The Institute of Jainology was very fortunate to host the Archbishop of Canterbury at the Jain temple in Potters Bar.  The event took place on Friday 7th May and was organised jointly with the Oshwal Association of the UK.

Rowan Williams outside the Jain temple

Dr Williams was given a guided tour of the temple and took great interest in its architecture and symbolism.

Approximately 300 guests from the Jain community, other faiths and the local Hertfordshire community listened to Dr Williams’s keynote speech after the tour.

Dr Williams is a most humble and learned man, and reflected on man’s enslavement of himself through his passions and therefore his need to enslave others.

I was delighted at the opportunity to present Jainpedia to him, which he found ‘fascinating’.

I hope that, through the interfaith dialogues we have undertaken, other faiths develop similar resources. We can then show the commonality in basic values and threads in religious thought that have existed throughout the ages.

More photos of the visit and further information can also be seen on the IoJ website.