Getting Together with the Neighbours
People of different faiths find themselves meeting for many reasons. Maybe there's a bushfire to be fought, a street picnic to be enjoyed, a youth centre to be organized.
It's when we want to plan a specifically religious observance of some kind that life can get tricky. The integrity of each faith must be safeguarded. The sensitivities of all are to be respected. We don't yet know each other as well as we should. One mistake, however well-meaning, can undo the potential to relate well with our neighbours, and may sever the relationship.
The increasing interfaith contacts of recent years provide some valuable insights into how to negotiate these particular sensitivities.
In this section:
Guidelines for Planning Interfaith Gatherings (Published guidelines from the Uniting Church in Australia, the Victorian Council of Churches, and the Australian Consultation on Liturgy)
Interfaith Etiquette Guidelines (Etiquette for planning, hosting, and attending an interfaith gathering)
Resources for Planning an Interfaith Gathering (Sample orders of service, prayers, music, etc.)
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