wfn.org | UMNS# 04446-United Methodists should promote dialogue with

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United Methodists should promote dialogue with Muslims: Pickens 

Sep. 29, 2004	 News media contact:   Linda  Bloom * (646) 3693759*  New
York {04446}

NOTE: Photographs and related coverage, UMNS stories #444 and #445, are
available at http://umns.umc.org.

By Linda Bloom

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (UMNS) - Encouraging communication between Christians and
Muslims is an urgent task of the United Methodist Commission on Christian
Unity and Interreligious Concerns.

Speaking during the commission's Sept. 22-24 organizing meeting, the Rev.
Larry Pickens noted with alarm the portrayal by some of all Muslims as
enemies. The commission, he said, "must work to develop and support
communities and churches that are committed to establishing open channels of
communication between Christians and Muslims in order to foster learning,
community building and cooperation."

"In a post 9-11 world, I believe that United Methodists must play a
significant leadership role in promoting clarity and creating avenues through
which Christian-Muslim dialogue must happen. It is critical that as we affirm
our Judeo-Christian heritage we must also work hard to counter the impression
that is created by terrorists, that Jews and Christians are working together
to destroy Islam."

The commission's efforts will include
7	Building relationships with Christian communions currently engaged in
Christian-Muslim dialogue.
7	Developing resources and relationships through the National Council
of Churches.
7	Developing and expanding the pool of Arab and Islamic groups as
dialogue partners.
7	Offering models for dialogue for the denomination's annual and
central conferences.

Pickens said he hopes that resources developed for local churches will
provide "some guidance and thoughts as to how they might grapple with these
realities in their own settings."

*Bloom is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in New York.

News media contact: Linda Bloom, New York, (646) 369-3759 or
newsdesk@umcom.org.

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United Methodist News Service