Related
Translate
Get RNB via RSS
 |
RNB's RSS feed What is this? |
Get RNB via Email
 |
 Subscribe by Email What is this? |
Follow: Twitter
Most Popular
This Week:
- Polygamist Sect Leader Convicted of Sexual Assault
- Jury takes 14 minutes to convict self-proclaimed pot pastor
- Supreme Court upholds cult AUM Shinrikyo members’ death sentences
- Newspaper continues series of exposés of Scientology cult
- Epic Mohammad movie in pipeline
- Coptic Christian Blogger in Egypt Pressured to Convert to Islam in Prison
- Italian judge convicts 23 in CIA kidnapping of Muslim cleric
- Cult leader Warren Jeffs’ attorneys argue sect leader faced wrong charge
- Photos show birthing center at sect’s Texas ranch
- Texas judge limits some records in FLDS trial over polygamy references
Church of England donates cash to aid Muslim prayer
More articles on this topic: InterfaithA diocese of the Church of England is giving an unprecedented £250,000 towards a multi-faith building in which the largest amount of worship space will be reserved for Muslims.
The Guildford diocese is one of the wealthiest in the UK. The Bishop of Guildford, the Right Rev Christopher Hill, today handed over the £250,000 cheque to Surrey University for the first multi-faith building of its kind in Britain.
The £6.5 million building will contain separate worship spaces for the Jewish, Christian, Muslim and Sikh communities, along with a further shared space for Buddhists and Hindus.
All faiths will share the cafe in the basement, with a shared staircase down from the upper floors.
Converting each other will be strictly forbidden, an insider said, but it is hoped that the different faith members will form friendships, learn to respect each other and enhance each other’s understanding.
Muslim chaplain Dr Abdul Mateen Sansom, said: “As well as being a sorely needed practical solution to student needs, I believe the design and underpinning ethos of this project have potential for notable impact nationally and internationally.”
Lesley Scordellis, lead fundraiser for the centre and development manager at Surrey University, defended the Muslim advantage in the space allocation.
“It isn’t about giving greater provision for Muslims, it is about likely numbers using it. We certainly have a strong demand for worship space from the Muslim community,” she said.
“We do sit right beside Guildford Cathedral so the relative provision in the locality is very different.”
She continued: “We think it is the first of its kind. It breaks with the tradition of having a shared space for each faith. It is all in the same building but each has a completely separate space. The Jewish space has a kosher kitchen exclusively for them to use. The Muslim space has an ablutions facility exclusively for them. The design of the building is to facilitate the feeling that they are in one building about faith.”
Professor Christopher Snowden, the university’s vice-chancellor, said he was “delighted” by the support from the diocese. “Local support of this nature is crucial to our fundraising.”
Bishop Hill said: “We are proud to participate in this significant venture toward world understanding here in Surrey.”
A fundraising campaign has begun to raise the rest of the cash. The mutli-faith centre is due for completion in 2010.
What You Can Do From Here
|
Read More Articles On These Topics
 Share, Blog About, Bookmark, or Email This Article
Subscribe
Read Another Article
 Previous entry: UK: Muslims shocked to learn that crisps contain alcohol Next entry: Indonesian Muslim protesters demand death penalty over Mohammad cartoons
RNB Homepage with latest headlinesFind Related Information
Find Related Books
|
Share This Article
To share this page simply copy and paste one of these URL's:
