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Picture by RICHARD VERBER, WORLD JEWISH RELIEF.Walking in peace: the Dean of Coventry, the Very Revd John Witcombe, joins other faith leaders in Coexist Foundation's pilgrimage last week. |
A
VISION to create "one of the most significant interfaith centres in the
world" in the City of London was unveiled on Wednesday night at the launch
of a £20-million fund-raising appeal.
The
planned centre, Coexist House, is the idea of Dr David Ford, Regius Professor
of Divinity at the University of Cambridge; and is supported by the Inner
Temple, the Corporation of the City of London, the Victoria and Albert Museum,
and the Coexist Foundation.
"Coexist
House is designed as much for a secular audience as a religious audience and
will not promote any one particular faith," the trustees say in a summary
of their feasibility study. "It is a civic endeavour which would improve
the way people understand religions and beliefs in all their variety.
Nevertheless, it will offer a spiritual space, hospitable to all, in the heart
of London."
No
location has been identified for the centre, which will open in phases.
"The initial phase will be a space within a cultural hub or adjoining
academic location," the trustees say. "The concept will progress to
becoming an anchor tenant in a mixed-use development, possibly as part of the
refurbishment of an iconic building. The final phase could be a stand-alone
Coexist House.
"We
believe Coexist House to be the most exciting and innovative interfaith project
in this country and perhaps also in Europe," Professor Ford was expected
to say in a speech on Wednesday night. "We want it to be the most
influential and impressive interfaith project in the world."
The
Coexist Foundation is already operating in what it calls its "soft
phase". It runs the Cambridge Coexist Leadership Programme with the
support of the Department for Communities and Local Government; and is working
with the Times Cheltenham Literature Festival and the Greenbelt
Festival.
It has
also provided funding and leadership support for the Religion Media Centre at
Goldsmiths, University of London. "This will be a new facility, modelled
on the highly successful Science Media Centre, to be made available to all
journalists," Professor Ford said. Last week, the Foundation organised a
pilgrimage through London from London Central Mosque, Regent's Park, to the
Central Synagogue in Great Portland Street, and then on to Westminster Abbey;
before gathering outside Parliament and St Thomas' Hospital.
The
event was designed "to affirm a shared commitment to freedom, equality,
democracy and respect for life".
"The
religion agenda is too often hijacked by extremists who pervert the message of
their faith to meet their own political ideals," Professor Ford said.
"Coexist and Cambridge are working hard to emphasise the distinctive
nature of the different faiths while also celebrating their common ground and
their shared imperative for peace."
"Bad
things happen when good people don't stand up and be counted," the Dean of
Coventry, the Very Revd John Witcombe, said. "The overwhelming majority of
faithful people in this country are on the side of the angels and want to live
peacefully and safely in our democratic society."
The
Team Rector of East Greenwich, the Revd Margaret Cave, said: "It is good
and right that in these troubled times people of faith show solidarity with
their sisters and brothers as people of love and peace."
The
director of programmes for Coexist, Michael Wakelin, said: "There has
never been a more important time for something like Coexist House."
New
premises. The UK's oldest interfaith organisation, the
Council for Christians and Jews, this week moved into new offices at
Collaboration House - a multifaith office hub in Charlotte Street, London,
established by the Jewish entrepreneur and philanthropist Maurice Ostro.
Reprinted from an article in The Church
Times
http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2015/27-february/news/uk/multifaith-hub-for-the-city-of-london
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