It is great to see so many people here today and I hope that you all feel very welcome in St Peter's.

I remember that on the very first lecture of my degree it was suggested to us that 'faith' and 'spirituality' are much wider concepts that just the six main world religions.

Within each of the world's great religions, there are infinite variations of belief and practice that may not have anything very much in common at all. The daily experiences of two members of the same faith tradition might be completely different due to other factors such as gender, geography, politics and economic status. And there is a growing number of people who claim to have deep spiritual experiences but do not adhere to any organised religion at all. In fact it was suggested to us that we should stop thinking in terms of six clearly defined 'religions', and instead that we should start to think in terms of more general religious 'world-views', or lenses through which people perceive the world around them.

Now that Project Unity is underway, staff and students are being asked to be 'extraordinarily ambitious' in their vision for what the new university should be like. Part of the challenge is to find a way that the new institution can reflect the richness and diversity of its student's experiences of spirituality.

Regardless of whether you are a Christian or any faith whatsoever, theology has a contribution to make - after all, theology is a discipline just like sociology or anthropology, and it has every right to participate in public debate.

So I thought I would start with a few thoughts on some aspects of how the theology of the Church of England, which is my own tradition, might apply to the planning for the new university. So with a bit of help from my lecture notes, I came up with three things:

• Firstly, one of the most important points of theology is to encourage care for the needy. In a university context this means making it a priority to provide for students who are isolated, far from home, those who are struggling or simply in need of a bit of direction and some good advice.

• Secondly there is the idea that the Church is the body of Christ. For Christians this may serve as a reminder of the benefits of a strong community spirit among Christians in the university, it could also play a part in encouraging more students to participate in local faith communities in Manchester as an important step towards being involved in the 'real' Manchester. It is a way to see outside of the insular and often rather inward-looking university community.

• And thirdly, as we are now in the time of lent, which is a time of self-reflection and penance, it is very appropriate that people in Manchester are now re-evaluating the need for much greater interfaith understanding. I am thinking, by way of example, of Greater Manchester Police who are currently evaluating very carefully how they can prevent racist officers from joining. All institutions could benefit from such self-reflection from time to time.

So in what ways is it important to students that there is a good level of multi-faith understanding in Further and Higher Education in Manchester?

• Firstly so that the opportunity is there for students to develop better interpersonal skills, which are vital in today's increasingly dynamic and international workplace.
• Secondly to counter the misunderstandings and prejudice about other faiths that can lead to the hate crime, discrimination and violence that are so damaging both to the fabric of society, and to the individual victims of such evil acts.
• But most importantly, it is important to create an environment that encourages students to be questioning about other faiths; making it 'OK' to ask the questions that you always wanted to know but were afraid to ask. This is much more likely to foster genuinely positive attitudes towards other faiths, rather than just stale PC-ness, which can be stifling.

This leads me to my final question: What are the ways in which the university can actively show that it encourages people of all faiths and brands of spirituality?

I asked this to some friends and here are some of the answers that I got back:
Prayer facilities were at the top of the list, along with quiet areas, green spaces and other forms of area that reflected people's diverse ideas about what constituted 'sacred space' for them. It was suggested that the university should be 'upfront about inclusivity' - making it clear and well advertised that this is a university that supports and encourages diversity. Other suggestions included multi-faith events, inviting people of other faiths to our events, co-operation and greater visibility.

The question is asked in the Bible, who is my neighbour? We now have a wider choice of neighbour than in previous generations. So it is vital that the vision for the new university includes an attitude of openness to this diversity and to new cultural opportunities.

Clare Greer

St Peter's Chaplaincy is a resource for exploring the life of faith. It seeks to be inclusive, open and welcoming, offering companionship on the Journey
Chaplaincy to Higher Education in Manchester		Manchester Metropolitan University University of Manchester Royal Northern College of Music
		St Peter's Church