Thank you everyone for participating in our Exploring World Faiths National Webinars.

Powerpoints and recordings of this, and previous, webinars can be accessed on the Exploring World Faiths page on the u3a national website.                                                      

Here are details of the next 4 webinars on Zoom as follows. Please register on Eventbrite through the Exploring World Faiths Subject Page on the u3a national website u3a Online Events page

Queries to Dr Peter Rookes, National Subject Advisor, Exploring World Faiths, pjrookes@gmail,com.

Mon 5^th Sept – 10.0 am

Holy Wars or Holy Peace – To coincide with the International Day of Peace on 21^st September, we will explore the contribution of Faiths to conflict and to peace.

The contribution of Islam and Judaism to Peace in Israel/Palestine - Claire Bowman, Interchurch and Interfaith Coordinator, Central England Quakers

The promotion of World Peace by the Universal Peace Federation and the Women’s Federation for World Peace – Patricia and David Earle

Interfaith Solidarity in Birmingham following the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Building in New York – Representatives of Birmingham Faith Leaders

Mon 24^th Oct – 10.0 am

Divali – Festival of Light – Contributors from the Jain, Hindu and Sikh faiths

Mon 14^th Nov – 10.0 am

All Souls – Day of the Dead – Contributions from Christian and Muslim faiths

Mon 12^th Dec – 10.0 am

Reflections, Ideas and Experiences of Setting Up and Running Local Exploring World Faiths Groups

Please register to attend on the Exploring World Faiths subject page on the u3a website. Queries to Dr Peter Rookes at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

You can register for all events  via the u3a Online Events page

 

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Previous presentations (2022)

Pilgrimages July 18th Presentation

Many people of different faiths go on pilgrimages - we heard about 3 examples - what motivates people to go on pilgrimage, what preparation they need to make, how was it organised, what do 'pilgrims' feel while they are there, and when they return home. What are the similarities and differences between these 3 examples -

• Shahana Khan, Muslim, will tell us about her pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia.
• Mauricio Silva, Christian, will share his experience of walking to Santiago de Compostela in Spain
• Munpreet Kaur, Sikh, will tell us about her pilgrimage to the Golden Temple in Amritsar, India 

National Buddha Day May 16th presentation

Peter Brookes hosted this special talk for national Buddha Day with speakers Richard Ollier & Lama Choesang.

Richard Ollier has been a practising Buddhist for about thirty-five years, at first in the Theravada tradition, and more recently as an ordained priest in the Amida Order of Pureland Buddhists (in a Japanese tradition). He is a Learning Mentor on an online training course for Buddhist chaplains.

Lama Choesang is a senior Buddhist nun ordained by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet (HHDL). Further ordination in 2001 as a Bikshuni (Gelongma in Tibetan) as a senior nun with some 364 vows.

‘Do All Religions Lead to the Same God?’  Wed 20^th April  presentation   

Dr Peter Rookes, National u3a Subject Advisor, Exploring World Faiths, introduced the topic from a mainly, but not exclusively, Abrahamic perspective.

Stephen Vickers, Religious Education Task Force of the Office of Public Affairs, National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the UK will present from A Baha'i view -Do all religions lead to the same God? 

Vandna Dey, who is a teacher at the College of Vedic Studies and Head of Education and Pluralism at the West Midlands Hindu Forum will approach the topic from A Hindu perspective  presentation.   

Presentation on the Jain Faith by Arvinder Jain on Monday 4th October - SEE VIDEO HERE 

Previous presentations (2021)

 

Mon 16 May (Buddha Day) – 10 am  

Buddhism, Buddha and the Dalai Lama

Richard Ollier is a retired secondary school teacher, who has been a practising Buddhist for about thirty five years, at first in the Theravada tradition, and more recently as an ordained priest in the Amida Order of Pureland Buddhists (in a Japanese tradition). I am a Learning Mentor on an online training course for Buddhist chaplains.

Lama Choesan is a Buddhist Nun based in Hereford, and is one of only 2 Tibetan Nuns in the UK.

You may like to watch on iplayer – BBC4, 23 Feb 2022 -  Mission Joy – With Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama - BBC  

Mon 20 June  - 10 am

General Chat Session for Local Coordinators of u3a Exploring World Faiths groups and others thinking of doing so.

Mon 18 July - 10 am

Pilgrimage – Presenters to be advised

Pilgrimages to important religious sites for spiritual renewal are a feature of many faiths. We are all familiar with the Muslim pilgrimage to Hajj; Christian pilgrimages to Canterbury, Lindisfarne and Santiago de Compestella; Christians, Jews and Muslims go on pilgrimage to Jerusalem; Sikhs to theGolden Temple at Amritsar; and Hindus go to the Ganges at Varanassi.

Mon 5 Sept – 10 am

Holy Wars or Holy Peace – Presenters to be advised.

To coincide with the International Day of Peace on 21^st September, we will explore the contribution of Faiths to conflict and to peace.

Exploring world faiths  - West Midlands subject week (April 2021)

If you want to let me know in advance of the meeting, any particular points that you would like me to address, then please feel free to do so at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.   - Dr Peter Rookes, National Subject Advisor,  Exploring World Faiths.