Tribute to the late Pope Francis

Narinder Tegally writes:

It is with deep sorrow that we mourn the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis—a faithful servant of Christ whose life, ministry, and message touched hearts far beyond the walls of the Roman Catholic Church. We give thanks for his witness and pray he may rest in peace and rise in glory.

Pope Francis was a shepherd who never stopped walking with those on the margins. From the streets of Buenos Aires to the halls of the Vatican, he bore constant witness to the God-given dignity of every person—especially those who are overlooked, misunderstood, or silenced. In doing so, he not only embodied the teachings of Christ but gave courage to many of us who have, in our own faith journeys, experienced exclusion or judgment. His leadership helped us believe again that the Church can be a place of belonging.

As the first Latin American and Jesuit Pope, his voice resonated with people across the world—not because he sought to please, but because he spoke truth with humility, hope, and love. His heart was always turned toward the least, the lost, and the last: migrants, the poor, the displaced, and those historically left outside the embrace of religious institutions. He championed environmental justice, challenged indifference, and reminded us that to follow Jesus is to walk the hard path of service, mercy, and listening.

He chose the name Francis after the saint who loved the poor—and indeed, Pope Francis lived simply and gave generously. He met resistance, yet never wavered in his vision of a more inclusive church. A church not merely concerned with progress, but with presence: being present to one another in our difference, our diversity, and our shared humanity.

In this moment of loss, we carry his legacy forward—not just in words, but in how we treat one another. May his witness stir us to speak up for justice, to walk alongside those who feel they have no voice, and to build bridges between faiths and communities. His was a life poured out in service of the Gospel.

May Pope Francis rest now in the peace he preached, and may his hope continue to live in us.

Reverend Prebendary Narinder Tegally DL is writing on behalf of Bath Interfaith Group

Bath IFG signs Karen Armstrong's Charter for C0mpassion

Just in time for International Golden Rule Day Bath inter faith group signed the Charter for Compassion .
Centred on the Golden Rule - “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” - the Charter is based on work by theologian and writer Karen Armstrong. It urges the peoples and religions of the world to embrace the core value of compassion.
Now available in 30 languages it has been endorsed by more than 2m people.
Bath IFG joins it just at a time when the Charter is about to be revised for the first time since its original launch in 2009.
We look forward to participating in this first major refresh.

The Charter for Compassion (original version)

"The principle of compassion lies at the heart of all religious, ethical and spiritual traditions, calling us always to treat all others as we wish to be treated ourselves. Compassion impels us to work tirelessly to alleviate the suffering of our fellow creatures, to dethrone ourselves from the centre of our world and put another there, and to honour the inviolable sanctity of every single human being, treating everybody, without exception, with absolute justice, equity and respect.

It is also necessary in both public and private life to refrain consistently and empathically from inflicting pain. To act or speak violently out of spite, chauvinism, or self-interest, to impoverish, exploit or deny basic rights to anybody, and to incite hatred by denigrating others—even our enemies—is a denial of our common humanity. We acknowledge that we have failed to live compassionately and that some have even increased the sum of human misery in the name of religion.

We therefore call upon all men and women to restore compassion to the centre of morality and religion ~ to return to the ancient principle that any interpretation of scripture that breeds violence, hatred or disdain is illegitimate ~ to ensure that youth are given accurate and respectful information about other traditions, religions and cultures ~ to encourage a positive appreciation of cultural and religious diversity ~ to cultivate an informed empathy with the suffering of all human beings—even those regarded as enemies.

We urgently need to make compassion a clear, luminous and dynamic force in our polarized world. Rooted in a principled determination to transcend selfishness, compassion can break down political, dogmatic, ideological and religious boundaries. Born of our deep interdependence, compassion is essential to human relationships and to a fulfilled humanity. It is the path to enlightenment, and indispensable to the creation of a just economy and a peaceful global community".

The Charter for Compassion is a document that transcends religious, ideological, and national differences. Supported by leading thinkers from many traditions, the Charter activates the Golden Rule around the world. We are making a cooperative effort to restore not only compassionate thinking but, more importantly, compassionate action to the center of religious, moral and political life. Compassion is the principled determination to put ourselves in the shoes of the other, and lies at the heart of all religious and ethical systems.

King Charles remarks set context for local inter faith work

At the recent Bath inter faith group strategy meeting held at St John Foundation we considered the remarks Charles Windsor made to UK faith leaders before his coronation as King (see opposite).

The King's remarks provide the clearest possible mandate for the importance of inter faith work in our communities. Bath, where the first King of all England was crowned, has unique inter faith history and traditions.

So we look forward next month to discussing the King's commitment and exploring how it can be followed up in Bath with our Patron Mohammed Siddiq, the Lord Lieutenant of Somerset.

The King's remarks to faith leaders

I have always thought of Britain as a ‘community of communities.’ That has led me to understand that the Sovereign has an additional duty – less formally recognized but to be no less diligently discharged. It is the duty to protect the diversity of our country, including by protecting the space for Faith itself and its practice through the religions, cultures, traditions and beliefs to which our hearts and minds direct us as individuals. This diversity is not just enshrined in the laws of our country, it is enjoined by my own faith. As a member of the Church of England, my Christian beliefs have love at their very heart. By my most profound convictions, therefore – as well as by my position as Sovereign – I hold myself bound to respect those who follow other spiritual paths, as well as those who seek to live their lives in accordance with secular ideals.
The beliefs that flourish in, and contribute to, our richly diverse society differ. They, and our society, can only thrive through a clear collective commitment to those vital principles of freedom of conscience, generosity of spirit and care for others which are, to me, the essence of our nationhood. I am determined, as King, to preserve and promote those principles across all communities, and for all beliefs, with all my heart.
/ends

Link https://www.royal.uk/kings-remarks-faith-leaders

Bath IFG affirms the Jan 2000 Act of Commitment

Bath inter faith group remains faithful to the millennial Act of Commitment, which was organised at the time by the now defunct UK Inter Faith Network with HMG's DCMS.

Staying true to the Act of Commitment remains part of the Bath IFG's aims as set out in its constitution. See original text opposite:

Text of the Act of Commitment (from Jan 2000)

In a world scarred by the evils of war, racism, injustice and poverty, we offer this joint Act of Commitment as we look to our shared future.

We commit ourselves, as people of many faiths, to work together for the common good, uniting to build a better society, grounded in values and ideals we share: community, personal integrity, a sense of right and wrong, learning, wisdom and love of truth, care and compassion, justice and peace, respect for one another, for the earth and its creatures.

We commit ourselves, in a spirit of friendship and co-operation, to work together alongside all who share our values and ideals, to help bring about a better world now and for generations to come.

Bath mosque celebrates Iftar with guests

Bath IFG patron Lord Lieutenant Mohammed Siddiq and chair William Heath were among guests invited to celebrate Iftar at the Bath mosque Weds 19 March. They joined High Sherriff Rob Beckley and the Bishop of Bath and Wells Michael Beasley.

The Bishop and High Sheriff recalled happy memories of service in Muslim countries. The Lord Lieutenant pointed out he was not a guest at all, as this was his home mosque.

William Heath reminded the faithful of Bath's unique and deep interfaith traditions, such as Adelard of Bath - credited as the greatest scholar of his age - bringing the wisdom of Islamic and Christian scholars in Arabic countries to England to revolutionise astronomy, astrology, alchemy, maths philosophy and medicine. Our community still needs young Muslims to bring their insights and understanding today, he said, confronted as we are by rising hatred including anti-semitism and islamophobia.

The guests were treated to a splendid fast-breaking feast before leaving their hosts to evening prayers.

Hindus in Bath celebrate Holi with devotion, food and colours

Bath's Hindus celebrated spring and the eternal and divine love of the deities Radha and Krishna in a colourful Holi festival on 15 March. Prayers were said and devotional offerings made in the temple to large avatars of the gods, before a sacred figure liberally daubed with dry paint was carried round outdoors.

Guests were then generously fed with vegetarian dishes prepared by Susmita's restaurant, before the faithful daubed each other with brightly coloured dry paint powders while children let rip at each other with super soakers.

Thanks to Ashish and the whole Hindu community for the invitations.

University of Bath Islamic students host grand Iftar celebration

March 12 saw a blessed coming together of Bath and Islamic tradition. In the month of Ramadan. William, Aiham and Narinder from the Bath inter faith group all attended the Bath University Islamic Society's Annual Grand Iftar. Narinder is Lead Chaplain at the RUH, and Aiham the Muslim Chaplain, and Muslim faith representative on the inter faith group.

Iftar is a lavish celebration in which the faithful break the Ramadan fast after dusk with speeches, prayer and a superb feast.

We were in very good company of civic dignitaries, other faith representatives and young Islamic students, many of them studying science and engineering. We noted the significance in the history of Western science engineering and maths of the learnings about astronomy, astrology, alchemy, maths and medicine brought back from the Islamic world in the c11th by Adelard of Bath, regarded in England as the greatest scholar of his time.

The evening was opened with a speech by Bath inter faith group Patron Lord Lieutenant of Somerset Mohammed Habedat Saddiq. Speaking as the King's representative, the Lord Lieutenant stressed the commitment of the King Charles to protecting the diversity of religions, cultures, traditions and beliefs in Britain.

Many thanks to the Bath Uni SU Islamic Society for an enjoyable and instructive evening. #bathuniversity #bathinterfaith #islam #lordlieutenant #Ramadan #iftar #bathuniversitysu

6 Mar 2025

Why my Methodist faith calls me to work with other traditions - Rupert Kaye

Bath inter faith group member Rupert Kaye, a former head teacher, offers a personal view on why his Methodist faith tradition calls him to work with other faiths:
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My commitment to interfaith dialogue and bridge-building is driven by my own Christian faith. My beliefs, values and actions have been (and continue to be) shaped by:

my prayer and worship life, and relationship with God
my knowledge and understanding of The Bible
the teachings and traditions of the Methodist Church
my interactions with many, many people (in person, in literature, over time)
my conscience

In common with people of many faiths, beliefs and spiritualities – I strive to live according to the Golden Rule by doing unto others all the good/kind/helpful/ compassionate/generous things I would love them to do unto me.

For me, John Wesley’s Rule of Life captures perfectly the Golden Rule vibe:
Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.

In seeking to ‘do all the good … in all the ways … in all the places … to all the people’, Methodists like me find ourselves impelled to stand unequivocally against antisemitism, Islamophobia and all forms of racism, prejudice, hatred and discrimination.

Yes, I do see it as my Christian duty to love all of my neighbours in and across the city of Bath, regardless of religion, denomination or worship tradition. However, I also enjoy spending time with people of many and varied faiths and beliefs. It’s intellectually stimulating. It’s fun. And, in my experience, often the serious business of promoting peaceful, respectful, harmonious coexistence through interfaith dialogue involves food.

So here is my closing thought: We should never underestimate the power of hospitality. Let us continue to ‘break bread together’ as we recommit ourselves to learning about and learning from each other’s faith traditions, so we may better reflect on our own beliefs, values and actions.

Methodist theology is applied, practical and pastoral, with a distinct emphasis on social justice and fairness. It’s about what we do, not just what we believe, think, say and pray.

Methodism takes seriously and literally biblical injunctions to stand up for the legal rights and welfare of vulnerable and marginalised people (e.g. orphans, widows, refugees, prisoners, those who are sick, those who are poor). This, I believe, is why so many Methodist churches host food banks and debt-advice centres, and provide other support services to the wider communities they serve. And many a Methodist can be found on a committee or board of trustees advocating hard for the systemic changes needed to address the root causes of poverty and inequality.

Picture: In 1985, a mosaic (measuring 125½” high, 108½” wide and 13½” deep) of Norman Rockwell’s Golden Rule was presented to the United Nations by the United States of America. It is located on the 3rd floor of the Conference Building at the UN Headquarters in New York.

William Heath elected as new Chair of the Bath Inter Faith Group

At the 2025 Bath Inter Faith Group AGM William Heath, a Bath Quaker, was elected as the new chair. He replaces Methodist David Musgrave who steps down after five years of valuable service. Members also voted in Jacky Wise, the Chaplain of St John Foundation, as vice chair.

Bath Inter Faith Group, which was established some thirty years ago, seeks to celebrate the religious diversity and spiritual life of Bath, whilst deepening understanding and friendship across all faiths and none.

The new chair William Heath said: “I’d like to thank and pay tribute to David, our outgoing chair, for all he has done over these past years. I look forward to building on all his good work. We represent people of all faiths involved in the daily life of our city and its surroundings. We will be looking at deepening our involvement in that daily life, extending our inter faith relations work, and strengthening the voice of all faiths within our communities.”

Jane O'Hara continues as Secretary, and Iris Segall as Treasurer.