Translating Inter-religious Dialogue into Action

Representatives from the major faith communities will gather in Geneva, Switzerland for a “Critical Moment Conference” that will address the difficulties facing interreligious relations in the globalized world.

By Pauline J. Chang, Christian Post Reporter Monday, June 06, 2005

Representatives from the major faith communities will gather in Geneva, Switzerland this week for a “Critical Moment Conference” that will address the difficulties facing interreligious relations in the globalized world.

According to the World Council of Churches, the conference will take a “hard look” at the challenges of violence and prejudice which undermine dialogue between faith communities.

"Dialogue between faiths remains a high priority for the WCC, but now there is a need to move into a new phase, into a dialogue of life, society and ethics which all people struggle with,” said WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia.

The Geneva conference is organized by the WCC and will involve over 120 Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu and other religious leaders, academics, human rights activists, humanitarian workers, journalists, and people experienced in working across religious traditions.

Speakers at the event will include such prominent voices in interfaith dialogue as Swami Agnivesh, Dr Asghar Ali Engineer, Rabbi Ehud Bandel, Prof. Rita M. Gross, H.E. Seyyed Ali Abtahi, Prof. Tariq Ramadan, Rabbi Naamah Kelman, Mr Cemal Usak, Prof. Anant Rambachan, Dr Homi Dhalla, Ven. Lama Denys Teundroup, Dr Vinu Aram, Dr Wande Abimbola, Dr Heba Raouf Ezzat, Dr Nana Kobina Nketsia V, Mr Chaiwat Satha-Anand, and Rev. Valson Thampu.

The WCC, the world’s largest intra-Christian ecumenical body, has long been involved with ecumenical dialogues with other faith groups. However, according to Catholicos Aram I, moderator of the WCC central committee, there is a need to translate that dialogue into action.

"The question is no longer why do we need dialogue but rather how do we transform dialogue into peaceful coexistence; how do we translate dialogue into common action,” asked Aram I. "It is our hope that this conference will initiate a process aimed at deepening and enlarging the scope of interreligious reflection and collaboration."

The conference will last from June 7-9, 2005, and will produce a vision statement for future dialogue efforts.