Interfaith Marriage

Cllr Tehmtan Framroze, chair of the IFCG, and speaker Rosalind Birtwistle

Revd John Twisleton

By Bonnie Evans-Hills

Inter Faith Marriage

Speaker: Rosalind Birtwistle, MA in Christianity and Inter-Religious Dialogue from Heythrop College , and qualified mental health nurse
Monday, 13th of September
Chapel Royal, Brighton

In September the Inter Faith Contact Group of Brighton & Hove hosted a talk given by Rosalind Birtwistle outlining some of her research into inter faith marriage. Marriages between cultures and faiths have taken place from time immemorial. It is one of the ways in which culture and religion spread from area to area, family to family. But it also has tended to take place at the edges of society and is often viewed as a challenge to one's nation, culture and family.

Rosalind outlined some examples from history, as well as the ways in which marriage outside one's faith community has been viewed by those communities down the centuries, through to the present day. She pointed out that in today's global culture marriage between individuals of differing backgounds is becoming more and more commonplace. And this presents many challenges not only for those individuals and their families but even to society at large.

Although in an inter faith marriage herself, Rosalind stated it is not something she would recommend - not because her own marriage is 'in trouble,' but because she now knows all the added difficulties with which such marriages can be faced. Even deciding 'how' one should marry and where can be a major cause for disagreement, especially when there is extended family involved. Extended family itself can be a cause for tension, even if initially the couple believe they can get on alright by themselves, at some point their family will matter. Other issues such as living with difference, marriage support, education and raising of children, and pressure to convert, all serve to compound tension.

This being said, the involvement of living with the 'other' can also lead to an expanding awareness and deepening of one's own faith, with growing and loving respect for that of another. This 'living together' can be a wonderful example to extended family and surrounding community of faith at work in the heart and home.

This article is meant not to give answers, or even examples, but to be a stimulus for others to find out more. Rosalind has been working on a web site for Churches Together: www.interfaithmarriage.org.uk. It is still in draft form, as Rosalind is quick to point out, but is nevertheless full of personal stories and experiences as well as a whole list of useful resources.