We spend five minutes with the Rev. David Pargeter:
How did you become interested in interfaith work?
As a child growing up in Cambridge England my best friend from an early age was Dilip Agawala from Calcutta. A Hindu child of a Hindu family. It’s part of who I am.
I have never understood racism; there are far more plausible reasons for disliking someone than the colour of their skin. I cannot stand prejudice in any form and have devoted my energies in ministry to the propagation of radical inclusion. I have always been interested in other cultures and my continuing education in ministry has focused on understanding religious traditions different to my own. My early experiences in ministry in the Hornsey / Tottenham area of London exposed me to a raft of issues associated with being a Christian community in the midst of other faith communities.
It is fair to say that I do not have an interest in interfaith work, it is my passion. I see it as the most important work of the 21st Century through which humanity as well as local community life can be greatly enriched and transformed.
Have you attended an interfaith event in the last month?
Yes at the Regent’s Park Mosque in Central London. Festival of Eid.
What do you think are the challenges of your interfaith work in the coming 12 months?
Finding ways of countermanding the negative effects of media driven islamaphobia. Developing a new language for talking about faith that lifts us all up rather than drags us all down. Develop an apologetic for the 21st Century that challenges the vapid exhortations of atheists who blame all the ills of the world on the existence of religion. Such ignorant nonsense!
Do you have a recommendation for someone wanting to get involved in interfaith relations / dialogue?
Yes, get to know your local community. Join or start a local interfaith group. Build community around sharing a common space. Use such a group to create safe spaces for developing appreciation and understanding, for doing things together. As Christians, abandon any posture of supremacy and instead of searching for a common truth participate in a common search for truths. Learn to intentionally listen and resist the temptation to talk until asked; and then choose words wisely.