One of King Charles’s deeply-held convictions is that, as well as being head of the Church of England and defender of the faith, he should also be a defender of faith, in the wider sense of advocating for a valued place of faith in society. The King’s conviction was acted out in his coronation where the procession included leaders of various faith communities. You may remember that when it came to the presentation of regalia, representatives of the Hindu, Sikh, Muslim and Jewish communities from the House of Lords all took part in this important symbolic act.
Although Devon is not be the most religiously diverse county in England our Lord Lieutenant, David Fursdon, is actively seeking to highlight the value of multifaith work in the county. He has asked one of his Deputy Lieutenants, Lee Howell OBE DL, formerly Chief Fire Officer for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, to lead a ‘Task and Finish Group’ mapping interfaith work in Devon and looking at ways in which it can be recognised and celebrated. I have been asked to sit alongside this group of Deputy Lieutenants in my role as Chaplain to the King, and it has been fascinating to learn more about what is going on in this area of Devon life. I was fortunate to have been involved in interfaith work in Coventry in the early years of my ordained ministry, but this took a back seat during my years in mid-Devon, which was distinctly less diverse!
Just down the road from Exeter Cathedral we have an excellent multi-faith chaplaincy at Exeter University and the recently opened Sarah Turvill Multifaith centre now provides space for meeting and prayer alongside the two Anglican Chapels at the University. And similar chaplaincies are found in the prison service, in hospitals, in the police and armed forces. Providing such a multi-faith approach to chaplaincy is a way of respecting and including people of all faiths in our community life.
And there are also Interfaith Forums in Exeter and Plymouth which promote dialogue and meeting between people of different faiths. These seek to build friendships and promote understanding and perhaps this is all the more important in this time when international tensions and conflicts can be reflected in our local communities and even on our streets.
Interfaith conversations might seem risky to us. Are we not in danger of diluting our own faith in the cause of harmony and wider understanding? I’ve found quite the reverse to be true. Although I don’t, of course, share particular beliefs of the other faiths I have found much to admire and to learn from in them: the discipline of Ramadan, which puts my own rather modest Lenten efforts into perspective; or the way in which the Jewish faith is expressed in home life, challenging Christians who can easily see our faith as being about what happens in church on Sunday; or the generous hospitality of the Sikh Gurdwara which ensures that nobody in the community goes hungry. These things have inspired and challenged me and helped me to reflect on the strengths and shortcomings of my own Christian faith. Perhaps you might take the risk of talking more deeply with those you know of a different faith about what their faith means to them, or of taking opportunities to learn from other places of worship in our area?
Inter-faith conversation is not about looking for a shared lowest common denominator of belief. In fact, a clear and definite statement of faith is far the best basis for dialogue. Rather, such conversations should be about increasing our understanding of those of other faiths, growing in respect for their good values and practices and learning how their experience can enrich the practice of our own faith.
If you would like to find out more about what is going on locally you can visit the website of the Devon Faith and Belief Forum: https://devonfaiths.org.uk/ or discover the programme for the Exeter Interfaith and Belief Group here: https://devonfaiths.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Exeter-Interfaith-programme-2026.pdf
In interfaith conversation there is the potential to move from mistrust and fear to understanding and cooperation for the common good of society. I believe that it can also be a lively and effective sign of God’s love and care for people of all races and faiths.