to Sheikh Muhammad Kasim Ali, Sheikh Ayub Rashid and Sr Amina Inloes from the Shia Muslim community, Mr Shabir Beg, patron of TEAS and community member from Al-Huda Islamic Centre Glasgow, the Deacon Convener of the Trades House of Glasgow, Dr Idris Jones, Emeritus Episcopalian Bishop of Glasgow and Galloway, and, from the Church of Scotland, the Rev Stuart Smith, the Moderator of Glasgow Presbytery, the Very Rev Bill Hewitt, Presbytery Clerk, and Rev Roy Henderson of the Presbytery Ecumenical Relations and Interfaith Matters Committee, Archbishop Mario Conti, Sr Isabel Smyth and Dr Anthony Allison from the Bishops’ Committee for Inter-Religious Dialogue from the Scottish Catholic Church and the Rt Rev Gordon Mursell, Hon Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Glasgow and Galloway, the Rev John Conway, Convener, Provincial Committee for Relations with People of Other Faiths and the Rev Cedric Blakey, Diocesan Interfaith Adviser from the Scottish Episcopal Church. And we hope this be the start of a meritorious and fruitful relationship between these prominent communities and look forward to seeing the progression of such dialogues in the future.
Scottish Parliament Motion lodged by Bill Kidd MSP: click here
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- Scottish Parliament Motion lodged by Bill Kidd MSP
