Faith Leaders of Sheffield_published (1)
The faith leaders of Sheffield affirm educational experiences that grow
children’s knowledge and understanding of the diverse faiths of our city. We
encourage the use of visits or speakers to broaden children’s experiences
of faith.
Facilitating visits and meetings through which children encounter a diversity
of religions is an important part of good religious education. Representatives
of the main faith communities, speaking from within a religious tradition,
provide a vital resource, as does the experience of visiting a place of worship.
We encourage all schools to develop links with our varied faith communities
and ensure their children encounter a diversity of religions.
We encourage parents from within our religious traditions, and those of
other traditions or none, to give their permission and support to schools as
they engage with visits to diverse places of worship.
We encourage our schools to be thorough in ensuring any agency or visitor
will not be presenting a message that is at odds with the schools foundation,
values or ethos.
We expect any adult engaging with children to be prepared for the group
they are to address, ensuring their words and activities will are appropriate
for the age of the children involved.
Visits and visitors should be opportunities to present a religious faith,
but should never be used to convert, proselytise or radicalize children.
Engagement with children and young people in an educational setting should
avoid expressing any aspect of faith that may cause anxiety or fear within
the children participating.
As they pay visits that may explore faiths that are not their own, children
should never be compelled to take part in any religious activity.
We advise that any speaker or agency presenting a religious faith should
avoid any comment that critiques or gives negative views of any other faith.
Any messages communicated to students should be tolerant and refrain
from marginalizing any communities, groups or individuals.
We affirm the difference between learning about religion, and learning from
religion. While we acknowledge that school visits are often focussed on
factual content and the relating of religious belief and practice, children can
be encouraged to think about their response to what they hear.
We ask the leaders of our religious communities to have regard to the role
and skills a member of their community undertakes when engaging with
schools, and propose that schools should only draw upon speakers and visits
that are approved by the religious communities concerned.
All visits or engagements should comply with the school’s safeguarding
policy and procedure and we would expect our speakers and facilitators to
check that they are fully abiding by such requirements.
As regards practical considerations, we commend the advice of NATRE
(the National Association of Teachers of Religious Education) in relation
to organising visits, particularly their “Checklist of some of the things to
consider when arranging visits or visitors”:
www.natre.org.uk/about-re/guidance-on-resources/visits-and-visitors

Sheffield and Balby Quaker Meeting met on Sunday 11th March and expressed their deep sorrow and outrage on hearing of the letter circulated by person or persons motivated by hate. Entitled “Punish a Muslim day”, the letter urges an escalating series of “punishments”. We Quakers wish to offer a hand of friendship and solidarity to all Muslim communities and invite people of all faiths and none to stand with them against racism and hatred.

No doubt most of us agree with this Quaker statement, further responses will be published shortly.

Westminster attacks – Statement from the Co-Chairs of the Inter Faith Network for the UK and Moderators of the IFN Faith Communities Forum

Yesterday’s attack at Westminster on police and members of the public exemplified the cowardly and destructive nature of the actions of terrorists.  We hold in our prayers all whose lives have been lost or forever changed through the murderous acts of its perpetrator.

Terrorism is profoundly at odds with the values of our faith traditions and of the values at the heart of British society.  We deplore and condemn it.

Attacks of this kind are designed to disrupt our society and to undermine the relationships within it. Let us resist this at all costs and stand together in unity.

Let us also watch out for the wellbeing of any groups who may be targeted because of terrorist actions which claim, or are perceived by some, as having a link to them. There is no place for prejudice and hatred of that kind and where it is found, let us redouble efforts to combat it.

The Co-Chairs of the Inter Faith Network for the UK and Moderators of the IFN Faith Communities Forum

The 2nd of August marks Roma Holocaust Memorial Day. Join Jews, Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims and Christians and many others as they show their solidarity with the Roma community as they mark the anniversary of the Porajmos. Representatives will be gathering at noon in Hyde Park, London, at the Holocaust Memorial Garden. We hope you will be able to join us in support. René Cassin will be organising Jewish representation; do let us know if you can join us.

Best wishes,

Sam Grant

Sam Grant
Campaigns and Programme Manager
René Cassin

Sheffield Interfaith would like to publicise and support this event, but only heard about it today

To Concord members and friends, a message from Makkah Masjid

Commenting on the ‪OrlandoShooting, Imam Qari Asim MBE, senior Imam of Leeds Makkah Mosque, said:

“The mass murder at a nightclub in Florida was about hatred, pure and simple. Although it has been claimed by ISIS terrorists in the supposed name of religion, this attack runs directly counter to Islam and has been firmly rejected by Muslims in Britain and across the globe.

Coming as it does during the holy month of Ramadan, when Muslims in Britain and throughout the world celebrate the true values of Islam that include compassion, peaceful coexistence and charity, the perpetrator’s senseless actions are even more abhorrent.

One of Islam’s core values, stated by the Prophet Muhammad, is that a person “should treat the people the way he would love to be treated” (sahih Muslim). As no human being would wish harm on himself, it is contrary to Islam to harm others, let alone shoot them mercilessly.

As British Muslims, we stand with all those that are disgusted and saddened by the horrific violence committed in Orlando, united in our shared commitment to overcome hatred and bigotry in our society.”

Kind regards

Makkah Masjid

Press Release Faith Leaders response to Paris attacks

Sheffield Peace and Unity Walk 25th November 2015

This Friday evening at 7pm, at St Marie’s Cathedral, there will be a vigil to honour victims of attacks, particularly the recent attacks in Beirut and Paris.

This will be an opportunity for quiet reflection and prayer for the victims, their families and their countries.

Please come and light a candle, and spread the word around you.

Sheffield Interfaith wishes to express deepest sympathy for those injured and killed in the shootings at Garissa University in Kenya last week, most of whom were singled out merely because they were identified as Christian.  Our thoughts and prayers are with all those, of whatever belief or faith, that have been left so bereaved through these unjust actions.  We are appalled by violence carried out either in the name of, or against, any religion and recognise that the vast majority of people, whether Christians or Muslim or whatever, believe in loving their neighbours and showing peace towards one another.