Interfaith Journeys
  • Home
  • Interfaith Journeys
  • Stella Reekie

Postcards from Scotland

15/5/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
Scotland is at an exciting and important stage in its history. As it journeys towards a referendum there is a desire to develop a new vision for Scotland and to engage in conversations about the kind of society we would like to live in.  Yesterday I was preparing a paper for such  a conversation with the members of Interfaith Scotland.  I used some of the material contained in a series of books, Postcards from Scotland.

One of the books,  written by Phil Hanlon and Sandra Castle of Glasgow University, is entitled AfterNow.  It shows that Scotland is one of the most unhealthy societies in Europe.  It is unclear why this is so but some suggest a break down in community, a loss of meaning and purpose. The authors suggest that  Scotland needs to encourage a return to spiritual values such as community, offering a listening ear and giving people a locus for conversation and reflection if it is to promote health and well-being it is to become a healthy nation .

Another of the  book in the series is written by Carol Craig from the Centre for Confidence and Wellbeing . It is entitled The Great Takeover and shows how materialism, the media and markets now dominate our lives. Carol argues how this has led to competitiveness and a celebrity culture that is not wholesome, affects our health and wellbeing and does not contribute to our happiness. Carol suggests that in the past religions offered an alternative voice but now, according to Carol, the only time an alternative voice is heard is in Thought for the Day on Radio 4!

Postcards from Scotland  suggest that there is a need for a change in the general culture of Scotland, a change in people’s attitude, a return to simpler, life-giving, wholesome values.  The series encourages us to consider what it means to live a good life, something philosophers have been doing since the time of Socrates.  Whatever the good life is it is not about accumulating more goods, being more successful, more important, more powerful.  One of the answers offered by the authors of the series is to choose less, to choose voluntary simplicity, to develop compassion for ourselves. others and the world around us. These authors are not necessarily religious but the solution they offer is fundamental to most religions.  If religious traditions were able to live out these values in their daily life and speak about them in a way that is meaningful to everyone, religious or not, they could make a great contribution to the wellbeing of society. The religious message is needed more than ever, especially at a time when it looks as though religion is in decline.  And this message could be the more powerful if it were  spoken with a united voice.  This would mean religions setting aside their own particular agendas to speak with a common voice about the human values they all share. This is the work of interfaith relations.  

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    I am  a Catholic nun, involved in interfaith relations for many decades.  For me this has been an exciting and sacred journey which I would like to share with others.

    Picture

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013

    RSS Feed

    Categories
    Religious Performances
    ​​

    All

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.