Whether your interest is spiritual, academic or cultural, Oxford provides a multitude of opportunities to explore questions of belief and meaning in supportive and intellectually stimulating environments. And as a multicultural city, it plays host to a wide range of faith-based events throughout the year. From religious festivals and open days at places of worship, to interfaith panels, community meals and cultural celebrations, there's always something happening that invites you to learn, connect and engage with the city's rich spiritual and cultural life.
The Oxford Interfaith Forum is a global organisation facilitating interfaith, intercultural and interdisciplinary collaboration. It hosts international reading groups and discussion series on topics such as sacred texts, mysticism, ecology and peacebuilding to encourage positive engagement with religious diversity. And the Oxford Council of Faiths brings together representatives from various religious traditions, including Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Buddhism; to promote inter-community understanding and tolerance.
The University itself is home to a vibrant chaplaincy network for all faiths and none, with many Oxford colleges having their own chaplains who offer spiritual support, lead services, and organise events within the college community. Their services, talks and events are open to all students and staff, regardless of belief.
Oxford’s wider community also reflects its diversity, with places of worship across the city offering services, study groups, and interfaith activities. The Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, the Woolf Institute, Oxford’s Tibetan Buddhist Centre and the Centre for Hindu Studies are just a few of the institutions supporting academic and community engagement with religion.
You can search for faith groups and places of worship on this faith societies list maintained by the University's Equality and Diversity Unit. Timings for religious services, including some conducted in languages other than English, are listed on the Daily Info worship pages.
