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On June 14th – 16th 2010, CISS researchers attended the Durham University conference entitled, ‘Seminary education and ministerial training: Shi’ite and Christian perspectives.’

The conference was unique in that it brought together Shi’a scholarship and Christian scholarship within the context of seminary and university teaching. This allowed for diversity and debate, which permeated the conference.

The conference began by discussing the concept of du’a (supplication) in the Shi’a tradition and the philosophical legacy left by Allamah Tabatabai, the Iranian philosopher, exegist and jurist. Discussions then moved to current modes and subjects taught in both Shi’a and Christian seminaries around the world, in particular Qum and Najaf. Fellow Christian academics deliberated on important themes such as secularisation of knowledge, lack of appreciation of spirituality and aesthetics within universities and the need to emphasise scripture-based knowledge. Fellow Shi’a scholars, many of whom were from Iran, talked about the teaching of mysticism and ethics in hawzas, the need to reform aspects of usul al-fiqh (the science of the principles of jurisprudence) and the impact new interpretations of religion would have on people’s faith. Naturally this caused a lot of debate but it also showed the dynamism of Shi’ism.

Overall, the conference was interesting in highlighting the similarities and differences between Shi’ite and Christian seminary teaching as well as the differences within Shi’i interpretation itself. There is still, however, a need to connect more with other faiths on core moral and social issues that affect us all.

CISS Team

17th June 2010