On Wednesday 10th June 2015, Al-Mahdi Institute held a Research seminar on the topic of; “Inter-religious meetings and the spaces in between Islam” conducted by Dr David Cheetham from University of Birmingham. The seminar was attended by AMI students, faculty and interested members of the public.
Currently a Reader in Philosophical Theology and Head of Department of Theology and Religion at University of Birmingham, Dr David Cheetham’s theme for the seminar was ”Finding spaces in between Religion” which he explained by using the following examples;
Jacques Pohier (Roman Catholic) writes that ‘[God] is not the totality of goodness: the fact all goodness comes from God does not prevent other goodnesses than his own from not being his own, just as the being of creatures is not reduced to the being of God, and is not the being of God, even if it proceeds from the being of God.’ (God in Fragments, 312).
My wanting to be a creature and to realise my personal aims, aspirations, relationships, gifts and talents in this world is godly. Createdness entails that we do not need to ‘resign from nature by treating God as a successful rival for our attention…’, rather to be-in-the-world is in fact what we ought to do as creatures. (cf.72-73 Williams).
Susan Wolf in her article ‘Moral Saints’ charges ‘moral saints’ with being ‘blind to some of what the world has to offer’ (424). It is a good thing to pursue excellences that are not dominated by moral sanctity. Such pursuits, although they may in fact be incompatible with high-minded or austere ethical devotion, are nevertheless worthy goals.
For more detailed information on the seminar, please click here.
To view more images from the seminar, please click here.