Church of Scotland representatives attended the inaugural Faith and Belief Conference in Edinburgh in October.

The Rt Rev Dr Shaw Paterson, Moderator of the General Assembly, and the Rev Fiona Smith, Principal Clerk to the General Assembly, joined delegates from faith and belief communities, politics and academia to discuss interfaith relations and dialogue.

The conference at the Mansfield Traquair Centre, a former Romanesque style church, was organised by the Scottish Government and attended by First Minister John Swinney. It was conceived as a way to lower barriers, eliminate fear and distrust and increase understanding and mutual respect, and explore how faith and belief groups can foster mutual respect, collaboration and understanding between communities.

Mrs Smith, who is co-president of the UK Council of Christians and Jews, addressed the conference and highlighted the Jewish Christian Glossary, produced by the Church of Scotland and the Office of the Chief Rabbi.

She said: “The heart of the glossary conversation was to take words that we have as Christians and Jews that are in common – Chosen People, Kingdom of God and Holy Land.

“All sorts of words and to actually talk about what our different understandings are.

“All the parties to this discovered a deeper truth which was less about what we said to one another but more about how we listened.

“It was in the listening that things actually began to change, it was in the listening that the fruits of friendship deepened, it was in the listening that new perspectives were opened up and it was in the listening that humility was born.

“To listen with a pure and open heart takes courage because it opens you up to see a new perspective.

“Difference is at the heart of the beauty of our creation and the difference that everybody brings to this conference today is what will make it a wonderful occasion as we open our hearts to listen and to learn because that is where respect comes from.”