How do people of faith live together? It’s one of the
world’s biggest issues. But does a commitment to mission set you on a collision
course with other religions?
No, is Richard's answer.
“Christians can have
extreme stereotypes of other faiths,” he says, “but the Bible comes from a
multi-faith society. If people do appropriate Bible study, learn about another
religion and get to know someone of another faith, I find barriers are soon
broken down.”
His experience gives him hope. “I work with Sanctuary, a
group of British Asian Christians that offers open services in a town-centre
church. It is Christ-centred but attracts Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs, all on a
spiritual journey.”
Is God using other faiths to lead the church on its own
journey? “Multifaith Britain can seem confusing, depressing or infuriating but
God can lead us to a new place through being faithful to Jesus in the midst of
this diversity.”
Richard has recently published a book, Distinctly Welcoming, aimed at helping churches to reach out to people of other faiths in a way that is, as the title suggests, both welcoming and distintively Christian.
Richard
hopes that the book will “encourage Christians to be good news in an
age of religious bad news. People will welcome us as we become good
news to all people in society.
“By being faithful to Christ, we can serve and bless all peoples.”