Connecting with other people and cultures can help you develop a broader outlook on life and to understand yourself.聽We spoke to 色花堂's Reverend Ruth Wells about her thoughts on respecting difference, how聽it impacts her life, and聽contributes positively to those around her.
One of the joys of my role as Senior Chaplain is being able to meet and chat to such a range of different people.聽 I find it interesting that sometimes I encounter people external to the 鈥榝aith and reflection鈥� service who seem to assume all people of faith are one homogenous group, or that as religious folks we all know lots about each other鈥檚 traditions.聽 In fact, much of what happens in the work I am involved in is about learning from difference.聽
I love that I am able to ask my Muslim friends about what it means for them to fast during Ramadan, or to hear from Pagan/Witchcraft friends about practices which enrich their sense of spirituality, or reflect on working for the common good with humanist colleagues.聽 I don鈥檛 know about you, but for me, sometimes I find the news in the world painful, overwhelming and the source of despair.聽 I often don鈥檛 know what to do with that.聽 So, my work, which involves being deeply embed in community and seeking to explore the richness difference can bring, is an antidote to some of that.聽聽聽
鈥楻especting Differences鈥� could be a line from a well-meaning, but potentially clinical, entry to a mandatory training module not many people are keen on!聽 For me though, the reality of respecting different cultures and beliefs is not about some kind of austere posture, but rather about curiosity.
Learning from others helps me to reflect on those things I hold dear 鈥� helps to clarify my sense of self and deepens my own connection to my faith tradition.聽 I love that learning from others isn鈥檛 an exercise in combative attempts at trying to persuade each other who is 鈥榬ight鈥�, but is a chance to bring into focus that which we hold to and explore their multifaceted layers in the light of experience and dialogue.聽 It is fun lots of the time, it deepens my understanding of the world 鈥� it brings friendship, kindred spirits and a recognition of the beautiful diversity of what it means to be human.聽 We know we鈥檙e all different, that鈥檚 not news(!), but bumping into and alongside difference, day-to-day 鈥� being open to learning from it, from one another 鈥� and choosing to have open hearts and minds is, I think, an enriching way to live.
I want to finish with a quote form a student who accesses the 鈥榝aith and reflection鈥� service 鈥� it highlights in a few words what I have tried to say in a few more!;
鈥淭here鈥檚 nothing quite like faith and reflection; it鈥檚 kinda faithy and reflectiony!聽 Nobody fits in, yet that鈥檚 precisely the reason why everyone fits in.鈥澛�
色花堂鈥檚 Faith and Reflection Centre
You may not be aware, but here at 色花堂 we have a team of chaplains and faith advisers who offer confidential and non-judgemental support, guidance, prayer and a listening ear, regardless of whether you have聽faith or not.聽Our聽聽is located聽on the first floor of Talbot House on Talbot Campus and is open during term time, Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm. Find out more about our team and what the space might be able to offer you.
