The A Common Word initiative has been embraced in many different places in order to encourage interpersonal dialogue and engagement between Christians and Muslims. This has of course taken a variety of different forms according to the context. Some of the wider resources available online can provide a glimpse of this, and may be useful for your own adaptation.
This specific resource is designed especially for Christians and Muslims in Canada who want to go deeper together in building relationships and growing in understanding at the local level, within their neighbourhoods and congregations.[1] To that end, the Overview and Checklist which follows below sets out a framework that is intended to assist such groups and leaders in the planning and facilitating of an A Common Word based gathering in their communities. It leaves lots of room for shaping and tailoring to local needs, but is offered as a basic model that has been found effective, either as a single event, a series of sessions over a period, or as the foundation of an ongoing relationship.
The Day of Dialogue
The international A Common Word movement places an emphasis on dialogue at the level of scripture and theology in the Muslim and Christian traditions, often led by scholars and experts. This sort of focus is important, and remains integral to the numerous local groups and expressions of the movement which have developed in varying places and times since the letter’s initial publication. However, at the local level, among your average Christian and Muslim from the grassroots, there is value in complementing this kind of dialogue with other forms of interaction and exchange. The type of local gathering which this guide proposes under the heading ‘Common Word Day of Dialogue’ aims to do just that.
Key Components
A Day of Dialogue event stands on four main pillars: Spiritual experience, Scripture based listening and learning, Small group dialogue and sharing, and Meal/Refreshment. While adjustments to the order and timing of these components is certainly possible, ideally any gathering you plan which tries to follow the local A Common Word framework should seek to ensure that all of them are represented in some way.
i) Spiritual Experience
Interreligious dialogue can never simply be about the engagement of beliefs and ideals, at the level of intellectual sharing only. Indeed, it is equally important for Christians and Muslims to encounter the spiritual traditions of each other’s faith communities, and to see how these are expressed and lived out. For that reason, an A Common Word Day of Dialogue is generally bookended at beginning and end by some form of spiritual expression from both the Christian and Muslim traditions. By way of some examples, this could include prayers, readings and/or recitations of the bible and the Qur’an, Islamic poetry, Christian hymnody, etc. The section of this resource which provides Suggested Prayers and Readings may be a good place to start, but the people and the gifts which you have in your local setting will also help to determine what sorts of sharing is possible for you in this respect.
ii) Scripture Based Listening and Learning
The heart of A Common Word has always been its orientation to the scriptural texts of the Christian and Muslim traditions, and to attending to both the diversities and commonalities which are found there. This is a real strength of this model of dialogue, and one which helps to keep such gatherings focused within shared parameters. The basic conviction is that the shared commitment to “love of God and love of neighbour”, which is at the centre of both the bible and the Qur’an, provides the overarching starting point from which pursue greater friendship and understanding between Christianity and Islam.
To this end, a local Day of Dialogue will commonly invite two primary speakers (one Muslim and one Christian) who will take the lead in offering initial reflections on a key theme and some corresponding scriptures which address it.[2] More detail on the length and nature of these presentations follows in the Sample Schedule below. Some suitable themes to engage are listed in the Suggested Topics and Themes for Dialogue section of this guide.
iii) Small Group Dialogue and Sharing
Each and every person has something to bring to the table in the work of interreligious dialogue. This is not a task which requires that one be a trained expert or an official representative of a faith tradition in order to participate. Local groups, which engage the members of congregations and communities as well as their leadership, are essential to the work of growing in understanding and peace. For this reason, a premium is placed within the Day of Dialogue agenda on smaller groups of Christians and Muslims – often around tables of 6 or 8 people – having a chance to interact and share between themselves about the ways in which the more formal presentations intersect with issues of faith at the level of daily life. These are called Table Talk sessions, and they are described Sample Schedule which follows below, as well as the sections on Suggested Topics and Themes for Dialogue and Suggested Table Discussion Questions.
In order to assist in making these smaller group conversations more effective, it is ideal if one person can be designated as a facilitator ahead of time to help move things forward and ensure that everyone has a chance to speak and to be heard. The role of the Table Facilitator is described below under the Leaders/Volunteers heading.
iv) Meal/Refreshment
When people sit down and eat together, good things can often happen. There is something very leveling that can take place; it is a way of very tangibly being reminded of our common creaturehood and our common humanity. That is why, if possible, an A Common Word local gathering should try to incorporate a time for people to partake in food and drink together. In some settings this may mean a full meal. In others it might be coffee and tea with very simple canape or baked goods. Whatever fits best in your context, be sure to emphasize that the point is not about getting fed so much as it is the unifying character of enjoying one another as we enjoy food and refreshment. When done well, and in connection with the other components of the day, it is itself a form of dialogue and exchange.
So that it can be most easily assured that all will be able to partake in the meal that is on offer, a vegetarian/vegan menu is best. While Muslims can eat meat and dairy products that are halal, this can sometimes be difficult to verify. No alcohol should be served in the context of Christian-Muslim dialogue.
In order to help defer the costs of food and refreshment, you may wish to collect a suggested donation or even to charge a small price for registration as a participant. This is not at all inappropriate, and may make it easier for your community to offer this as part of your gathering without it being an undue financial and logistical challenge.
Timing
Because the Day of Dialogue format tries to pack in many different components, it requires allowing sufficient time for the program to unfold. However, the realities of our busy lives are simply such that it may not always be possible or realistic to ask people to commit to investing a substantial portion of their day into this kind of event. For that reason, these is a ‘short form’ and a ‘long form’ program which can be used as a template to suit the goals and expectations of your local group. You will see these in outline form in the Sample Schedule below.
Choosing a suitable day of the week is an important consideration. Fridays and Sundays are best avoided due to other communal religious obligations in the Muslim and Christian traditions on these days. The ‘long form’ of the program is uniquely fitted to be held during the daytime hours on a Saturday, which the ‘short form’ could be run on a weekday evening.
Other factors around timing include being sure not to schedule something on or near an Islamic or Christian holy day, as well as trying to avoid significant interference with the daily times of prayer for Muslims. The Manners and Etiquette section of this guide explains this in some greater detail. The online resources at acommonword.ca also contain links to an interfaith holy day calendar, as well as the projected daily times of prayer in the Islamic tradition.
Venue
There are two ways you can go with things in terms of deciding on a venue to hold you A Common Word dialogue. Both have their merits, and you will want to decide what makes the most sense given your particular context and the people and groups involved.
One option is to plan your gathering to be hosted in a house of worship, either a church or mosque/masjid. The positive in this is that it is an opportunity for people who may have never visited the sacred space of another religious tradition to have this experience as a guest, which can be helpful for dispelling stereotypes and assumptions and humanizing or making real a place that might otherwise be viewed abstractly or disconnected from tangible reality. For those who act as host, it is also valuable to learn how to help others feel comfortable and welcome in your house of worship. For those coming as guests, it is an opportunity to learn through listening and observing and letting the other take the lead. Both being a good guest and being a good host in one another’s spaces can help to lay the groundwork for being good guests and hosts in an intellectual and spiritual sense as well, which is critical for a healthy dialogue.
If this is the direction your group chooses to go, it is a good idea to make sure that each faith community has a chance to reciprocate (i.e. if you meet the first time in a church make sure you have another event which meets at the mosque, and vice versa).
Alternatively, a case can be made for holding your dialogue in a neutral third-party space such as a community centre, school lecture theatre, etc. For some Christians, and for some Muslims, meeting in a place of worship of another tradition might seem too unfamiliar – especially if someone has had minimal experience of these kinds of relationships and interactions. If your setting suggests that this might be the case, and that attendance might be higher if you planned your event for a more ‘neutral’ location, then it may be in your best interest to explore this option instead.
Leaders/Volunteers
Hosting a Day of Dialogue does require a team of leaders and volunteers in order to assist in all the various components coming together smoothly and running well. For this reason, it is good to cooperate in partnerships so that the workload can be carried together. Share these roles between the Christian and Muslim contingents. If you are a smaller Anglican parish, link up with your nearest Lutheran congregation (or Mennonite, or Presbyterian, or Roman Catholic, etc.) and take the tasks on together. The need for some leaders and volunteers to facilitate your gathering need not be an insurmountable barrier to reaching out.
The following are some of the roles which are important to fill as you plan for a Day of Dialogue:
i) Greeters
A friendly face or two at the door of your venue can help people feel at ease as they arrive. For most gatherings two Greeters, though larger groups may call for more.
ii) Registration Volunteers
Registration volunteers are needed to manage two main things: nametag distribution, and seating arrangements that ensure a relative balance between Muslims and Christians at each of the table groups. Again, depending on the number of participants you are expecting, two such volunteers are probably sufficient, but more may be needed if your group gathering is large.
iii) MC
The MC acts as the host of the event. They welcome people, review the expectations and ground rules for dialogue, introduce different speakers and leaders, transition the program between its various components, and generally direct people about what and when things are happening next. One MC is sufficient, but it can make for a nice sign of commonality to have a pair of MCs – one from the Christian tradition and another from the Muslim tradition.
iv) Table group leaders
Each small table group should have someone assigned to it who has prepared in advance to held lead their participants through the three rounds of discussion. Providing each table group leader with their discussion questions in advance makes this easier. The key skillsets for such a facilitator are that they work to keep the discussion on topic, do not allow any one person to dominate, and encourage all participants to contribute.
v) Keynote speakers
A lead speaker from both the Muslim and the Christian traditions is needed. It is a best practice to invite people who have a reasonable degree of familiarity and comfort with the process of interfaith dialogue, and who are committed to discourse according to the Goals, Principles, and Rules contained in this guide. This may mean experienced lay people, it may mean scholars, it may mean clergy; the offices and titles which such people may hold are less important than their willingness and ability to embody a genuine spirit of dialogue, appreciative listening, and genuine learning, in addition to all that they might have to teach others.
vi) Meal/refreshments team
If you are serving refreshments and food, a generous team of four or five volunteers to manage these details will be indispensable towards supporting this important sharing of hospitality.
vii) Setup/takedown team
As with any event, there is extra work involved for setup and takedown. Asking for a team of three or four people who can take the lead in organizing this will go a long way towards the success of your event.
Sample Schedule (Long Form)
In its long form, a Day of Dialogue calls for setting aside 5 hours on a Saturday. This is a long time, but the program is sufficiently varied in style and rich in content that it moves along well and does not drag.[3]
This is simply one example. The timings can be moved ahead an hour or two, or back and hour or two, as deemed necessary by your group.
9:30am – Doors open for registration and arrivals
Guests should be greeted at the door if possible, and led to the registration check-in table.
At the registration table guests should be welcomed and invited to share which community they are coming from. Registration volunteers will ask guests for their first names, and provide them with a hand-written nametag. Nametags will also have a number written on them in order to assign guests to a table. Insofar as is possible, registration volunteers should try to ensure a reasonable balance between Muslims and Christians at each table.
In the meeting area, round tables should be set up with seating for roughly 8-10 people at a table. Tables will be numbered to match nametags for ease of seating.
Simple refreshments, such as tea, coffee, cookies, etc., could be made available for people to enjoy as they arrive and settle in.
10:00am – Welcome, opening remarks, and review principles and rules of dialogue
An MC (or two) will call the group to gather and will offer initial words of welcome and explanation of the program that lies ahead. The MC will also facilitate transitions between speakers, group discussion time, breaks, etc.
The MC should also review some basic principles and rules of engagement, emphasizing that the basic purposes of the gathering are for learning and building relationship rather than debate and argumentation. This resource includes a list of Goals, Principles, and Rules for dialogue, many or all of which can be used effectively for this purpose.
10:10am – Opening spiritual sharing
At this point, one Christian participant and one Muslim participant, arranged beforehand, will open the dialogue with some form of spiritual gift exchange. This can be a scriptural reading/recitation, a prayer, a piece of religious poetry, a musical offering, etc., as appropriate in each tradition. Each offering should take approximately 2-3 minutes.
10:15am – Table talk round 1
People generally need to ease into speaking to people they do not know, especially when it comes to deeply held beliefs such as the matters of religious faith. Early in the program an opportunity is given to simply ‘break the ice’ by reflecting on one or two questions that are more casual and open ended in nature. The idea is to help people get used to talking with and listening to one another. A wide-ranging list is given in the Suggested Table Discussion Questions section of this resource, and different ones of these could be used over the course of several meetings.
If possible, each table should have someone designated in advance who can serve as a table group discussion facilitator. The role of this person is simply to guide the group through the questions, keep the conversation on topic, ensure that everyone has a chance to speak, etc.
10:30am – Speaker talks round 1
The program includes dedicated time for a keynote speaker from both the Christian and Muslim traditions. The speakers are there to unpack the overall theme of the day’s dialogue, and to stimulate discussion, but the real dialogue will involve everyone and will happen in smaller groups around tables.
The two speakers will each be given two rounds of 15 minutes each. The speakers should be invited to bring a relevant piece of their holy scripture, or other commentary from within their tradition, which offers some insight on the chosen topic. A list of Suggested Topics and Themes for Dialogue is included in this toolkit. In the online resources available at acommonword.ca you will also find video recordings of examples of these sorts of presentations.
The two speakers present one after another. There is not time provided for questions of the speakers. Discussion and comments are meant to happen with other participants at the table groups.
11:00am – Table talk round 2
Following a round of talks from the speakers, each small table group is given 30 minutes to reflect on what they heard, share their own perspectives on the themes introduced, and respond to a series of pre-prepared discussion questions. This guide includes some examples of suggested Table Group Discussion Questions, which can be modified to fit various themes as appropriate.
11:30am – Break
A fifteen-minute stretch and comfort break is provided roughly half way through the program.
11:45pm – Speaker talks round 2
After the break a second round of 15-minute talks follow, where the two speakers expand on their initial presentations. This second round might be encouraged to move more towards the direction of the application of scriptural and theological insight to considerations of what this can look like in terms of concrete practice and action in each respective faith community.
12:15pm – Table talk round 3
A third round of facilitated table group discussion follows, with questions similar in form to those in the Suggested Table Discussion Questions.
*Approximately 12:40pm – Possible Dhuhr Prayer Break*
1:00pm – Closing spiritual sharing
A second occasion for spiritual gift exchange is included near the end of the program. Again, this may be a reading/recitation, prayer, artistic expression, or some combination thereof, from both the Muslim and the Christian traditions.
1:10pm – Gifts and thanks
Words of thanks and a gift of appreciation for the two speakers is a nice touch, and provides an occasion to underscore the message about dialogue being a form of gift exchange.
*Approximately 1:15pm – Possible Dhuhr Prayer Break*
1:30pm – Lunch and visiting at tables
As indicated about, eating together is important in both the Christian and Muslim traditions, and has a way of building trust and eliciting further open conversation. As your group is able, organize a common meal is a wonderful way to conclude the day of dialogue. A potluck where those participating in the dialogue bring a favourite dish can be a lovely way of doing this. Vegetarian dishes are recommended in order to make it easier to avoid dietary restrictions. Alcohol should not be served.
If having something catered is possible for you this can simplify some aspects of preparation for the event, but of course adds additional financial costs.
2:00pm – Conclusion
As people are finishing eating, they are thanked by the MC for their willingness to step out and meet their neighbours in the interests of seeking peace, and then sent on their way with well wishes until next time.
2:30pm – Cleanup
Sample Schedule (Short Form)
In its short form, a Day of Dialogue can be run over two hours on a weekday evening. The largest changes are that there is only one round of talks from the speakers, and only two opportunities for table talk discussions. Again, this is just one example.[4]
7:00pm – Doors open for registration and arrivals
Guests should be greeted at the door if possible, and led to the registration check-in table.
At the registration table guests should be welcomed and invited to share which community they are coming from. Registration volunteers will ask guests for their first names, and provide them with a hand-written nametag. Nametags will also have a number written on them in order to assign guests to a table. Insofar as is possible, registration volunteers should try to ensure a reasonable balance between Muslims and Christians at each table.
In the meeting area, round tables should be set up with seating for roughly 8-10 people at a table. Tables will be numbered to match nametags for ease of seating.
Simple refreshments, such as tea, coffee, cookies, etc., could be made available for people to enjoy as they arrive and settle in.
7:15pm – Welcome, opening remarks, and review principles and rules of dialogue
An MC (or two) will call the group to gather and will offer initial words of welcome and explanation of the program that lies ahead. The MC will also facilitate transitions between speakers, group discussion time, breaks, etc.
The MC should also review some basic principles and rules of engagement, emphasizing that the basic purposes of the gathering are for learning and building relationship rather than debate and argumentation. This resource includes a list of Goals, Principles, and Rules for dialogue, many or all of which can be used effectively for this purpose.
7:25pm – Opening spiritual sharing
At this point, one Christian participant and one Muslim participant, arranged beforehand, will open the dialogue with some form of spiritual gift exchange. This can be a scriptural reading/recitation, a prayer, a piece of religious poetry, a musical offering, etc., as appropriate in each tradition. Each offering should take approximately 2-3 minutes.
7:30pm – Table talk round 1
People generally need to ease into speaking to people they do not know, especially when it comes to deeply held beliefs such as the matters of religious faith. Early in the program an opportunity is given to simply ‘break the ice’ by reflecting on one or two questions that are more casual and open ended in nature. The idea is to help people get used to talking with and listening to one another. A wide-ranging list is given in the Suggested Table Discussion Questions section of this resource, and different ones of these could be used over the course of several meetings.
If possible, each table should have someone designated in advance who can serve as a table group discussion facilitator. The role of this person is simply to guide the group through the questions, keep the conversation on topic, ensure that everyone has a chance to speak, etc.
7:45pm – Speaker talks
The program includes dedicated time for a keynote speaker from both the Christian and Muslim traditions. The speakers are there to unpack the overall theme of the day’s dialogue, and to stimulate discussion. The real dialogue will involve everyone and will happen in smaller groups around tables.
The two speakers will be given 15 minutes each. The speakers should be invited to bring a relevant piece of their holy scripture, or other commentary from within their tradition, which offers some insight on the chosen topic. A list of Suggested Topics and Themes for Dialogue is included in this toolkit. In the online resources available at acommonword.ca you will also find video recordings of examples of these sorts of presentations.
The two speakers present one after another. Discussion and comments are meant to happen with other participants at the table groups.
8:15pm – Table talk round 2
Following a round of talks from the speakers, each small table group is given 20-25 minutes to reflect on what they heard, share their own perspectives on the themes introduced, and respond to a series of pre-prepared discussion questions. This guide includes some examples of suggested Table Discussion Questions, which can be modified to fit various themes as appropriate.
*Approximately 8:35pm – Possible Isha Prayer Break*
8:45pm – Closing spiritual sharing
A second occasion for spiritual gift exchange is included near the end of the program. Again, this may be a reading/recitation, prayer, artistic expression, or some combination thereof, from both the Muslim and the Christian traditions.
8:50pm – Gifts and thanks
Words of thanks and a gift of appreciation for the two speakers is a nice touch, and provides an occasion to underscore the message about dialogue being a form of gift exchange.
9:00pm – Conclusion
Participants are thanked by the MC for their willingness to step out and meet their neighbours in the interests of seeking peace, and then sent on their way with well wishes until next time.
[1] It is built in part on the format and experience which was first developed by the Christian and Muslim led organization known as A Common Word Alberta in 2013. A Common Word Alberta has been running annual day of dialogue gatherings every year since.
[2] Examples of these talks can be found online at acommonword.ca
[3] Remember to consult your Muslim partners in this endeavor around how best to accommodate their need for a break to offer prayers should the program overlap with these times. In the long form Saturday format, it will likely be the mid-day Dhuhr prayers that will need to be accounted for. Although the timing of these prayers varies depending on the part of the world you are in, as well as the month and day, they generally fall between 12:00pm and 1:30pm. Some degree of flexibility exists in terms of how long after these times the prayers may be made. Some suggested options for a Dhuhr prayer break are given in the sample schedule. During the prayer break Christian participants could also gather together for brief midday prayers.
[4] Remember to consult your Muslim partners in this endeavor around how best to accommodate their need for a break to offer prayers should the program overlap with these times. In the short evening format, it will likely be either the evening Isha prayers that will need to be accounted for (though the Maghrib prayers may also conflict during the spring months). The timing of these prayers varies depending on the part of the world you are in, as well as the month and day. A suggested option for an Isha prayer break is given in the sample schedule. During the prayer break Christian participants could also gather together for brief evening prayers.
