Leeds University Union Placement Rebecca Anthoney People of “Multiple Religious Identities” and No Faith in Inter Faith Dialogue

What is Inter Faith Week? ● A nationwide initiative set up by the Inter Faith Network for the UK ● Talks: Religions 101, Life After Death, “Where is the Love?”, Q&A Session ● Events: Prayer and Meditation, Place of Worship Crawl, “Speed-faithing” ● Societies partaking: Jewish, Christian, Catholic, Orthodox Christian, Islamic, Ahlul Bayt, Sikh, Buddhist Meditation

Interfaith Week: My Role ● Organising events ● Advising ● Observing and participating

People with “Multiple Religious Identities” ● The affirmation of one or more religious identities ● Not deliverately excluded from inter faith week ● Faith Societies' sense of identity is important

The Place of “Multiple Religious Identities” in Inter Faith Dialogue ● Why should they be included? ● Difficulties: Do not fit into the usual structures ● A change of structure?

My Experiences ● Atheist Society were not present ● Asked to speak for atheists ● Difficulties engaging in discussion

Where Does Atheism Fit In? ● Is atheism a religion? – depends on the definition of “religion” ● Do non-religious people need to be involved in inter faith? ● What is a non-religious person's place in inter faith dialogue?

Room For Improvement? ● More inclusivity? - activities and societies ● More publicity outside of faith societies ● Encourage Atheist Society involvement from the planning stages onwards

Bibliography ● Goosen, G Hyphenated Christians: Towards a Better Understanding of Dual Religious Belonging. Colloquium. 44(2) ● ● The Interfaith Network for the UK Inter Faith Week 2013 in England, Northern Ireland and Wales. [Online]. [Accessed 30/04/2014]. Available from: ● Knott, Kim, 2010, Insider/Outsider Perspectives in ed. Hinnels, John R, The Routeledge Companion to the Study of Religion. Second Edition, Routledge: Abingdon ● Suomala, K Complex religious identity in the context of interfaith dialogue. Cross Currents 62(3). pp