Simon offered these thoughts at a fascinating conference at the Islamic Cultural Centre last week. They were launching a new Exhibition - Muhammad - A Mercy To Mankind which is well worth a visit.

"Good dialogue is the seeking of shared meaning through words, not a negotiation  or “tennis match" between two parties.  It’s a process of mutual inquiry and learning.

5 characteristics of good dialogue

1    We need to listen more than we talk. David Bohm says: “Speaking is necessary, but the actual process of exploration takes place during listening - not only to others but to oneself.”

2    We should learn to see difference and diversity as God-given gifts that can enrich us and help us grow as human beings. Perhaps the most observable general characteristic of religion is its dividedness. 

3    Relationships are more important than ideas. The products of good inter-religious dialogue are friendship and trust.

4    We need to learn to disagree skilfully.  Seeking common ground only takes us so far. Sooner or later we encounter divisions and differences that cannot easily be reconciled. At this point we need to be able to find value in world views different from our own. Perhaps the greatest single attribute of good dialogue is curiosity about other people.

5    We need to share the experience of living out our faiths in the here and now with each other, not try to resolve the problems of the past. “The God of the past cannot unite us” says Sahajananda."

My friend Rabbi Mark Solomon also gave a superb account of the how the Jewish Community has had to come to terms with their terrible experiences in Europe, culminating in the Holocaust, and the lessons there might be for how the West treats Muslims.

Your thoughts on good dialogue would be most welcome....

Simon Keyes