Acting and thinking in good faith

THE final conversation of Just Festival 2013 is looking at what it means to be inter-faith in the modern world, and particularly in Scotland at the moment. 

The speakers are Sister Isabel Smyth (Interfaith Scotland), Bashir Malik and Iain Stewart (Edinburgh Interfaith Association), and the chair will be the Rev Markus Dunzkofer (Church of St John the Evangelist).

"Dialogue is all about identity, who we are... our story," said Markus Dunzkofer, kicking off tonight's exchange.

Iain Stewart talked about his own engagement arising from his upbringing in Glasgow, as a Presbyterian aware of the conflict between people that used religion as one of its conduits.

Later, he ended up in ministry in the Church of Scotland, and then working for the Edinburgh Interfaith Assosication. "When you come to dialogue, you come as who you are... you don't leave that behind, you have to be true to who you are," he declared.

Some 1,300 racist incidents have been reported in Glasgow, and 1,240 in Edinburgh, in the past year. This indicates that "fear of the unknown" and of the other still exist. Perhaps in a more secular society there is less understanding of the beliefs of others.

Sister Isabel Smyth spoke of her experience of jobs and social opportunities being effectively closed to Catholics. "We felt not wanted... but the Catholic school system have us opportunities to become teachers, and so on."

On the other hand, the stereotypes of people of other backgrounds and faiths was very unhelpful, she said. "I hardly knew a Protestant, let alone others",  Isabel said to laughter. "It seemed that they never smiled and never took their religion that seriously" was the caricature that she inherited.

Becoming a nun in Blackburn, she ended up studying at Lancaster, examining world religions, meeting people of other faith, and living for the first time in a secular community. "It was rewarding and nourishing, but also quite closed," she said of her Catholic upbringing. "I had a strong Catholic identity, but it was a closed Catholic identity... Lancaster changed me," Isabel explained.

"I discovered a spiritual wealth that belonged to us no matter what religion we belonged to... even Protestantism!"

She continued: "Like Iain, I do not fear a secular society. I don't want to live in a religious dominated society."  However, she added, there is a difficulty that people of faith fear a certain kind of secularism, one that is closed or antagonistic.

"I went to a Catholic school, as well as an Islamic one," Bashir Malik explained. "I have been very blessed. My father was an army officer, and I lived most of my life in a large city... that eventually became part of Islamabad."

"But even the officers were not paid so much, and his saving were not enough to send me to college. But I learned Persian, Arabic and English at school... I used to go to factories and mills about 200 miles around Islamabad, and I was advised to do advanced knowledge in textiles. I did an apprenticeship in Yorkshire. It took me two years to get my passport."

Bashir found himself assisting interfaith understanding at the request of a doctor, and as part of his study in Britain, before returning to Pakistan. Then he returned and got a job at Lucas, experiencing segregation for the first time - but subsequently found himself accepted personally by a number of people. In 1974 he moved to Morningside in Edinburgh.

"When I was in Birmingham there was no mosque... when my father came, he was disappointed."  But the reality was that it took time for people to get the time and money together.

"When you listen to these stories, you realise that going back some time ago, what we are doing here is something we couldn't have done then."

For Sister Isabel, it became a matter of practical need to understand those she was talking about. "Now I see it as a justice issue," she said, part of the quest for a society where people of different beliefs and backgrounds learn to live together creatively.

For Iain Stewart, the important thing is what we can learn from one another, "for example, from Sikhs in regard to equality and hospitality."  He acknowledged that religion could be used for ill, but also believed it could be a real force for good.

"Community is one very important aspect of faith," Iain said, referring to the experiment in 'atheist church' in London, which has also featured as part of the Just Festival conversations this year.

What is the greatest joy of being inter-faith? "People", Sister Isabel replied without hesitation. The comment was echoed by the others. "Also, there is a strong sense of God at work in these different communities," added Iain.

The collapsing of boundaries, labels and prejudices is an important reward of seeking to build bridges between different belief communities.

"There is so much good that can come from it," Iain declared. "How can I say 'love your neighbour' on Sunday, and then walk past them," said one Christian of Muslim neighbours.

So what is the next step in the C21st?

Bashir spoke of introducing around 35 Christians and others to a mosque. People who had never been to such a building before, joining the breaking of the fast at Ramadan. Much of what needs to be done in breaking down barriers remains human and basic.

Cooperation between faith groups in the face of poverty and austerity, including food banks, is another vital way forward, said Iain. The threat of the EDL, SDL and BNP also needs to be faced together.

But Isabel warned that "interfaith is a minority sport... it needs to go beyond the enthusiasts." She cited Professor Hans Kung's reminder that "there will be no peace without peace between the religions. There will be no peace between the religions without dialogue between the religions."

However, there is another step: "There will be no dialogue between the religions without dialogue within the religions." The message needs to be developed within each belief community.

"What is happening here at St John's is miles away from what is happening in the national church... for good, I hope," one contributor from the floor said.

Iain Stewart agreed, but spoke of, for example, the positive interfaith training going on within the Church of Scotland among ministers. "This is quite life-changing for some... we need to share the experience."

There was a warning about 'tea and sympathy' inter-faith work. But Sister Isabel responded by pointing out that human contact was actually vital to building understanding. (In England, a mosque disarmed a group of EDL antagonists by making them tea!)

Interfaith Scotland is opening up secular space for conversation between people of faith and non-faith. Conversations about values and social justice offer some fertile territory. This is another dimension of the conversation in the C21st.

Discussions with Humanists and non-religious secularists are important. But so are spaces for discussion among the religions (plural).

Grassroots action is the key, the panel agreed. The failure of part of the ecumenical movement within western Christianity has been that it didn't permeate local parishes and communities enough. It became structurally independent. There are lessons for interfaith action now.

"Ministers feel pressure to run a 'successful church', to keep reorganising, to maintain 'market share'," said the Rev Dr Chris Wigglesworth from the floor. "But actually, because many people are not interested in what we are enthusiastic about, we need to get out into the wider world."

"Sometimes that pressure comes from the laity," responded Markus Dunzkofer. It isn't, he suggested, simply a kind of clericalism that produces ecclesiastical introversion.

"Before you take on things that are a bit difficult, you have to become friends," another audience member stressed.

As in other conversations on religion at Just Festival, the issue of gender and of space, recognition and dignity for women was raised.

"One religious community cannot tell another one how to treat women," Sister Isabel suggested. It was a question of setting and recognising good examples.  The work of Beyond the Veil was mentioned.

Iain Stewart said that this was a serious issue, and spoke of the 'Faith in Women' project, sharing culture and faith, but also working on empowerment and leadership in the community.

Markus Dunzkofer felt it was both possible and important to issue challenges about the place and role of women within the religions.

Interestingly, one woman said, women's involvement in interreligious dialogue was one way that they got recognised within their own communities, and in Scotland more widely.

The danger of Christians (or post-Christians) criticising others in an imperialistic way was noted. "You can only judge from within the terms of reference of that community," it was suggested. Female Genital Mutilation has been opposed most effectively from within religious communities, for example.

This is a developing live blog...

TONIGHT: "More tea, imam?"

JUST Festival and its predecessor, the Festival of Spirituality and Peace, has been concerned over the years to strike up a genuine personal, artistic, spiritual and cultural conversation among the different religions and beliefs that make up our country.

Once mainly Christian, Scotland, like other parts of the British Isles, has greater diversity of outlook - religious and non-religious - than ever before. So what are the obstacles and challenges in interfaith work today? How does school and home education affect the dialogue between believers?

In the light of a greater secular feel to the state and society, to what extent do interfaith activities support religious life and spirituality? Can they build bridges between those for whom faith is central and vital to their lives, and those for whom it is peripheral and unimportant.

Is it a matter of 'the religious' versus the 'non-religious', or can we enjoy a richer exchange than one organised along battle lines favoured by zealots in various camps?

These and other issues will be considered at the Just conversation starting at 6pm in the hall at St John's (corner of Princes Street and Lothian Road, venue 127), Edinburgh, tonight. We will continue until 7.30pm, and the cost is £5.

The speakers will be Sister Isabel Smyth (Interfaith Scotland), Bashir Malik and Iain Stewart Edinburgh (Interfaith Assosication), and the chair will be the Rev Markus Dunzkofer (Church of St John the Evangelist).

More here.

Getting stuck in to the future

WELL, no, we don't mean in an aggressive way - but not just talking, finding a new way of putting together our views so that we can make a difference!

That was what happened at Just Festival the other evening, as part of the session looking at citizenship and identity in Scotland, whichever way the referendum goes in September 2014 (and as part of the public exchange in the build-up to it).

Perry Walker of the inspirational New Economics Foundation (nef) brought along with him an abbreviated version of a word game which enables people to express themselves and hear one another in fresh ways. It involves choosing and linking words and phrases.

You can see people busy getting stuck in to the exchange (in the nicest way possible!) in our picture, with Perry supervising proceedings.

The Church of Scotland (with Imagining Scotland's Future) and So Say Scotland, who also held a Just workshop,  are among those rolling out cafe-style civic conversations and we think about the future direction of our country, these islands. Europe and beyond.

The full live blog from the Just conversation about Scottish identity and citizenship can also be found here.

Learn to be a world-changer

SITTING around pontificating about the state of the world. Moaning about how the world needs to head in a different direction. Actually doing something to change it.

Which of those three options is best?  How do we move from theorising and complaining to acting?

One way is to hear the stories and experiences of people who have taken the difficulty and challenge of change into their hands and done something with it.

In what is certain to be an encouraging conversation at St John's Church at 2pm on Saturday 24th August, you will have the chance to meet inspiring young people who balance homework with changing the world.

They have had a positive effect on those they set out to help and their friends and families. What motivated them to be the change they wanted to see in the world (Gandhi) and what we can learn from them?

The interviews with our panellists will be followed by an open discussion. ​ 

The speakers will be representatives of Mary’s Meals, Fast Forward,  Eczema Outreach Scotland,   TRUE Colours, and Stonelaw High Fair Traders.

The chair will be Sean Lewis from Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council.

Tickets cost £5 and are available online or from the cash-only box office at the venue.

More information here. 

Farm animals: just food or fellow creatures?

AN eager audience has arrived for tonight's conversation at St John's Just Festival conversation on animal ethics, farming and more.

The speakers are Peter Stevenson (Compassion in World Farming) and Dr Fritha Langford (University of Edinburgh and the Scottish Rural College), along with chair Michael Appleby (The World Society for the Protection of Animals).

The picture (not the panel!) indicates that there is a slight technical problem with transmitting photos right now, but as it happens we are starting with some pictures of the creatures being discussed and the conditions in which they are reared.

Overcrowded, barren and filthy conditions are sadly all too frequent, said Peter Stevenson, having shown some evidence for this. Treating animals simply as food means that we may adopt harm reduction and ensure some basic standards of safety, but developing a real sense of respect for the world and its creatures is a larger and more significant matter.

He quoted both St Basil of Caesarea: "May we recognise that they exist not for us alone, but for us and thee..." and from Lyle Watson, in The Whole Hog.

Fritha Langford, from an academic point of view, wants to ask about the researched needs of animals and what they, in themselves, 'bring to the table' in terms of the debate about treatment and ethics. What matters to a cow? How can one know?

So how can we feed the world sustainably, while also treating farm animals humanely?  It's 9 billion people by 2050 we are talking about. The real issue is sustainability, says Peter. "factory farming is very inefficient" - the calories we get back are minimal, compared to the grain inputs.

Could there be a different food source for pigs and sheep, say, sake Fritha? Grass and connective materials, replied Peter, converting something we can't eat into something we can. "The very systems that are so flawed are the ones that are inhumane."

In the developed world we should be eating fewer animal products more sustainably and humanely produced. In the developing world, the issues are different, and the two should not be confused.

We need to look at the life cycle, system measurements and particular needs, suggested Fritha, also factoring in the carbon footprint.

An organic chicken takes more carbon to produce, but if you eat less it balances it out, commented Michael Appleby.

Food waste, changes in consumption patterns and changes in distribution are key to feeding the world, Peter and Michael.  2.75 billion people could be fed by halving waste and grain feed, Peter said. The idea that we need 70% more production per se misses these issues of policy and responsibility.

The issue of fish farming and welfare was one that needed much greater attention, the panel agreed. There was also a need for more data and knowledge.

Breeding units in Scotland feature millions of fish in a unit the size of a small hall. The ethical question, said Peter, was about the distinction between natural and farmed behaviour. "The science cannot yet tell us, 'does the fish mind'," but that does not remove responsibility and judgement.

'Cheap food' is the real culprit, Peter suggests. It is only cheap because real costs are not factored in - health, environment, and so on. We in the west are eating poor food, and it is the taxpayer, the health service and future generations who are paying.

Professor Tim Lang has said that the current factory-based system is a crazy use of resources, crazy economics and crazy for health.

Supermarkets say "we are simply giving customers what we want", as if they and their advertising had no part in shaping a culture of expectation among consumers.

"We are not being helped as a society to be grown up and mature about food and animals", Peter Stevenson declared.

What of the horsemeat scandal?  Has it changed anything? "I don't think it has made us as a society say that we want to rethink how we derive meat and dairy products," Peter responded. "The way we treat animals in factory farming is awful. The pictures I showed you earlier are illegal, but there is a major problem with enforcement..."

How do we know where our food comes from and by what means? This is another major issue, along with who controls and disseminates such information.

Retailers and supermarkets are also often "hiding the truth from consumers". The internet can be a help, but it is not a substitute for good, pro-active communication and dialogue.

Education must play a major role in changing attitudes, sustainability and healthy food production.  Dr Fritha Langford said that there was growing interest in animal welfare in schools in Scotland, some of it government backed. That includes companion animals. Taking children to farms is important, too, though there can be obstacles.

"If you can run a farm on which you are perfectly happy to have school trips and visitors, then you are probably doing something right," said Michael. "If you are ashamed, there's a problem."

Talking of choices consumers may make: schemes like the RSPCA Freedom Food scheme, though not perfect, are better in what they recommend than the factory system, it was suggested. Free range and organic approaches have a number of advantages overall.

The question of 'fellow creatures' suggests that we are not just using animals, but we are in some sense entering a contract with them, working with them.

"We need to move way from overuse of human edible grain as a major source of food, eating less meat and making it better... It is also a matter of ethics, of spirituality, of rebalancing... and recognising ourselves as creatures," concluded Peter, questioning the dominant 'consumer society' paradigm.

This has been an evolving blog... do add your own comments or corrections. 

Thinking about citizenship and identity

"CITIZENSHIP - it's what we do," said Moira Tasker of Citizens Advice Edinburgh, introducing tonight's conversation at St John's on identity, citizenship and the 2014 independence referendum.

Moira is chairing the discussion, and the speakers are Iain G. Mitchell QC (in a personal capacity) and Perry Walker (New Economics Foundation, and a leading proponent of citizens' democracy).

Iain Mitchell started by talking about the debate of the head and the heart, and the very different feelings which people have about Scottish, British and European identities, individually and collectively.

"If we conduct the debate on independence without mutual respect from each others' identities, it will be very sterile," he declared.

Perry Walker began to look at the different 'narratives' involved. The pro-independence one might be, for example, "it's time to grow up". The counter-narrative would be about constraints from London and the EU, in terms of ownership.

On the pro-UK side the narrative may be about "the family of Britain". Again, the counter-argument might be about the suppression of the Scottish part of that identity as part of empire.

"Identity is about where we are comfortable being at home," Iain Mitchell responded. "But yer ain folk might be  the whole world, or a significant part of it."  History has a part to play. "I do have difficulty with the quasi-mysticism of identity with the land... because at its worst it can become exclusive."

At present, people born here or with the right of citizenship actually have two such legal citizenships - British and European - though many are not aware of this. Independence might, Mitchell suggested, challenge that. But to what extent is the sense of being a citizen a legal or a participation one?

He added that, with the possible exception of the EU, where he suggested that the broad legal consensus is that Scotland would be a new member and the other parts of what is now the UK would be a continuing member, Scottish membership of other international treaties and organisations would not be especially problematic under independence.

However, Mitchell said, what was needed was to define the debate better - again, both at the heart and head level.

Perry Walker explained that, as someone based in England, his interest was in citizens' participation and engagement, and that the card game he has brought along this evening is based on trying to listen to a variety of views across the political spectrum.

"For every expert there is an equal and opposite expert, it has been said," he added. "The decision we take is partly going to be about choosing narratives."

On the economic front, there are choices, but also assessments about the political probability of moving one way or another, Perry suggested. Iain felt there was little real room for manoeuvre.

An audience member said that she felt, however, that decisions for public ownership and industrial/social support would be both significant and possible.

After engaging with the card game, people said that they wanted a less politically charged debate, more information, and an acknowledgement that the decisions involved confidence (or not) in those who would have to negotiate and decide at the governmental level - but with influence and participation of people and communities.

The aim of the evening was not to have a partisan argument, but to deepen understanding and the ability to engage. The sense was that those taking part were grateful for that.

[Image: Focus Scotland].

This is an evolving live blog...

Are animals more than just food?

MANY believe that the way we treat the most vulnerable is the moral litmus of our humanity. But does this extend beyond humankind to other creatures, and if so in what ways?

The debate about how we treat animals is particularly intense around modern farming methods, intensive rearing and the sheer scale of local, regional and global food industries.

Pragmatically and ethically, is treating animals well a luxury we can’t afford or a feature of our spiritual journey through the world which we cannot be without?

The reality is that the majority of the animals who provide our meat, milk and eggs for us (whether we are carnivores herbivores, ovo-lacto vegetarians or pescatarians) are factory farmed.

What is done to them is done in the name of efficiency and cheap food. But is it really cheap or efficient? Can we eat well and behave towards animals with humanity?

The speakers at an important conversation on all this today, as part of Just Festival, will be Peter Stevenson (Compassion in World Farming), Dr Fritha Langford (Scotland's Rural College), along with chair Michael Appleby (The World Society for the Protection of Animals).

The discussion runs from 6-7.30pm in the hall at St John's Church (venue 127), Friday 23rd August, priced £5. Tickets can be purchased online, or at the cash-only ticket office at the venue.  Organised in association with Compassion in World Farming.

Scottish identity and citizenship

THE Scottish Independence Referendum has opened up serious discussions about Scotland’s identity and citizenship.

How might Scotland’s sense of self be defined after centuries of Union and immigration? Will this affect the voting in September 2014, and if so how?

Equally, what should be taken into account while revisiting legal aspects of granting citizenship? How will the Referendum shape intra-British and European relations?

These and other issues will be considered today in a conversation on Citizenship and Identity as part of Just Festival 2013, co-sponsored by the European Movement in Scotland.

The Speakers will be Iain G. Mitchell QC (Murray Stable) and Perry Walker (New Economics Foundation, and a leading proponent of citizens' democracy). The chair will be Moira Tasker (Citizen Advice Edinburgh).

The conversation runs from 4-5.30pm, Friday 23rd August, in the hall at St John's Church (venue 127).

Full details and booking here.

Tickets, which are £5, can also be purchased on the day at the venue's cash-only ticket office.

Getting down to business, socially

BUSINESS with a conscience and social enterprise to tackle poverty and improve society - these are two themes buzzing around in Scotland and more widely at the moment.

But what do they mean, and is socially driven business sustainable?  If so, how? These were two of the questions posed at the beginning of this lively conversation on 'Business for the other 99%' by the chair, Martin Simes, CEO of the Scottish Council of Voluntary Service (SCVO).

The speakers this evening will be Frank McKillop (ABCUL), Kirsty Burnham (SoLoCo), and Josh Littlejohn (Social Bite). Habib Malik (Islamic Relief Worldwide) was sadly not able to be there.

Credit unions are member-owned cooperatives offering financial services, explained Frank McKillop. There are one hundred plus in Scotland, and another 300 or more elsewhere in these islands. The exception at present is Perth and Kinross, but that gap will be filled soon.

Some 327,000 people (44,000 junior savers) are served by CUs in Scotland, borrowing £24 million with another £335 million saved. This is small by banking standards, but has enormous potential, as Archbishop Justin Welby has pointed out, among others.

Josh Littlejohn (Social Bite) started out setting up an events company business. Inspired by Nobel Prize winner Muhammad Yunus and his 'social business' vision, he then set up a sandwich shop which not only offers good food but involves homeless people in running it. It has been so successful that another will be following.

At the same tim, Josh kept one event, the Scottish Business Awards, going (former US president Bill Clinton has been involved) and has also helped set up the Scottish Social Business Fund.

Kirsty Burnham's SoLoCo supports people involved in crowd-funding ventures. This helps people to build and market the business while raising funds for it - in Kirsty's instance, involving selling chocolate bricks!

Globally, 40% of the world's population exists on just 6% of its resources, Josh pointed out. Many are excluded from the business world. Charities depend on a few generous individuals. Social enterprise combines the self-propelling and self-running features of business, but with social benefit built in at every level. This is a much better way forward.

What about Credit Unions?  Are they social enterprises?  Yes, says Frank. The aim of the DWP and the movement is to double itself by 2019, with an emphasis on developing a technological advantage. In places like Kenya, CU's are ahead of the game by using mobile phones. There is great potential in Eutope. 200 million people use them in 100 countries, including a quarter of the populations in the US and Canada.

But will Crddit Unions's end up simply being privatised? We must guard against this. At present, they cannot be de-mutualised by law, only dissolved, and that is a great protection. It is important to keep the cherry-pickers and carpet-baggers away.

The important thing is that these bodies are built by users, not investors. They have a potential to address the major problem of financial institutions recently, which is that they are driven by shareholders with narrow interests.

There are also businesses that are somewhat 'in between', like John Lewis, which is employee owned but does not have a particular social mission.

'Community owned' has a stigma attached to it in some quarters - the idea that the quality will somehow be lower quality, This needs to be challenged. Likewise, Credit Unions should not be seen as a "poor person's bank" in the negative sense.

The dominant assumptions of business since the 1980s have been that 'private' is good and efficient, whereas 'social' or 'public' is inefficient. But the financial crash and the emergence of different models of business are questioning this profoundly.

GDP, for example, offers a money measure of 'success', but not an environmental or social impact one. In the US, sociologists and entrepreneurs are beginning to talk about the 'caring economy'.

"There is still a whole world that doesn't yet get this," observed Kirsty. "Entering our world is like entering Narnia for them, a wholly different universe."

Oxfam's Human Kind Index is one of the developing alternatives to narrow GDP growth models, indicated Martin Simes, pointing out that the social sector was in many respects outperforming the traditional private sector.

Given global developments in recent years, the first question we should ask is about the sustainability of the current system.

"The biggest problem when I came out of university was that social business was just not in my consciousness," observed Josh. Visibility is the key. Social enterprise needs its brands, and people need to get that it is something for them, not just something for someone else to do and think about.

"We need to change the language, we need to be normal," declared Martin.

"If we become a brilliant sandwich shop, then we have the edge," said Josh of Social Bite. "Because no one can compete with our story, with the involvement of homeless people, and with the other things we do."

So is there a marketing edge to all this?  There is for those involved, said Martin Simes. "We get people queuing up to work in our sector. It's a significant motivator. People want to be able to do something useful with their lives."

Big investment and funding is also crucial, and it is beginning to take off in Scotland and elsewhere, he added.

"Leadership is such a key aspect in any Credit Union or social enterprise," said Frank McKillop. "Someone who can take it to the next step, but then also help to replicate and develop models and best practice. There are enthusiasts who can be trained and mentored. We have to work together to achieve succession planning - one of the most important courses we offer, though not enough people go on it!"

Education is another key. People leaving school need to know that social business is an option for them. Also, people need to see the tangible difference it makes, locally and globally. It is a question of tapping into, and broadening, the enthusasism.

At present you can do an MA in social enterprise at the University of Bangalore in India, but not in Scotland. That needs to change.

"A passionate workforce who want to bring change" is a crucial resource, Kirsty said.

What of the Co-operative movement and ideal which has deep historical roots going back to the nineteenth century?  It can and does play a major role in enabling community ownership, for example of wind farms. But the Co-op Bank has run into problems, not being member-owned and  being dragged in a commercially top-heavy direction.

"Being a social entrepreneur is an expensive hobby," one audience  member observed. "Being an entrepreneur, full stop!",  replied Kirsty. Resources for start-ups can be tough. Vision and passion can remain the same, how you get to it may change.

Where can you find information? Well, all of the supporting organisations for this conversation, and Social Enterprise Scotland, can provide support, ideas and info. Also the Yunnus Centre.

And what about governance and regulation?  Frank said that he felt it was very important that good quality standards and rules were maintained in the social sector. There are, said Martin, some fraudsters out there and we need to be wary of them.

Where does social enterprise government meet social entrepreneurship? Changing the culture of government to a 'can do' one from a risk-averse or bureaucratic mentality is important. Mechanisms like Community Enterprise Companies (CiCs) can be very helpful mediating structures.

Large amounts of transparency are one of the benefits of social business. There is also a need to have support to scale up new organisations.

Just Festival director Katherine Newbigging asked about the dilution of Fairtrade and social enterprise by large corporations.

This is an issue that needs to be faced, commented Josh. "Social business needs to be a major block within the economy, which it isn't yet. We need good regulation, tax incentives, and so on."

"We shouldn't be too precious towards categorizing social enterprise. But we do have to be quite protective of what isn't social enterprise," declared Frank McKillop. "There is a present danger in our sector from those coming in to extract a profit for a small group of investors. If most of the benefit is going into private hands, it isn't really social."

So does social business need an overarching brand?  There were mixed views. Different models are important. It is about spreading the socialising idea far and wide.

"A lot depends on getting the message out and getting people involved," Frank added. "Remember the Halifax - it was demutualized and then became a privately owned bank that cheated its customers and became involved in the downward spiral that led to the crash."

Social enterprise is about reversing that negative spiral. It needs to be a big part of a better future.

This has been a developing live blog... please do add comments or corrections below. 

Business for the other 99%

MENTION the word 'business' and many people immediately think of large corporations operating in the interests of a very few - those the Occupy movement called "the 1%".

Alternatively, they think of small street corner enterprises. There can be a big gulf between the two, and between those who ostensibly run 'business' and the great majority of ordinary people.

So how can we run, own, manage and organise 'business' as if the 99% really mattered?  That's the subject of the Just Festival conversation from 6-7.30pm at St John's Episcopal Church in Edinburgh (venue 127) this evening. Tickets cost £5.

In particular, there will be an emphasis on 'social business'. Seen as an instrument to tackle poverty and promote micro-finance, social enterprises have generated great interest, and not only among those who lean towards 'socialism'.

This new form of business with a ‘conscience’ is increasingly being adopted in Scotland and beyond. Yet, are they sustainable as businesses and for the communities they support?

The speakers this evening will be Frank McKillop (ABCUL), Kirsty Burnham (SoLoCo), Habib Malik (Islamic Relief Worldwide), and Josh Littlejohn (Social Bite). The chair will be Martin Sime, chief executive of the Scottish Council of Volunatry Organisations (SCVO).

Come along, find out more, and take part in the conversation. Then take in something to eat or drink in the relaxed atmosphere of the Persian Tent at St John's, if you will, and head off to the Quaker Meeting House for 8.30pm to hear about how Triodos Bank is one of the financial institutions trying to put the ethics back into business and the social back into enterprise.

Full booking details here.

You can also get tickets from the cash-only box office at the venue.

All in this together - but how?

“WHAT do we mean by a good society? What can and do churches or faith groups contribute to the development of such a society?”

Those were the questions that began an ecumenical investigation into perceptions of common good, from which tonight's conversation takes its cue.

"A good society is much more interesting than 'the big society', which was in vogue a few years ago," noted Bishop John Armes in his introduction. "We all think we know what we mean by 'good', but maybe it isn't so clear when you dig a little deeper."

The speakers, the Rev Padraig Gallagher (Church in Wales) and June Fearns (Hamilton, west of Scotland), are practitioners. That is where the discussion needs to start, Bishop Armes declared.

"I'm a supporter, not a leader... a facilitator at St Mary's [Hamilton], where there are so many activities involving a whole range of people," June said. Her background is in education, and her involvement began when an atheist, rather than a believer, in her workplace suggested a childrens and parents' project for vulnerable families, now called Circle.

"I wasn't a regular church-goer at that point," she added. "That was eleven years ago. I've been going every Sunday since. I found a church where when you go there is always a warm welcome... and they are opening the church to other people with no 'payback', no strings attached."

"I asked, 'why are you doing this?' and the answer was 'God's love in action.... We started with one worker working with five vulnerable families in a hall near St Mary's. It has grown from there... You now have to book into the hall."

People with addictions, released women prisoners and family groups living on the edge are among those who have been positively benefitting from the project. Reoffending has been cut dramatically. There is also an estranged parents group, who use a flat as a homely setting to meet children in association with legal services and the court system.

Alcoholics Anonymous now use the church three times a week, and 150 people are involved on a regular basis.

'How did I get involved in Wales? I was appointed by the bishop in the parish in Swansea north east. I became part of a 'community first' area, " said Padraig Gallagher.

The programme itself, he explained, was sparked by an initiative of the Welsh Assembly government tackling deprivation and poverty, and looking at sustainable regeneration - skilling people, empowering them.

Many of those Padraig works with have been out of work for a long time, and basic education and skills are lacking. This is a huge gap, contributing to a cycle of deprivation. The work began with a development trust, which Padraig chairs.

"Our church sits nicely there in the midst of things, I thought... wouldn't it be nice if more people went out into the community... God is out there, and if you go out you might meet God, rather than expecting God just to be in here, in church," he explained. Work with schools is part of what is involved in this, a meeting point for young and old.

"What I'd like to see is a much more equal world where people have opportunity - and the opportunity to take that opportunity... an open door society."  That was June's response to Bishop Armes' question, "what would a good society look like... given that much what we have been talking about so far is a broken society."

She went on to offer some definitions she had looked up herself. "Those with whom one has companionship... a system of human organisation - usually protection, security and identity. A good society is where everyone has self-esteem."

"People I live with", said Padraig, "don't like God... they live chaotic lives. A good society has to start by being non-judgemental, recognising that every person matters, and that we have to work together to make a difference.  Despite people's external differences, there is good there, care and compassion. But it does not always manifest itself in ways we commonly expect."

Those on benefits are accused of being scroungers, "but what about the companies that do not pay a living wage?" asked Padraig. We need a change of attitudes, and within the churches a renewal of faith in the possibility of good.

June spoke of a woman who now says of the community-engaged church, "I like to come". A very simple thing. "If the church is just open for that one woman, it matters.  The church needs to be like an 'eccentric tea-pot'... quirky, odd maybe, but hospitable and of use."

Similarly, Padraig talked about families whose tough lives had been inspired or changed in little but highly significant ways. "When I was in the nuthouse, he was the only one that bothered about me."

The speakers then asked two questions of the audience: "Why are you here?" and "What difference can you make?"

One response was about the need to address the gap between the goodness of some individuals and the overall tendency within the wider social order for this to be lost.

There are many poor who are "rich in other ways", it had been acknowledged. An audience member said that there were also rich people who were poor in other ways - leading Bishop Armes to reference the findings of The Spirit Level on the benefits of a more equal society.

Funding for the work in Swansea and Hamilton respectively was raised. Both June and Padraig said that they received little direct money, but there were resources available through collaboration on projects.

"[Communities] become trapped in themselves, with little chance to connect and share," Padraig observed... It's about creating opportunities for these organisations to work together."

Archbishop Justin Welby's challenging of payday loan companies and advocacy of credit unions as part of the alternative, focussed on the local situation, was welcomed.

CTBI's report A Good Society will be published in the Autumn, and one intention is to place it before the Welsh Assembly Government, the Scottish Government and others. Hearing the voices of individuals and communities is an important part of this process.

People from across the spectrum of cultural and social life have been talked to as part of the project, in seven different places throughout the UK. There is a wide range, though the project does not claim to be comprehensive.

The aim, whether in Swansea, Liverpool, Birmingham, Northern Ireland and elsewhere was to look at different experiences, including those crossing boundaries and building bridges.

"We are not trying to say that any of these places or individuals are representative... it is what we draw out of what they say that matters," a spokeswoman for the CTBI process stressed.

"Part of the church's aim is to demonstrate a different way of relating to what is sometimes practiced in wider society," one respondent said.

"A good society should not be thought of as something that can only be provided by people who do not get paid for it," another reminded us, citing health and educations workers and other professional people who contribute enormously to wellbeing, and intentionally wish to do so.

'Additionality' is something voluntary projects need to think about: what can be added for social benefit.  "Our role is facilitation and support",  June said.

"We cannot and should not offer everything, but we can provide space and encourage caring," an audience member responded.

"When the welfare state was set up it wasn't intended to stop people caring," said Bishop Armes. "But the bad thing is that gaps that are opening.... Churches are now trying to fill those gaps, but this should not be used to justify the gaps."

The question of what deprivation we are able to see and what we cannot see was raised.

"We are spending an awful lot of money addressing poverty," said Padraig. "But surely we could use our resources better?" And how do we address underlying causes of poverty, not just symptoms?

There are problems in our society, but for others who come here it seems to be a good one, someone suggested. But there is  "such a huge gulf" between those with and those without... "two separate societies," another responded.

The Church Action on Poverty and Christian Aid report Walking the Breadline was cited - showing, among other things, that it costs more to be poor, for example in purchasing food, in a less mobile environment with less choice.

A fruit and veg coop has been one response in Swansea, as well as lobbying supermarkets.

Challenging the victimisation of migrants, including the stopping and searching of predominantly non-white people by UKBA, "that is the kind of thing we can do," another audience member suggested. "Because I do not want to live in a society that picks on people who are different...".

This raised the issue of asylum seekers, and more generally of political action to challenge injustices within the social order.

"Are we politically active in the broad sense?' asked June. "I have friends who use [petition and lobbying website] 38 Degrees. How often do we question those standing for election?"

She cited Margaret Mead: "Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world - indeed its the only thing that ever has."

To what extent do those of different faiths and backgrounds turn up at conversations like this, it was asked, given that the audience looked older, whiter and more Christian than some felt comfortable with.

"Many from different backgrounds would share the values we have been talking about here," said Bishop Armes. A Muslim member of the audience agreed, but said that the public space for debate was not always as open as we liked to think.

"A good society would be one that is seeking to break down these barriers," noted Padraig.

In other secular groups faith is seen as peripheral, said a participant who spoke of the benefit of cross-community organising and advocacy, as has been developed in London and other places.

And what of the scope for redemption and empathy?  There is a faith language about this, but also an opportunity to engage those of good faith but not particular religious convictions.

"I think a key feature of a good society is openness to one another - not to welcome people into a society that belongs to me, but to question my (our) own perspective," a St John's member said.

"What I've taken out of tonight is not to be quiet," June concluded. For Padraig it was, "I don't have all the answers... but this has got me thinking. We can easily get set in our own local situations. We need to look at the bigger picture and put things into perspective."

"One of the things that makes society less than good is disconnection, through class, race and socio-economic factors. Also part of this is a lack of empathy," concluded Bishop Armes. "A good society involves recovering a sense of connectedness by going out and doing something."

This has been a developing live blog. 

A good start...

DESPITE the rain that descended on Edinburgh this afternoon, a good audience is waiting outside for tonight's conversation at St John's, which looks at people's ideas of what 'a good society' is and can be.

The discussion arises from a church photojournalism project which took the question around to a variety of communities across Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland, asking what faith communities can contribute to the discussion about common good.

The speakers this evening, looking forward to a good exchange with the audience, are the Rev Padraig Gallagher (Church in Wales left) and June Fearns (Hamilton, right). The chair is the Rt Rev Dr John Armes (pictured centre, Episcopal Bishop of Edinburgh, and former rector of St John's Church, Edinburgh, where Just Festival has its base).

We are about to get underway, and live blogging will commence once more... Look for the next entry on Just Festival News.

What makes for a good society?

TWO years ago this summer, a Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI) researcher and photojournalist working across the four nations set out with two questions.

These were: “What do we mean by good society? What can and do churches or faith groups contribute to the development of such a society?”

It's a simple and significant couplet. In a conversation taking place from 6-7.30pm at St John's tomorrow night (20th August, £5 per head), there is an opportunity to find out what people said, and to share and develop our own responses.

The speakers guiding us in these issues are the Rev Padraig Gallagher (Church in Wales) and June Fearns (Hamilton). The chair is the Rt Rev Dr John Armes (pictured, Episcopal Bishop of Edinburgh, and former rector of St John's Church, Edinburgh, where Just Festival has its base).

Come along and join the discussion.

Journeying together in faith

NEARLY fifty people came along this evening to hear the inspiring story of how Christians and Muslims in Aberdeen have sought to share sacred space for prayer without sacrificing the integrity of their respective beliefs.

On the contrary, we have heard, there has been a great deal of learning for all involved, and the deepening of faith in both communities as a matter of the heart, of relationships.

Thanks to Donna M Dalgetty (@Weetigger1) for her photo, shared on Twitter, and for her comments. Others have also been responding positively to this moving story on social media.

Is this a turning point for faith communities in Aberdeen and in Scotland, the panel was asked?

It has certainly challenged and changed attitudes for a number of people, it was suggested - and in some quite unexpected ways and places.

"I am an atheist but I know what you did is Christian and I want to acknowledge this," one person wrote.

It may be too early to tell how things will develop. What has happened in Aberdeen may be a tiny thing, but it has made our life easier," another involved in inter-community and inter-faith relations said.

The full live blog is here.

How can we live and pray side-by-side?

PROFESSOR Hugh Goddard from the Alwaleed Centre at the University of Edinburgh, has welcomed everyone to tonight's Christian-Muslim conversation at St John's, part of the Just Festival.

The Speakers are the Rev Canon Dr Isaac M Poobalan (Scottish Episcopal Church) and Dr Emad Jodeh (University of Aberdeen). Chairing is the Rev Dr Harriet Harris (University of Edinburgh Chaplaincy).

"It was the first Friday in December, and a bitterly cold day in Aberdeen," the Rev Canon Dr Isaac M Poobalan said, introducing the move in ownership at St John's in Aberdeen to a charity. The sequence of events that followed involved a local businessman converting a room in the centre as a prayer room.

It was then that the people of St John the Evangelist, Aberdeen, came to the realisation that this could mean people of another faith community coming close to them for the purposes of prayer.

Poobalan said that he felt mixed emotions when he met Muslims praying in the care park while Christians had a comfortable space. Something needed to change, he believed.

Inter-personal relationships, the character of the historic building that was being converted, and other concerns came to the fore. It was a true challenge of faith and hope.

Dr Emad Jodeh has been living in Scotland since 2007. "For me as a Muslim, it is not an issue praying in a church," he said, "but I have a problem with Muslims praying on the streets or outside the mosque... because it becomes a matter for applause." (There is a similar concern expressed in the teaching of Jesus about praying to attract attention, rather than as a matter of devotion).

Jodeh gave some examples from Yemen, Palestine and elsewhere of space being made for Christians to pray, and effectively for communities around churches and mosques to co-exist peacefully.

"If there are moves for people to use religions for their own end, that is a problem," he added. But he affirmed the side-by-side relationship of Muslims and Christians.

The difficulty, he suggested, was that some people in Europe had built up an image of Islam that was negative, and they saw events in the light of this.

"Has there been any initial hesistancy and resistance to these developments [in Aberdeen]", asked the Rev Dr Harriet Harris.

Dr Emad Jodeh responded that statues (including those in graveyards) and the presence of alcohol was a problem for Muslims and an obstacle to prayer. Thankfully, he added, the pictures in the church were not visible when he prayed - as this would violate the prohibition on images.

The Rev Canon Dr Isaac M Poobalan said that "the call to love God and love your neighbour... that was the basis upon which I first responded... and hence I wanted to do something."

One initial response to the situation of the effective homelessness of local Muslims in relation to a place to pray was "that's not our problem."  But the understanding of hospitality shared from his Middle East experience by Christian exegete Kenneth Bailey opened up a different response.

In the first instance, it was important that the use of common space for prayer should be established as a voluntary one. No-one should be forced, and certainly not made to pray together.

The Church's Tractarian heritage included images (including a stained glass window of the resurrection). Some artefacts could be removed. Others lived with in different ways. It was not a case of trying to outlaw each others' traditions, but of accommodation to different sensibilities.

The call for prayer was another issue. "Hearing it inside St John's... it felt something is happening beyond our reach. It felt right, holy... that this is where we are meant to be," said Dr Poobalan.

Likewise, he asked a Muslim about his feelings about the the stained glass window facing Mecca. "What stained glass window?" was the response. "It does not bother me, I am praying to God. It is a face of prayer...".

"Prayer mats were rolled up during the week... It was not a problem, until it got out [in the media]."

An audience member asked about the resonant impact of the Aberdeen experience in Abu Dhabi, given the oil industry link. Has this been mutual?

"The mosque and the church were already side by side," replied Dr Jodeh. "The impact has been good in Aberdeen. It is a relationship of humility rather than money or oil or gas."

Dr Poobalan said that the folk on the vestry were not primarily concerned with the oil industry, but with being Aberdonians and members of the Episcopal Church!

As part of their own history, Episcoplians were at one time not allowed to pray in numbers of more than four to six, he recalled. The history of sacrifice and the pilgrim calling of a people on a journey therefore shaped their response.

How can we prevent the hijacking of our faiths for sectarian purposes, the speakers were asked?  "How can churches and mosques defend themselves, and what's being done?"

The Daily Mail followed up a Passiontide press conference with the Press and Journal, and this did produce some angry responses from some quarters. Since then, "other people have tried to identify what has happened with the mosque and church in Aberdeen as some kind of solution to the world's problems," said Dr Poobalan.

Actually, he suggested, the issue is local calling, finding faith at a deeper level - making the love and mercy and graciousness of God real in lives as well as in the petition of the heart. "If we make our lives what we believe and vice versa, that is all we need."

"We did not have any problems from Christians," added Dr Jodeh. "There are some groups, they use the name of Islam" who have difficulties, he said. "But as Muslims we do not compete with Christians... it is the opposite: we want to build good relations. As a Muslim I have to do good... If others have problems, that is not my problem."

Dr Poobalan went on: "Who I am is certainly shaped by my parents... by living side-by-side [with Christians and Muslims]. Growing up and living and working together influenced me... and spending four years in Abu Dhabi... Hospitality, that's where our faith becomes more meaningful and purposeful - rather than what we are told we should believe. God made a beautiful garden, and two beautiful people to live in it... that is still in God's heart. During Ramadan this year, I fasted alongside my brothers. I went to the Gospels, and found that Jesus assumed that all religious people fasted..."

"At the Feast of Atonement I realised, fasting is about at-one-ment...".  He added that he wanted to be both strongly committed to the Christian faith and to neighbourliness, not to the idea that these are antagonistic.

An audience member, a Muslim, said that he and his brothers and sisters are praying five times a day for all the Abrahamic faiths.

In Glasgow, St Mary's Cathedral is dedicated to Mary, who is a significant figure for many Christians and Muslims, an Episcopalian from the congregation there noted.

But what of those who opposed this sharing of sacred space? Mostly they used Christian language, with a lot of hostility on social media. The loudest opponents were extreme groups from the far right. Hard-line Christians objected to what they saw as syncretism.

"You are denying the Holy Trinity", some said. But this was not at all the understanding of the Christians involved. It was about opening a space for encounter with God in prayer, not doctrinal disputation. "When Jesus' summary of the law into love of God and neighbour becomes the basic, fundamental factor, then things change... I'm not trying to resolve all the doctrinal arguments," said Dr Poobalan.

Some negative responses were essentially legalistic, reducing religion of the heart to contending arguments. Others were rooted in deep suspicion of neighbours, or misinformed impressions.

There were also Muslims who opposed the move to share space in the church, objecting to its images and what it represented, added Dr Jodeh.

Responses in the local Presbytery were mixed, and an attempt at the Kirk's General Assembly to stop church buildings from ever being used by other faiths failed, one respondent from the Church of Scotland in Aberdeen noted.

Praying alongside one another and praying together are different activities, it was pointed out. Some are comfortable or at least accepting of the former, but not the latter. Genuine encounter is about neighbourliness and spiritual openness, not an attempt to abolish difference or disagreement within and between faith communities.

At the end there was an important exchange about the role of women. What if the priest at St John the Evangelist had been a woman. Would this have made a difference?  It was acknowledged that because of the history of both faiths, it could have. But Dr Jodeh made it clear that he would have responded in the same way.

This has been a developing live blog.

Strengthening Christian-Muslim relations

HOW can Christians and Muslims build closer relationships in the face of pressures from within and without their different communities, and in a world where religiously sanctioned conflict is often given high profile in the media?

When they welcomed Muslims to share their Christian place of worship, the Aberdeen Church of St John the Evangelist set a precedent in these islands. The move was criticised by some, but praised by an even larger number of people of all faiths and none. It was a courageous move.

So, in a critical times for both Muslims and Christians, what can be done to improve Christian-Muslim encounters in Scotland? What doors must be opened to address sectarianism and prejudice?

These are among the questions being considered as part of a conversation at Just Festival 2013. It will take place at 6pm on Monday 19th August, in the hall at St John's Episcopal Church (venue 27, corner of Princes Street and Lothian Road), Edinburgh. The cost is £5. Ticktes can be purchased online, or at the cash box office at the venue.

The Speakers will be the Rev Canon Dr Isaac M Poobalan (Scottish Episcopal Church) and Dr Emad Jodeh (University of Aberdeen). Chairing will be the Rev Dr Harriet Harris (University of Edinburgh Chaplaincy). The whole event is sponsored by the Alwaleed Centre.

Full booking details here.

Positive approaches to migration

THE organisations behind today's YES/NO Immigrants conversation at St John's do vital work. Here is a little more about them.

Migrants' Rights Scotland (http://migrantsrightsscotland.org.uk) works alongside migrants and their community organisations (MCOs) for a rights-based approach to migration, supporting their engagement in developing the policies and procedures which affect their lives in Scotland and in the UK.

Council of Ethnic Minority Voluntary Sector Organisations Scotland (CEMVO) was set up in April 2003, with the aim of building the capacity of Scotland's minority ethnic voluntary and community sector. CEMVO Scotland (http://www.cemvoscotland.org.uk) is a strategic partner of the Scottish Government with a network of over 600 ethnic minority voluntary sector organisations and community groups throughout the country.

The Welcoming project (http://thewelcoming.btck.co.uk/) brings together refugees, asylum seekers and people from Scottish and local minority ethnic communities.

The aim is to welcome newcomers, learn together and improve English language and literacy skills.

The project supports new migrants to get to know the local culture through outings, music, drama, visual arts and talks. There are visits from service providers in law, housing, employment and education.

Making Scotland a welcoming society

HOW will the increasing rate of migration to Scotland play out in the developing Scottish Independence Referendum discussion?

Can Scotland become a welcoming society, whichever way the vote goes? And what of the living conditions, economic and social / cultural contributions and aspirations of those coming to the country, both on a temporary basis and more long-term?

These and other issues will be discussed in this important conversation today (Saturday 17th August, 2-3.30pm, £5) at St John's Church Hall, as part of Just Festival 2013.

The speakers will be Hanzala Malik MSP, Pat Elsmie (Migrants' Rights Scotland), Fiaz Khan (Council of Ethnic Minority Voluntary Sector Organisations Scotland), and Jon Busby & Joyce Juma Phiri (the Welcoming Association). The chair will be Denboba K. Natie (LINKNet).

Full booking details here, or buy a ticket at the cash box office at the venue.

Interns wanted... payment not included

AN increasing number of higher education institutions are refusing to advertise unpaid placements and internships, because of concerns about their 'no fee' nature and other issues of fairness.

So are employers changing their attitudes towards offering internships? As graduates are putting long term ambition over immediate wages in a credible way?

Moreover, how are organisations ensuring that graduates are not being exploited and that their free labour will actually lead to properly renumerated employment?

This is a hot issue, and the conversation from 6-7.30pm in the hall at St John's Church (corner of Princes Street and Lothian Road) on Friday 16th August, will attempt to cover all the angles. The cost for the session is £5.

The speakers at this event are Dr Martha Caddell (Third Sector Internships Scotland and Open University in Scotland), Joy Lewis (Adopt an Intern), and Juliette Burton (Mace and Burton).

Full ticket details here.

Facing the reality domestic abuse

AS part of it's 'Behind Closed doors' strand of programming, Just Festival will tonight examine a subject which is too close to home for many people - but which has to be confronted.

Domestic abuse remains a prevalent problem in Scotland, but also one that is not talked about as much as it should be and in the way that it should be.

The Just conversation in the hall at St John's Church tonight (6-7.30pm, £5) asks: What can be done to decrease abusive behaviours? How can faith-related organisations provide assistance to the victims? What legal procedures should be put in place so that the abused are provided with secure living conditions?

Also should the abusers be given counselling, and if so, how and in what context of punishment, exclusion and/or rehabilitation? ​

The speakers this evening are Mridul Wadhwa (Shakti Women's Aid), Nick Smithers (Abused Men in Scotland) and Lily Greenan (the chair of Scottish Women's Aid). ​

Facilitating the session will be Dr Eurig Scandrett from Queen Margaret University.

'Domestic Abuse - Scotland’s Secret Shame' is a vital issue, and this discussion is one not to miss.

Full booking details can be found here.