This group meets on a regular monthly basis for a full morning session divided up between a lecture, discussion and a coffee break. Since its inception some ten years ago the meetings have been held at the local Community Centre, the Lantern in Ilfracombe, in order to allow a larger audience than could be accommodated at home. Members from other local U3A branches also attend.

Over the years the many faiths represented in the multi-cultural British community have been examined including: Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism. The relationship between East and West and how the faiths of each have affected the thinking of the other has been a central topic. This has included the problem of belief and how the various faiths react to the human situation.

There has been a special study of Christian Europe, showing the way in which Christianity and European culture have been closely bound together through the centuries. This has led to a consideration of the future of Christianity and the role of belief in a scientific and

increasingly secular age. Other issues have included those of a moral, theological and philosophical nature with a recent examination of the non-religious philosophies and ideologies of the twentieth century, especially in 'Post-Christian' Europe. Although most members are mainly of the Christian tradition not all have connections with churches so that the debate generated is both open and questioning as well as positive. This is enhanced by the occasional attendance of speakers with different beliefs and other traditions. The image shown here ( which was drawn by the convenor) depicts Mansustri, a Buddhist Bodhisattva, who represents wisdom and slays ignorance with his sword. In his other hand he holds the thread (sutra) of teaching. The image is of either Nepalese of Tibetan origin around the 14 th century.