wfn.org | WCC NEWS: Inter-religious dialogue a top concern for WCC

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World Council of Churches - News Release

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>For immediate release - 21/07/2008 16:25:35

INTER-RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE IS A TOP CONCERN FOR WCC AND ECUMENICAL
PATRIARCHATE 

Dialogue is "the best way for mutual understanding and
cooperation in human relations as well as in peaceful coexistence
among nations," said the final communiqué issued by the conveners
of the World Conference on Dialogue and broadly affirmed by the
conference which ended on Friday 18 July in Madrid, Spain.
"Dialogue is one of the essentials of life. It is also one of
the most important means of knowing each other, cooperation,
exchange of interests and realizing the truth, which contributes
to the happiness of humankind." The communiqué urges continuing
dialogue between religions, civilizations and cultures, calls
upon the UN General Assembly to support the recommendations of
this assembly, and looks forward to follow-up events.

Metropolitan Emmanuel (Adamakis) of France, speaking on behalf
of the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Ecumenical
Patriarchate, affirmed that inter-religious dialogue has been on
top of the pastoral concern and agenda of the Ecumenical
Patriarchate and of the WCC for a long time.

"Communities of faith can balance secular humanism and
nationalism with spiritual humanism and ecumenism", H.E. Emmanuel
said in a speech to the Madrid gathering which was convened by
King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz Al-Saud of Saudi Arabia in Madrid,
Spain. He continued, "Although we cannot deny our differences,
neither can we deny the need for alliance and teamwork to help
lead our world away from the bloody abyss of extreme nationalism
and intolerance." 
Opening the conference, on Wednesday, the Saudi king said, "We
must tell the world that differences don't need to lead to
disputes. The tragedies we have experienced throughout history
were not the fault of religion but because of the extremism that
has been adopted by some followers of all the religions, and of
all political systems." 
"This event is historic not only because it was convened by the
king or by Muslims, but because among the dialogue partners were
Hindus, Buddhists, and Sikhs traditionally not regarded as
religions by conservative Muslims," said Rev. Dr Shanta
Premawardhana, who is director of the WCC programme on
Inter-religious Dialogue and Cooperation and also attended the
conference. Among the many Christians present was Cardinal
Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for
Inter-religious Dialogue. The conference also was attended by
Jewish leaders.

"It is a good beginning and quite an achievement that this many
religious leaders responded to the king's invitation," said
Premawardhana. 

>Address of Metropolitan Emmanuel of France:
>http://www.oikoumene.org/?id=6119

WCC work on inter-religious dialogue and cooperation:
http://www.oikoumene.org/en/programmes/interreligiousdialogue.html

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

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith,
witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical
fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings
together 349 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches
representing more than 560 million Christians in over 110
countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic
Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, from
the Methodist Church in Kenya. Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.