Their belief in equality and justice, and a history of being jailed for their faith, have inspired Quakers to campaign for prison reform.
Quakers (members of the Religious Society of Friends) are usually more concerned with living out their faith in their lives than with defining their faith. Our simple style of worship, based in silence, often provides the spiritual grounding for our efforts to make the world a better place, which in turn enriches our worship.
We have what we call Testimonies – I think of them as signposts or touchstones – ... read more
Ben Dandelion explains how modern day Quakers celebrate their faith through silence and seeking
No longer a group wearing ‘Quaker grey’ bonnets and broad rimmed hats, Quakers in Britain today embrace a vibrant faith of spiritual exploration. Whilst the very first Quakers of the seventeenth century believed they were the ‘true church’, God’s chosen vanguard at the time of an unfolding second coming, today’s Friends (as Quakers are also called) are far less dogmatic.
Indeed, in terms of beliefs, they are one of ... read more
Councillor Manjula Sood is the Lord Mayor of Leicester, where the largest Diwali celebration outside of India is held - complete with music and lights
Diwali - from Deepavali, meaning row of lights - is one of the most popular and widely celebrated Hindu Festivals. Diwali marks the end of the Hindu year. Above all, Diwali is about the concept of light: divas (traditional Indian lamps) were lit at Lord Rama’s return to Ayodhaya after 14 years of exile. The holiday is the celebration of good over evil where light is the symbol of knowledge.
... read moreAfter Diwali on Sunday, student Divyang Patel reflects on what the Hindu festival of lights means to him.
The clocks are turned back the last Sunday in October as winter begins to grip London. And as I contemplate the depressing reality of afternoons in darkness, I find something to keep my spirits high - the Indian ‘Festival of Light’, Diwali, brings with it a tremendous sense of enthusiasm and occasion.
This is one of the few days of the year - besides my birthday - when ... read more
Hum D Bui concludes the series on CaoDai with a look at what it says about how past deeds set the course for the next life in comparison to other religions.
Most religions conceive human beings as consisting of three parts: the physical body, the soul, and the spirit.
Hinduism calls the spirit, "Brahman," "Atman" or the absolute (metaphysical) self and the soul "jiva," or the miniature self. Buddhism calls the spirit the true heart, or Buddha-heart, and the soul the earthly heart, or the illusory heart. Taoism calls the spirit god's heart (which is absolute), and the soul the ... read more
CaoDai serves to remind humanity that all religions are of the same origin and principle, only that they are different manifestations of the same truth, writes Hum D Bui.
Along with materialism, differences in religions have brought conflicts to people resulting in many wars all over the world. CaoDai, a new faith founded in Vietnam in 1926 by the Supreme Being via spiritism, with the principle that all religions are of one same origin (which is God, although called by various names or no name), having the same teachings based on Love and Justice, and are just diverse manifestations ... read more
Hum D. Bui explains what CaoDi tells us about Yin and Yang and the formation of the universe.
Before the creation of the heavens and the universe, the cosmic ether was still, quiet, and void; and at the same time a kind of primordial chaos, indistinct and shadowy with mixtures of density (which we call "the Tao" or pre-creation ether).
In this cosmic ether appeared a great source of Divine Light called "Thai Cuc" (Monad) or the Supreme Being. The Monad then divided itself into Yin and ... read more
This week, the Faith Column explores CaoDai. Hum D. Bui starts the series with a look at its history and leadership hierarchies.
In order to relieve humankind’s religious crisis, in 1926, via spiritism, the Supreme Being founded an innovative faith called CaoDai in Vietnam, with the principle that all religions are one, have the same origin and principle, and are just different manifestations of the same truth.
Because of human conflict, God has come to offer a way to bring people and religions together in harmony. CaoDai the Supreme Being said: ... read more
Dr Harry Hagopian discusses the importance of St Mary to the Armenian Church.
On the 15th of August every year, or on the Sunday closest to this date, the Armenian Church world-wide celebrates the Feast of the Assumption of the Holy Mother of God. It is called Verapokhoum, denoting that Jesus came down to earth and ascended again to heaven with his mother, or else Nentchoum, to highlight the belief that St Mary was not dead, but only in an eternal slumber, until ... read more
Dr Harry Hagopian continues our series on the Armenian Church by examining the leadership and community of believers.
The Armenian Church spans a historical period of over 1700 years, from the year 301 AD when St Gregory the Enlightener witnessed Armenia become the first nation-state to adopt Christianity as state religion, to the 1600th anniversary of St Mesrop Mashtots who created our Armenian 36-letter alphabet in 406 AD, to the Golden Age for Armenia, and finally to our present times in the third millennium.
The Mother See of ... read more
Continuing the series on the Armenian Church, Revd. Dr. Nersessian explains the rituals and festivals of the followers.
The Armenian Orthodox Apostolic Church has four feast days dedicated to the Holy Cross:Apparition of the Holy Cross, Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Discovery of the Holy Cross and Holy Cross of Varag. Of these the fourth is unique to the Armenian Church. It recounts the story of an Armenian priest in the seventh century, when Armenia was occupied by the Arabs, seeing a vision of the cross on Mount ... read more
In this week's series on the Armenian Church, Revd. Dr. Nersessian explores the history of the faith.
The Only-begotten Son has descended [ Edj ( to descend) -miadsin ( Only begotten son) ]And the light of glory was about him. Voices resounded in the depths of Hades,The patriarch Gregory saw the great light;And joyfully declared the same to the believing king.Come, let us build the holy sanctuary of the light, for in him did light shone forth unto usin the land ... read more
A christian charity must be done by faith. Iam an Indian and iam Christian too. Faith through charity is a powerful.
From christian charity, 13 February 04:41
Still confusing to me. Isn't there a better, time tested way of escaping the chains of cultural poverty. An education, learning to speak in English sentences--using your given intellect to find...
From Harold Hatch, 27 January 21:48
@gnuneo, you your self might be in danger of over emphasising the 'individual' in New Age like leap of faith arising from phenomena that is far from understood.
From MG, 16 January 16:52
Can the UK achieve it’s commitment to carbon reduction targets by 2020?
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