Martin Olando Wesonga

Bridging the Great Divide: the Jewish-Muslim Encounter

Jews, Christians and Muslims in Europe: Modern Challenges
Religion is...

Profile

I am a lecturer in Christian Theology and an ordained Anglican Church minister. I am involved in the training of pastors and church workers at the seminary in Mombasa, Kenya. The pastors are drawn from all over Kenya. I have been involved in interfaith work in Mombasa and am continuously involved in research on interfaith relations between Muslim and Christians in Kenya.

My engagement with the Woolf Institute courses has increased my knowledge on different faiths especially Islam, Christianity and Judaism. Through reading assignments and interactions with other students, I have a different world view on interfaith relations and the need for tolerance. The online course Jews, Christians and Muslims in Europe: Modern Challenges opened up my eyes to the knowledge that Europe too has experienced intolerance as in some parts of Africa.

The online course Bridging the Great Divide: the Jewish-Muslim Encounter exposed me to the peace and conflict issues surrounding the Israel-Palestine conflict. I liked the approaches taken by various groups to bring peace. Since the world is a global village, I can apply the methods I have studied in my local context Mombasa where we have had Christian-Muslim hostility.