As the United Kingdom celebrates Inter Faith Week 2026, from 8–15 November, the theme “Lighting the Way for a Shared Future” invites people of different faiths and beliefs to build relationships of friendship, mutual respect and solidarity. At a time when racism, xenophobia, antisemitism, Islamophobia, anti-migrant hostility and far-right extremism threaten our shared life, interfaith engagement is not merely a matter of religious courtesy, but rather a prophetic intervention of faith in the public sphere. For Christians, it is even more: a theological, ethical and public responsibility.
My active involvement in interfaith engagements, whether attending Iftars at local mosques, participating in Mitzvah Day at our local synagogue, joining Diwali celebrations, engaging in conversations with friends of the Bahá'í faith, or participating in various civic and multifaith initiatives, has occasionally raised eyebrows. Some people have expressed theological nervousness, while others have openly challenged me with questions: Does engaging with other religions compromise Christian faith? Does it mean accepting that all religions are the same? Does interfaith undermine evangelism? Does respecting other faiths mean accepting other gods? Furthermore, my prayers addressing contemporary global injustices have sometimes been criticised as being ‘too political’, while my involvement in interfaith activities has even earned me the label ‘woke’. Such responses reveal not only theological anxieties but also the tensions surrounding what it means to live out Christian faith publicly in an increasingly diverse and polarised society. For me, however, interfaith engagement is neither a fashionable political position nor a dilution of Christian convictions. Rather, it is an expression of my Christian discipleship, rooted in the gospel's call to love our neighbours, challenge injustice and recognise the God-given dignity of every person. These questions and criticisms deserve thoughtful theological engagement, not defensive dismissal. Before addressing them, however, let me begin with my own lived experience of interfaith.
Interfaith: From India to Stockport
Having been born and brought up in India, interfaith was not something I first encountered as an academic discipline. For me, it was a lived reality. My school friends belonged to different religious traditions. We visited one another's homes, shared food, celebrated festivals and received each other's hospitality. Religious differences did not prevent friendships; rather, friendships taught us to appreciate our differences. My earliest lessons in interfaith were learnt not in a religious education classroom but through everyday encounters.
Having said that, I must also acknowledge that my theological education and academic engagement with interfaith have further strengthened my convictions. What began as a lived experience of religious diversity during my childhood in India gradually developed into a deeper theological commitment. My academic journey provided opportunities to explore Christian–Hindu dialogue through my master's thesis and subsequently to pursue doctoral research in public theology. These theological explorations have helped me recognise that interfaith is not merely about understanding different religious traditions but also about critically examining how faith communities engage with one another in the public sphere, negotiate differences, challenge structures of exclusion and contribute to the common good. My lived experiences have informed my theological reflections, just as my theological learning has enriched my interfaith practice. For me, interfaith is therefore neither merely an academic discipline nor simply a civic activity; it is a way of living out my Christian faith, where theology encounters everyday life, and faith becomes a public commitment to justice, dignity and shared flourishing.
Now living and ministering in Stockport, Britain, I continue to experience the transformative power of interfaith relationships. Through the Stockport Multifaith Network, and through the Greater Manchester Faith & Belief Panel, we have nurtured friendships, strengthened community cohesion and stood together during celebrations and crises. During COVID-19, we advocated for vaccination and organised reflection days remembering those who died in the pandemic. When local mosques experienced Islamophobic attacks, we stood alongside our Muslim neighbours. Following the attack on the Heaton Park synagogue in Manchester, we expressed solidarity with Jewish communities. Our Jewish neighbours have also collected winter clothing for refugees and asylum seekers, demonstrating that interfaith hospitality is reciprocal. We have celebrated Iftars, Diwali, Nowruz and other religious festivals. When far-right extremism threatened Stockport, faith communities worked alongside civic organisations to affirm our borough as a sanctuary of hope, home and hospitality. These experiences have taught me that interfaith is not simply religious leaders discussing theological differences. Interfaith is friendship in everyday life, hospitality in celebration, solidarity in suffering and prophetic resistance in times of injustice. Far from weakening my Christian faith, these encounters have deepened my understanding of following Jesus Christ.
Interfaith Deepens Christian Faith
Jesus repeatedly crossed religious, cultural and social boundaries. His encounter with Photini, the Samaritan woman (John 4:1–42), provides a compelling theological foundation for interfaith engagement. Despite historical tensions between Jews and Samaritans, Jesus initiated conversation with Photini in Samaria. Significantly, he began not by asserting religious superiority but by requesting water: “Give me a drink” (John 4:7). Jesus approached religious difference through vulnerability and mutual dependence. Likewise, in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37), Jesus presents a religious ‘outsider’ as the embodiment of neighbourly love. The Samaritan becomes the moral teacher while religious insiders fail to demonstrate compassion. These encounters challenge Christians to recognise that God's love cannot be imprisoned within institutional boundaries. Interfaith engagement need not compromise Christian identity. Instead, it can deepen our discipleship by challenging prejudices, expanding theological imagination and revealing God's grace through unexpected neighbours.
Interfaith Is Not Religious Uniformity
Interfaith engagement does not require Christians to believe that all religions are identical or that theological differences are insignificant. Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism, Buddhism, Jainism, Baháʼí, and other traditions possess distinctive understandings of God, humanity and salvation. Authentic interfaith relationships allow people to remain faithful to their convictions while respecting those of others. Traditional Christian discussions of religious diversity have frequently employed the categories of exclusivism, inclusivism and pluralism. While important, these frameworks can overlook the power relationships shaping religious encounters. From my own Dalit, decolonial and liberation theological perspective, I propose moving beyond asking merely, “Which religion is right?” towards asking, “How do our religious convictions contribute to justice, dignity, peace and the flourishing of marginalised communities?” When Muslims experience Islamophobia or Jewish neighbours face antisemitism, Christians do not need theological agreement before expressing solidarity. Interfaith is learning to disagree without dehumanising, remaining different without becoming distant, and living together without demanding sameness.
When people ask me, “What do you actually do at interfaith gatherings?” my response is simple: “As people of different faiths, we learn to celebrate our differences rather than fear them, nurture relationships rooted in mutual respect and dignity, and commit ourselves to working together for the transformation of our communities.” For me, interfaith is not about making our religions the same, but about recognising our shared humanity amid our religious diversity. It is about moving beyond mere tolerance towards friendship, beyond coexistence towards solidarity, and beyond dialogue towards collective action for justice, peace and the flourishing of all people and creation. We do not need to believe the same to belong together, nor do we need to worship together to work together for the common good.
Interfaith as Christian Witness
I have learnt that some Christians fear that interfaith engagement undermines evangelism. However, Christian mission must be distinguished from religious conquest. In Acts 17:16–34, Paul engages the religious diversity of Athens by observing its practices, conversing with philosophers and drawing upon their cultural traditions. He does not abandon his Christian convictions; rather, he communicates them through meaningful engagement. Historically, colonial Christianity frequently associated evangelism with cultural superiority and the demonisation of indigenous religions. From my Dalit theological perspective, such approaches demand critical examination. Christian witness cannot faithfully communicate Christ's love through coercion, manipulation or the denial of another person's dignity. The Indian theologian M. M. Thomas challenged Christians “to risk Christ for Christ's sake,” moving beyond defensive religious identities towards participation in humanity's struggles. When Christians work alongside other faith communities to support refugees, resist hatred or promote public wellbeing, they are not abandoning mission. They are embodying Christ's commandment to love their neighbours. Christian witness must be authentic, humble and respectful, never using friendship as a disguised strategy for conversion. On the other hand, Christian witness is about affirming Christian presence through love in our world today.
Recognising God's Image Beyond Religious Boundaries
Few friends have asked me, “Does interfaith mean accepting other gods?” Respecting another person's religious identity does not require affirming every theological claim of their tradition. Genesis 1:26–27 affirms that humanity is created in God's image. For me, human dignity therefore precedes religious institutions and cannot depend upon membership in any particular faith community. In Acts 10, Peter's encounter with Cornelius transforms his understanding of God's activity. Peter declares that God shows no partiality (Acts 10:34). Interfaith encounters can similarly challenge Christians to reconsider assumptions about who belongs within God's purposes. We may disagree theologically while remaining committed to loving one another. Indeed, claims about loving God become ethically questionable when used to justify hatred towards God's creation. To put it in other words, the more grounded I am in the God who met me in Jesus Christ, the more open I can be in celebrating the equal image of God among all people, transcending all boundaries and barriers.
Interfaith as a Decolonial Practice of De-othering
Colonial Christianity frequently constructed divisions between Christians and non-Christians, the civilised and the uncivilised, the saved and the unsaved. Even these binaries are not neat and are an invention of coloniality. These classifications reinforced political, cultural and economic domination. Contemporary Britain witnesses echoes of these divisions when Christianity becomes a symbol of exclusionary nationalism or religious minorities are portrayed as threats to national identity. As a Dalit Christian migrant minister, I understand interfaith engagement as a commitment to challenging the intersecting injustices of race, caste, migration, patriarchy, class and religious discrimination. Interfaith therefore becomes a decolonial practice of de-othering, transforming those labelled strangers into neighbours and those portrayed as threats into partners in our shared humanity. Our commitment to ‘the city of sanctuary’ movement expresses this conviction: belonging must never be determined by religion, race, nationality or migration status.
Interfaith as Prophetic Public Theology and Subversive Spirituality
Interfaith engagement is a prophetic act in a world increasingly shaped by secularisation and the powerful nexus of capitalism, consumerism and individualism, where human worth is often measured by wealth, productivity and consumption rather than dignity, compassion and relationships. In such a context, interfaith offers a countercultural witness, inviting people of different faiths to reclaim the sacredness of life, pursue the path of love and nurture relationships of mutual accountability, solidarity and responsibility. Interfaith calls religious communities to move beyond their institutional interests and work together for the mutual flourishing of all people and the whole of creation. It becomes a prophetic resistance to religious fundamentalism, exclusionary nationalism and far-right extremism, which weaponise religious identities to divide communities and demonise those perceived as different; by cultivating mutual respect, theological humility and a willingness to learn from one another, interfaith challenges the politics of fear and theologies of superiority.
Isaiah 11:1–9 imagines a world where the wolf lives with the lamb and a little child leads them. This vision is not sentimental harmony; it is a radical transformation of relationships shaped by justice for the poor and equity for the vulnerable. Different religious traditions offer distinctive visions of peace through concepts such as ‘Shalom, Salaam and Shanti.’ These provide opportunities for mutual learning and cooperation without erasing theological differences. I propose understanding interfaith as a form of subversive spirituality, one that resists domination, challenges exclusion, and discovers the sacred through solidarity with marginalised communities.
In Luke 13:22–30, Jesus speaks of people arriving from east, west, north and south to participate in God's banquet. This challenges religious complacency and assumptions about belonging. Interfaith must therefore ask not simply who sits around the dialogue table, but whose voices remain excluded. Where are migrants, refugees, working-class communities and people experiencing discrimination? Some of the most profound expressions of interfaith spirituality occur not in conference halls but through everyday solidarity, like supporting a mosque following an attack, collecting clothing for refugees or standing together against far-right hatred. Interfaith is therefore not merely about tolerating the religious other; it is about recognising one another as neighbours, becoming mutually accountable for each other's wellbeing and collectively resisting the forces that deny life, dignity and flourishing.
Ten Commitments for Christian Interfaith Engagement
Inter Faith Week offers churches an opportunity to translate theological convictions into practical commitments: Allow me to propose ten commitments for interfaith:
Begin with friendship, not conversion. Develop genuine relationships without hidden agendas by nurturing friendships and investing in conversations.
Visit places of worship. Learn respectfully from neighbouring religious communities.
Celebrate religious diversity. Share greetings during religious festivals and celebrations.
Create opportunities for learning. Encourage honest conversations about faith, justice and shared concerns.
Share hospitality. Build friendships through meals while respecting religious dietary practices.
Stand against religious hatred. Challenge antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism and discrimination.
Work together for justice. Collaborate on issues like homelessness, poverty, refugee support and creation care.
Involve children and young people. Nurture friendships that challenge inherited prejudices.
Create spaces for prayerful solidarity. Gather respectfully during crises, allowing each tradition to express its spirituality.
Let just-love be the lens for mutual respect, mutual accountability and mutual co-operation. For just-love does not demand religious sameness; rather, it inspires us to embrace our differences, resist injustice together and transform our communities through solidarity, compassion and hope.
Lighting the Way Together
Jesus declares, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12), and tells his followers, “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). This light is not ours to monopolise but to share through love, compassion, justice and hospitality. Perhaps the most important question is not whether interfaith engagement compromises Christianity, but whether refusing to love, listen to and stand alongside our neighbours compromises Christian discipleship. From my childhood friendships in India to theological education to interfaith solidarity in Stockport, I have learnt that we need not become the same to walk together, agree on everything to resist injustice, or abandon our faith to recognise the dignity of others. Let our churches become communities of sanctuary. Let our spirituality become subversive enough to challenge exclusion and courageous enough to embrace difference. For the light of Christ is not given to Christians to cast shadows upon others, but to illuminate pathways of love, justice and peace. Let us light the way together.
Rev. Dr. Raj Bharat Patta
Co-Chair, Greater Manchester Faith & Belief Panel
Chair, Stockport Multifaith Network
30th October 2026
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