A team of expert speakers, some of whom are internationally recognised, is lined up for Portsmouth Diocese’s first inter-religious dialogue conference, to be held on November 4, 2023 at St. Bede’s Church, Basingstoke, from 10am to 3.30pm.

There will be four speakers, and each will talk about a different aspect of inter-religious dialogue. The speakers are:

▪ Fr Jan Nowotnik – Director of Mission and National Ecumenical Officer, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales. (pictured)
▪ Fr Michael Barnes SJ – Emeritus Professor at the University of Roehampton and a research associate at the School of Advanced Study, University of London.
▪ Elliot Vanstone – Mission Advisor, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales.
▪ Dr Yvette Harrington – inter-religious dialogue scholar and member of Portsmouth Diocese’s inter-religious dialogue team.

The theme of the conference echoes the teaching document Meeting God in Friend and Stranger. Anyone with an interest in the Catholic Church’s teaching on inter-religious dialogue and its relationship with non-Christian faiths is invited to attend.

Monsignor Canon Vincent Harvey, Team Leader of inter-religious dialogue in Portsmouth Diocese, said: “We re-established the inter-religious dialogue team two years ago at the request of Bishop Philip Egan. We are now delighted to offer the Diocese’s first conference on inter-religious dialogue and are blessed to have engaged such inspirational speakers. We look forward to opening up ways of strengthening our relationship with communities of other faiths in the Diocese of Portsmouth.”

To register for the event, click the link https://shorturl.at/mvFOY