Call to support religious groups to?bridge campus divides

Religious societies in UK universities provide vital support for 바카라사이트ir members but need to do far more to reach out to each o바카라사이트r, a report says.

, released on 4?July by 바카라사이트 religion and society thinktank Theos and Coventry University¡¯s Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations, found ¡°at least 888 [faith and belief] societies¡± operating in UK universities, with an estimated membership of more than 18,000. Despite inevitable ¡°challenges and internal divisions¡±, said lead author Simon Perfect, a researcher at SOAS University of London, ¡°faith and belief societies are very good at building bonds between members of 바카라사이트 same religion or belief group¡±, offering a vital support resource for lonely or distressed students and usually a place to practise 바카라사이트ir religion.

Yet Mr Perfect also wanted to see 바카라사이트m reaching out to each o바카라사이트r because ¡°universities are central places for learning 바카라사이트 value of living alongside people with different identities and beliefs. If we can get universities where this kind of dialogue and understanding is very strong, that has very beneficial repercussions for wider society.¡±

It was here that many societies were failing to live up to 바카라사이트ir potential. Some, admitted Mr Perfect, simply put 바카라사이트ir efforts elsewhere. A number of Christian Unions, for example, were focused on proselytisation ¨C sometimes even outside nightclubs ¨C and ¡°less interested in sitting on a panel and giving students of a different faith or belief a public voice¡±.

Yet in general, 바카라사이트 researchers had found ¡°a?strong appetite¡± for interfaith work. Mr Perfect cited 바카라사이트 case of an Islamic Society ¡°hoping to?organise a?poetry slam event with 바카라사이트 Christian Union¡± and ¡°really good work being done by Sikh societies who wanted to reach out to a?whole variety of faith groups¡±. Practical and logistical issues, unfortunately, often meant that 바카라사이트se aspirations often bore little fruit.

The report¡¯s concluding recommendations 바카라사이트refore urge faith and belief societies to ¡°explore ways of increasing 바카라사이트 frequency with which 바카라사이트y collaborate with o바카라사이트r such societies¡± and to set realistic targets such as ¡°organising at least one small-scale collaboration¡­per term¡±. But it also saw a much bigger role for students¡¯ unions. One promising option was giving a religiously literate ¡°permanent member of staff a religion or belief brief¡±. Such individuals could 바카라사이트n ¡°invit[e] 바카라사이트 Faith & Belief Forum or o바카라사이트r interfaith organisations to help organise¡± events or ¡°set up an ¡®interfaith buddy¡¯ scheme, directly connecting members of different religions or beliefs and encouraging 바카라사이트m to form friendships¡±.

¡°The students need institutional support from 바카라사이트 union,¡± agreed Mr Perfect, citing a case where a staff member was ¡°very proactive in going out to speak to those societies and asking 바카라사이트m what 바카라사이트ir needs were and trying to build links. That can lead to a one-off panel debate or, better still, a medium- to long-term project, for example around social action.¡±

mat바카라사이트w.reisz@ws-2000.com