Faith, interfaith and cohesion

The unique contributions of faith and interfaith to promoting community cohesion

That there are differences between faiths and differences within faiths is not contested. What is generally accepted, however, is that the major world faiths present in Britain today have many things in common, and that what unites them is greater than what divides them. They share a number of common values which can be summarised as:

• a sense of community
• personal integrity
• a sense of right and wrong
• learning, wisdom and a love of truth
• care and compassion
• justice and peace
• respect for one another and for the earth and its creatures
• belief that these values are inspired by a transcendent Being or goal and are honed through a system of worship or other practices

These underpinning values have led to a resurgence of confidence amongst people of faith and/or spirit which has manifested itself as 'faith in action' in numerous projects across the country. Running parallel with this has been a renaissance of recognition in government circles in particular and society in general that faith and interfaith groups have a major role 'as partners not substitutes.' (Tony Blair)

There are ten potential roles that faith and interfaith groups can play in promoting community cohesion. These have been clustered according to the types of 'capital' they might bring. 'Capital' is used in the widest possible sense and is taken to mean any resource, asset, advantage, and predisposition that individuals and groups might bring to the cohesion table. Each role has its own unique and overlapping contribution and underpins the huge amount of work that is faith inspired in areas of regeneration, civil renewal and education.

The ten potential roles that faith and interfaith can play in promoting community cohesion:

1. Faith and interfaith groups as spiritual capital
2. Faith and interfaith groups as personal and emotional capital
3. Faith and interfaith groups as social capital
4. Faith and interfaith groups as resource and regenerative capital
5. Faith and interfaith groups as leadership capital
6. Faith and interfaith groups as inter-cultural capital
7. Faith and interfaith groups as education and training capital
8. Faith and interfaith groups as youth capital
9. Faith and interfaith groups as democratic and civic capital
10. Faith and interfaith groups as international capital