Celebration of book at Unitarian Church

Tim Firth, a former Catholic priest, has written about his faith pilgrimage to a new vision of religion, and will be guest of honour at a reception and book signing of his novel on Sunday, April 7 from 10.30am at the Horsham Unitarian Church.

He said: “All religions reach out for their God. But why do the different paths they take often end up in division, intolerance and even violence?

“We all share the same spiritual nature, but why do we seem to be divided by our religions?

“If you ask these questions or perhaps feel that the uniqueness of your own religion is somehow threatened by attempts to reconcile religious difference, this book is for you.”

The book starts with Tim’s spiritual journey to become a Catholic priest, his experiences as a vicar general under Cardinal Hume, including interviewing Mother Teresa and serving as a London host for Pope John Paul II.

He climaxes with his vision of religion as an echo of the cosmos: not the property of any one religion.

Tim continued: “It suggests two ways for overcoming divisive religious fragmentation.

“One is to have a ‘Both/And’ rather than an ‘Either/Or’ and ‘Us/Them’ mindset.

“The other is to set religion in its wider contexts of the One Great Revelation, of Spirituality, of the Cosmos and the New Awareness of interconnection which is emerging today,” he added.

Also at the event will be music by Sheila Stay and Andrew Wickens and Rev Dr Richard Boeke will give a sermon inspired by Tim’s perception.