Promoting inter-religious dialogue through photos

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IN conjunction with the Peninsular Malaysia Conference on Ecumenical and Interreligious Ministry, the Archdiocesan Ministry of Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs (AMEIA) is hosting and organising two public events this month.

A photography exhibition on “World Religions in Metropolitan Detroit” will run from Oct 6-11 while a photography workshop entitled “Photography and Religious Space” will be held on Oct 9.

Both events will introduce Catholics and others to a form of inter-religious dialogue.

Both the events will be held at the Archdiocesan Pastoral Centre (APC), Jalan Pudu, Kuala Lumpur,

Rev. Fr. Michael Chua who is the Ecclesiastical Assistant of the AMEIA, Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur, said the notion that inter-religious dialogue only took place at the level of intellectual discussion was erroneous.

Chua, who is also the parish priest of the Visitation Catholic Church in Seremban, said inter-religious dialogue occurred at different levels.

“Perhaps, one of the most powerful but least known ways of stimulating dialogue is through art and the aesthetics. Images often reveal truths that are inadequately articulated in words,’’ he added.

The photo exhibition, he said, would feature the ongoing research of the Pluralism Project at the University of Michigan-Dearborn.

The exhibition features 32 panels containing photographs and text which show the diversity of Metropolitan Detroit’s religious landscape: Islamic mosques, Native American spirituality, Baha’i gathering places, Mandaean mandi, Sikh gurdwaras, Jewish synagogues, Christian churches, and Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist temples.

The exhibition, he said, was intended to encourage dialogue and introduce the public to aspects of religious diversity that might only be previously known in a superficial manner.

He added that the exhibition was designed to increase awareness of the role of religion in public life, and the importance of the concept of pluralism and religious diversity in understanding our nation’s past and especially planning for its future.

He said the second event from 2.30pm-4.30pm on Oct 9 would be ideal for photography enthusiasts, both amateurs and professionals.

“Religious space presents some of the most dramatic and interesting themes for photography,’’ said Chua.

The workshop’s speakers, Dr Claude Jacobs (director of the Pluralism Project in UM-Dearborn) and William McNeece (director of photography), will share their wealth of experiences in this special area of photography and religious space.

Participants will find opportunities to learn aesthetic and technical skills as well as necessary protocol.