A guide to the Faiths and Beliefs represented on Eastbourne s Faiths Forum

Transcription

1 A guide to the Faiths and Beliefs represented on Eastbourne s Faiths Forum

2 Eastbourne s Faiths Forum The Eastbourne Faiths Forum is a resource to enable different faith communities to explore what inter faith may look like in the Eastbourne area. Our core aims are: To build and maintain good relationships based on mutual respect To encourage better understanding of each others faith To provide a forum for discussing matters of mutual concern and to provide a voice to express common concerns as and when appropriate To provide a forum that enables other bodies to consult with the different faith communities in our area To organise appropriate inter faith activities The Faiths Forum respects and values the faith of the other person; hence it does not seek to find a common denominator on which all agree, nor to convert the other person to another faith within the Forum. 2

3 Why is there a need for a faiths forum? The forum came about in 2008 as a result of feedback gathered during a period of consultation on town-wide priorities. Feedback showed that many people in Eastbourne considered faith to be important and wanted it to have a much stronger voice in the town. In response the council invited a number of faith leaders from a range of religions and beliefs to form a faiths forum in Eastbourne. Faiths represented on the forum There are many different faiths involved in the forum from the following religions and beliefs: Christianity Islam Judaism, both orthodox and progressive Paganism Society of Friends (Quakers) Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Christian Science Buddhism Baha i This leaflet provides a brief introduction to each of these faiths as described by Faiths Forum representatives. 3

4 Bahá í The Bahá í faith was founded in the 1860 s by Mizra Hoseyn Ali Nuri, known as Bahá'u'lláh (Arabic: "Glory of God"). It is a monotheistic Ringstone symbol,reminder religion. Today, there of God s purpose for man are about five million Bahá ís worldwide. Bahá'u'lláh taught that humanity is one single race and the time has come for its unification in one global society. Amongst the principles the Bahá í Faith promotes as vital to the achievement of this goal are the abandonment of all forms of prejudice, the equality of women and men, the elimination of extremes of poverty and wealth, and the harmony of religion and science. Bahá ís all over the world are working with like-minded individuals in their local communities and neighbourhoods to raise capacity of each individual to take charge of its own spiritual, social and intellectual development. For more information please visit Bahá í UK website 4

5 Buddhism Statue of Buddha from Sanarth Buddhism is based on the teachings of Siddharta Gautama Buddha the enlightened one. It originated in Northeast India in 520BCE and now has many different traditions and Buddhists come from a variety of backgrounds. There are currently two Buddhist representatives on the Forum, from Triratna and New Kadampa traditions. Triratna Buddhist Community The Triratna Buddhist Community is an International Buddhist movement founded in London in The founder Sangharakshita spent 20 years in India studying Buddhism with teachers from various Buddhist traditions. This enabled him to synthesise vital Buddhist principles and communicate them in a way that is appropriate for the west. Buddhists hold most precious the Three Jewels: the Buddha; the Dharma (truth or teachings); and the Sangha (spiritual community). The Buddha was an enlightened human being so in Buddhism there is no God. This also means that ultimately there is no barrier between ordinary human beings and Buddhahood or full enlightenment. Although we offer study courses our starting point is to teach meditation, introduce basic Buddhist principles and create effective community. 5

6 As an active Buddhist community we are working on creating the conditions for more people to practice the Dharma. We are open to anyone who is interested in joining the quest for more wisdom and compassion which leads us to our ideal of human enlightenment. For more information please visit The New Kadampa Tradition The New Kadampa Tradition (NKT) is a modern Buddhist tradition that takes its inspiration from the ancient Kadampa practitioners of Tibet, renowned for their devout spiritual practice. Its world-wide network of over 1,000 meditation centres enable people to learn how to put the Buddha's advice into practice in order to improve the quality of their lives; perceived by Buddhists to be dependent upon inner development of peace and happiness. Meditation is seen as central to this inner development because through it the mind can be made calm and peaceful thereby leading to a feeling of wellbeing. The NKT has over 50 residential centres in the UK. The nearest ones to Eastbourne are Bodhisattva Kadampa Meditation Centre in Brighton and Maitreya Buddhist Centre in Bexhill. These centres also run weekly meditation classes in Eastbourne and Hailsham. Christian Science More about the NKT is available at: The Christian Science Church was founded in 1879 by Mary Baker Eddy to commemorate 6 the words and works of Christ Jesus and reinstate Christian

7 First Church of Christ, Scientist, Eastbourne Spencer Road, Eastbourne, BN21 4PB Tel While reading Matthew s gospel she recovered instantly from the effects of a serious accident and she searched the Bible thoroughly to discover underlying spiritual laws which, when understood and applied, make healing natural rather than miraculous. Through her discovery she healed others and taught others to heal. Many have been healed by studying her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures which supplements the Bible. Christian Scientists understand one infinite Father-Mother God to be universal Love, caring for each individual; ever-present Spirit, lifting thought above material limitation; and eternal Truth, bringing freedom to truth seekers, as shown by Christ Jesus. 7

8 Eastbourne s church, founded in 1907, holds services on Sunday mornings and on some Wednesday evenings when members share their experiences of spiritual progress and healing. We maintain a Reading and Sales Room, have free magazines in our showcase, and welcome visitors. 8

9 Christianity Christianity is all about Jesus and following him. He was born, lived, died and rose from the dead 2000 years ago in the land of Israel/ Palestine. Christian Fish symbol Through his death we are forgiven and our broken relationship with God may be restored. His resurrection assures us of eternal life. Jesus calls us to follow him and to invite others to become his followers. Empowered by the Holy Spirit we seek to love one another and to love our neighbour as ourselves. Followers of Jesus are part of a worldwide community called the church. Church comes in many shapes, sizes and expressions but we are united in trusting in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and in seeking to live like Jesus every day in all we do. Anyone can become follower of Jesus by turning to him as saviour and Lord, receiving his forgiveness, trusting him for our future and being baptised. The Christian community in Eastbourne includes some sixty churches and thirty Christian agencies linked by a network called Churches Together for Eastbourne. Many of these churches belong to well established denominations such as the Roman Catholic Church, the Church of England, the Methodist Church, the Baptist Church and, more recently, a variety of new churches. 9

10 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints The Mormon London Temple at Newchapel (near Lingfield) Surrey Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly known as Mormons) can be found at every level of society. The movement was founded by Joseph Smith, Jr at the beginning of the 1820s. The term Mormon is derived from the Book of Mormon, one of the faith's religious texts. Mormons believe in the Holy Bible, both the Old and New Testaments and used together, these scriptures offer insight into such vital questions as the nature of God, salvation and the Atonement. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a restoration of New Testament Christianity as taught by Jesus and his apostles. The basic values of morality, civility and family espoused by the Church are similar to those of most other Christian faiths. Like many other Christian churches Mormons regard Sunday as the day of rest and day of worship with most Mormon families spending a substantial part of Sunday in meetings and worship with their community In Eastbourne members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints meet at its centre in Furness Road, 10

11 Eastbourne, East Sussex. Find out more about this faith by visiting: Islam Islam, which means submission to the will of God, began in the year 570CE in Arabia and was revealed to the World in stages across 23 years, by the prophet Mohammed. Qur an Image created by Getideaka Mohammed wrote down the messages revealed to him and these became the Qur an. In addition to the Qur an are the Sunnah, the practice and examples of the Prophet Muhammad s life, and the Hadith, reports of what the Prophet said or approved. Followers of Islam are known as Muslims, they believe in only one God, Allah in Arabic. Islam is the second largest religion in the World with over 1 billion followers. The most important aspect of worship is the five pillars of Islam listed below, obligations which Muslims must satisfy throughout their lives. the declaration of faith (Shahada) praying five times a day (Salat) giving money to charity (Zakah) fasting (Sawm) 11

12 a pilgrimage to Makkah at least once in a lifetime(hajj) Muslims pray in a Mosque and their prayers are usually led by the Imam. Eastbourne s Mosque, situated in Ashford Square, exists to provide an environment conducive to prayer and education. It is committed to promote Islam and the teachings of the Prophet (PBH). The Mosque is also committed to play a significant part in the wider community to promote peace and harmony. The Islamic Community of Eastbourne has been given planning permission to build a new mosque; an impression of how this might look is below. You can contact the Mosque as follows: Eastbourne Islamic Cultural Centre Ashford Square Eastbourne East Sussex BN21 3TX 12

13 Tel: Judaism Judaism started over 3500 years ago and today has around 13million followers worldwide. Star of David and Torah Picture courtesy of Microsoft Jews believe that there is only one God and they have a special agreement or covenant with him. In exchange for all the good that God has done for them, Jewish people keep God's laws and try to bring holiness into every aspect of their lives. Jews believe that people should be judged on how they live their faith, and how much they contribute to the holiness in the world, rather than in what they believe. The most holy religious book in the Jewish faith is the Torah. They also have the Talmud which provides commentary on the Torah giving rules for how Jewish people should live their lives and observing these rules is paramount to Jewish life. The most important day of the week is the Shabbat, or Sabbath, which recognises the seventh day of creation upon which God rested. Shabbat starts on Friday evening and ends at sunset on Saturday. This day is set aside for family and worship. Many Jews go to the 13

14 Synagogue, their house of worship, on the Sabbath and services are often led by a Rabbi, a Jewish holy man. Eastbourne s Orthodox Synagogue is situated on Susan s Road and services are held at 10am on Saturdays. For further information on the Jewish faith and what happens in Eastbourne please contact: Orthodox Jewish faith Progressive Jewish faith

15 Paganism Paganism is a diverse term for a variety of different belief systems which share a central belief that each individual s spiritual path is unique and is expressed within their personal life. Divinity in Nature All Pagans believe that the Divine is in every living thing and therefore that every living thing is sacred. We respect and revere nature and the natural world and see ourselves as part of that integrated whole. Many Pagans follow the wheel of the year and celebrate the different energies that are apparent during the changing cycle of the seasons. They recognise how that energy is reflected in themselves and in their lives and use it to attune themselves to the aspects of the Divine that are honoured throughout the changing year. The Principal Tenets of Modern Paganism Love for and kinship with nature. Reverence for the life-force and its ever renewing circles of life and death. Recognition of the Divine in nature, acknowledging both the male and female aspects of Deity. A strong positive morality in which the individual is responsible for acting in harmony with their true selves, with the wider community and the world at 15

16 large. This is often expressed as If it harms none, do what you will. 16

17 Quakers - Society of Friends The Quakers (later to be called The Religious Society of Friends or just Friends ) began as a movement in N.W. England in 1652, although some of the key experiences occurred some time earlier. George Fox ( ) is generally credited with being the Founder of the Quaker movement, and through mission and migration, there are now 340,000 Quakers worldwide. Comparable with other religious groups, there are three main traditions of worldwide Quakerism; these include Evangelical, Conservative and Liberal Quaker traditions, with the latter having a significant place in British Quakerism. Nonetheless, each tradition holds in common, four interconnected, key theological ideas: 1) 2) 3) 4) the centrality of direct inward encounter with God and revelation, and thus forms of worship which allow this to be experienced; a vote-less way of doing church business based on the idea of corporate direct guidance; the spiritual equality of everyone and the idea of the priesthood of all believers ; the preference for peace and pacifism rather than war, and a commitment to other forms of social witness. Exhibiting an influence beyond their numbers, Quakers have been recognised for their commitment to fairdealing and honesty both in banking and ethical forms of manufacturing. Their respect for human and non-human animals, has informed work in prisons, in peace and green movements, in animal rights and most recently in 17

18 their commitment to gender equality, in their support for same-sex marriage. [source:- The Quakers: A very short introduction, OUP] The Religious Society of Friends has no symbol or logo, however this red and black star has been used as a symbol for Friends' service organizations since the late 19th century source Wikipedia 18

19 Roman Catholic Church The Roman Catholic Church is the largest Christian Church. It is led by the Pope as successor to Saint Peter and by its bishops as successors of Christ s apostles. St. Peter s Basilica, Rome Catholics believe that Christ is fully divine and fully human and that through his crucifixion and resurrection he enables us to achieve spiritual immortality. Christ s sacrifice is perpetuated through the Eucharist where the bread and wine are sacramentally changed into the body and blood of Jesus. In its social teaching, the Catholic Church promotes social justice and solidarity with, and compassion for, the poor. It instructs us that the moral test of any society is how it treats its most vulnerable members. Catholics also believe in the Stewardship of Creation, in that we have a duty to care for the planet and all members of God s creation. All creatures, including all human beings and all forms of life and the earth itself, are aspects of God s creation and are deserving of our love and protection. For more information log on to 19

20 If you are a person of faith and your faith is not yet represented on the forum, and you feel confident that you can speak on behalf of your faith, please contact Monica Ray Facilitator, Eastbourne s Faiths Forum, as follows: equality@eastbourne.gov.uk Telephone: By letter: Mrs Monica Ray Eastbourne s Faiths Forum c/o Town Hall Grove Road Eastbourne East Sussex BN21 4UG Photograph on front cover courtesy of: Jean Whitehead, Member of Eastbourne s Faiths Forum Leaflet Sponsored and Published by: Eastbourne Borough Council, November 2011 Version 1 20