Wing Commander (Reverend) David Richardson
This week marks Inter Faith Week (www) across the UK. Its aim is to highlight the work of local faith, inter faith and faith-based groups, and to encourage people to explore their inter faith learning.
Reverend David Richardson from the Armed Forces Chaplaincy Centre (AFCC) explains how multi faith understanding is integral to whole force development, and the impact that spiritual, moral, and ethical wellbeing has on its personnel.
AFCC has both anticipated and implemented the Bloom recommendations – this is work we have been doing for many years as the home of faith and belief in defence. Drawing on our origins as an oasis of peace behind the front lines of Belgium over a hundred years ago, we offer a safe space at Beckett House for people of all backgrounds to evaluate, explore, and express their belief.
Beckett House is a regular meeting place for religious and belief groups of all kinds. Faith communities from across defence regard it as home, and the building is configured to allow the world faiths recognised by defence every facility required to practice. British chaplains of all backgrounds train together at the house; with recent courses featuring Jewish and Islamic chaplains working alongside their Christian counterparts. A particular joy in recent years has been hosting Ukrainian chaplains – drawn from across the religious spectrum – and sharing insights on the role that faith and belief plays in modern conflicts. We have also established significant contacts across NATO and are actively engaged in developing the alliance’s work in the area of faith and belief.
In addition to its emphasis on hospitality and spirituality, Beckett House also acts as an academic clearing house for matters of faith and belief across defence. With two annual flagship conferences focusing on religion, defence and ethics, the House is internationally recognised as a place where faith and public policy may be meaningfully discussed. These conferences are open to all within UK defence, as are the courses we run on pastoral skills and religion/defence. Come and see us!”
The Armed Forces Chaplaincy Centre is the only UK defence institution dedicated to the study of how religion and faith interacts with contemporary conflicts and international relations.
By fostering an inclusive and reflective learning community, AFCC elicits professional, personal, cultural, spiritual, and cognitive diversity, preparing people to be comfortable with uncertainty.