Bridging communities through dialogue: an interview with volunteer Hannah McKercher

Hannah McKerchar is an active member of Humanists UK’s dialogue network, dedicated to fostering understanding between people of different religions and beliefs. Hannah shares her thoughts on the importance of dialogue, how it differs from debate, and how meaningful conversations can promote mutual understanding and connection in the community.

Hi Hannah! What is dialogue and how does dialogue differ from having a debate?

Debate to me puts people in an adversarial position, taking opposing sides and trying to decide a winner. Dialogue is not about winning or losing, nor about trying to convince someone you are right, or to change their minds (though that may be an outcome). It is about genuinely listening, and attempting to understand; being open to hearing viewpoints that are very different to yours, and reacting with curiosity rather than hostility. Hopefully at the end of dialogue you are left better informed, and though you may still be of a very different opinion to the other person/people engaged in dialogue, you should have a greater insight into their position.

Why do humanists, and Humanists UK, get involved in dialogue?

I joined the Humanists UK dialogue network because I wanted to help bridge the gap in understanding between members of my community with religious beliefs, and those like me with a non-religious worldview. The people I have met within the network share my view that this is important, and improving understanding, on both sides of what are fundamentally different ideas of the universe, is crucial to building social cohesion and making a more inclusive community. On a personal level it has brought me new and rich friendships with people of many different beliefs, the chance to engage with religious and cultural practices that have widened my understanding of others’ worldviews, and a sense of fulfilment from building that social cohesion in my local area.

Do you have any personal stories of when dialogue has been helpful?

The dialogue I have engaged in so far has mostly been informal, rather than structured sessions around a particular topic. Some of the most fruitful conversations I’ve had were while working alongside people with a shared purpose e.g, preparing food for a ‘Great Get Together’, straining honey from the bees of ‘The Buzz Project’, or on the sidelines of an Inter Faith Week cricket tournament, waiting for our turn to play. There have often been conversations that have started out small, talking about the task at hand, but which have allowed a gentle exploration of our differing identities and beliefs, from a place of genuine interest and a foundation of shared values. I’ve had people who cannot imagine living in a world without a god come to share an understanding of how I frame my morality, and appreciate how much we have in common, when before all they saw was what divided us.

Could you briefly introduce the dialogue network and some of its activity?

The dialogue network includes volunteers from throughout Humanists UK, many of whom also wear some other Humanists UK hats e.g. school speakers, pastoral care practitioners, local group volunteers, but for some this is their main voluntary role. People are engaged in all sorts of activities in their local areas. Some are part of an active interfaith or belief group. They may take part in joint social action, hold specific dialogue sessions, or join the ‘buddy scheme’ as part of Inter Faith Week. This scheme pairs people with someone of a different belief so they can meet up and share knowledge. Others are involved in civic ceremonies, such as Remembrance. In some places, non-religious people must engage in significant dialogue just to be allowed to take an active part in these ceremonies. Some people apply their dialogue skills in everyday life. I have certainly put my dialogue training to good use in my role as a local councillor!

What is covered in dialogue training with Humanists UK?

I found the dialogue training really thought-provoking, as it helped me to examine the difference between dialogue and debate, and the benefit of dialogue as a tool for improving relationships rather than scoring points or winning arguments. It also looked at views that could be more or less helpful when engaging in dialogue, and how some questions could in themselves create a hostile atmosphere or widen the gap in understanding rather than narrowing it.

Where do people from different worldviews find common ground?

In my experience, when we talk about values. I remember visiting a Year five class where 98% of the students were Muslim, and when we had finished discussing what was important to me as a humanist, and how my humanist values translated into the way I try to live my life, one of the students put their hand up and said, ‘I know we believe different things (about the existence of god and an afterlife) but we think the same on all these other points.’ Within the Inter Faith and Belief Forum I am part of, it is when we come together in action based on our values that we seem the strongest, for example hosting a shared meal and creating community, walking together in solidarity or giving out Roses for Peace.

What resonates most with you about the humanist approach to life?

For me, it is the belief that I only have one life – this one. My work as a funeral celebrant, and my own personal experience of loss, has shown me that this life cannot be taken for granted, and with no expectation of another life to come, that makes me determined to make the most of it. I try to look for something good, even on the worst of days, and find happiness here and now, happiness which often stems from my connection with other people, and the world around me.