wfn.org | WCC UPDATE: Interreligious conference opens: credible

["WCC Media" <Media@wcc-coe.org>]

World Council of Churches - Update
Contact: + 41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363 media@wcc-coe.org
For immediate release - 07/06/2005

INTERRELIGIOUS CONFERENCE OPENS WITH CALL FOR CREDIBLE DIALOGUE, COMMON
ACTION

Free photos available, see below

The need for religions to undertake a "critical and realistic self
assessment" while making "overcoming violence in all its forms" an "urgent
priority" was stressed by the World Council of Churches (WCC) central
committee moderator, Catholicos Aram I, speaking in Geneva today.

In a keynote speech opening the WCC-sponsored "Critical moment in
interreligious dialogue" conference being held at the Ecumenical Centre
from 7-9 June, Aram I emphasized that "more than at any other time there
is a great awareness of the need for a credible and relevant interreligious dialogue".

Dialogue alone is not enough though. Religious communities are called to
work together, to move towards common action. In the midst of the "moral
vacuum" of today's globalized world, this common action must be grounded
in common values. "Values, not interests, must be the guiding principles
of interreligious collaboration", Aram I said.

The programme of religions' common action starts by promoting tolerance
and building peace with justice. While recognizing that they have always
had their "own share in the emergence of the culture of violence," and
needing to deal with that, religions must firmly commit themselves "to
peace and non-violence," he emphasized.

The need for common action was also stressed by WCC general secretary Rev.
Dr Samuel Kobia in welcoming the 130 conference participants from ten
world religions.

After almost 35 years of involvement in dialogue, the Council has "come to
realize the interreligious truth of an old ecumenical principle: that
which we can do together we should not do separately," he said.

Kobia also emphasized that, as a consequence, "interreligious relations
and dialogue should no longer be at the margin of the WCC but at its
centre. It has become a core issue for us and this conference is one way
of saying it".

The full text of the speeches and free high resolution photos are
available on the conference website:
http://www.oikoumene.org/interreligious.html

This material may be reprinted freely.

Additional information: Juan Michel,+41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363
media@wcc-coe.org

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The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of churches, now 347, in
more than 120 countries in all continents from virtually all Christian
traditions. The Roman Catholic Church is not a member church but works
cooperatively with the WCC. The highest governing body is the assembly,
which meets approximately every seven years. The WCC was formally
inaugurated in 1948 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Its staff is headed by
general secretary Samuel Kobia from the Methodist church in Kenya.