Religious diversity is often overlooked in many diversity and inclusion efforts, particularly in single-faith contexts such as Christian theological education. Yet good relations in society between people of different beliefs is crucial to the common good, understanding of other faith communities is crucial to Christian presence in local contexts, and knowledge of Christian relations with other faiths is crucial to understanding Christian history, thought, and practice (especially, but not only, in relation to Judaism). The work of recognising diversity and practising inclusion in contexts of Christian ministry includes religious diversity in the local area (or in the sector, in the case of chaplaincy), and in society more broadly. Recent research has highlighted the importance of attention to religious diversity in contexts of theological education, calling on theological educators to enhance opportunities for interfaith encounter. This project will explore interfaith encounter in theological education through a new analysis of the data behind the Coventry University report, Interfaith Learning in Christian and Muslim Higher education Colleges (2025), and through theological-pedagogical reflection on the implications of the findings for the contexts of Durham Common Awards TEIs. The Coventry project reported on the current realities of interfaith learning, experiences, attitudes, and impacts in a wide sample of Christian and Muslim HE contexts in the UK, and made a set of recommendations arising from these findings. We will ask what theological educators in Common Awards TEIs need to learn from this recent re-search through a collaboration between a leader in theological education and interfaith relations, two of the lead researchers on the Coventry project, and a Common Awards TEI.
Project report: Interfaith Encounter in Theological Education Report.pdf
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