Words that Heal and Unite: An Interfaith Discussion with Ani Rinchen Khandro, Shaykh Amin Buxton and Bishop John Armes

Ani Rinchen Khandro spent her early adult life as a writer and designer based in London, Paris and Bali, and in 1993 took life ordination in the Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism. She has since studied and worked at Samye Ling Monastery with many eminent Tibetan Lamas, including Samye Ling’s Founder Akong Rinpoche and its Abbot Lama Yeshe Rinpoche. After a closed retreat of 3 years, 3 months on Holy Isle, Ani Rinchen wrote ‘Samye Ling – The Story’. She is now Director and Teacher at Kagyu Samye Dzong Edinburgh, Tibetan Buddhist Centre for Meditation, Peace and Health. She is also the Honorary Buddhist Chaplain and an Associate Member of Buddhist Studies at the University of Edinburgh, as well as a Buddhist Representative for both Edinburgh Inter-Faith Association and the Scottish Faith Leaders Forum. Ani Rinchen is a lively contributor to Faith Conferences, the Scottish Parliament, programmes for the BBC and ITV, and was recently honoured to deliver a Buddhist Blessing to HM King Charles III at the presentation of the Royal Honours of Scotland. 

Amin Buxton is a community imam and translator. He read Arabic at SOAS, University of London and studied the Islamic sciences in a traditional setting in both Syria and Yemen. He is involved in several educational initiatives including Reviving Souls and New to Islam Edinburgh. He serves as a prison imam and Muslim Chaplain at Edinburgh Napier University.

John Armes was consecrated as 26th Bishop of Edinburgh (in the Scottish Episcopal Church) on 12 May 2012. Prior to this, he was rector of St John the Evangelist Church, Princes Street, Edinburgh and Dean of the Diocese of Edinburgh. Before moving to Edinburgh in 1998, he was Area Dean of Rossendale and Priest in Charge of Goodshaw and Crawshawbooth in the Diocese of Manchester. His PhD from Manchester University was in social theology. John is married to Clare and they have four children and (by November) six grandchildren. His interests include theatre, cinema, walking and reading novels.

Iain Stewart is the Executive Director of the Edinburgh Interfaith Association (EIFA), Scotland’s longest established interfaith body, which he has led since 2012. He has a master’s degree in Inter-religious Relations from De Montfort University, and is a leading interfaith consultant and trainer. Iain is also a co-founder of the ‘Cities, Faith and Community Forum’ (CFCF), a body that brings key European interfaith leaders and organisations together in order to share good practice.