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ORGANIZATIONS (108)
QUOTES (67)
Richard Chartres on Salvation in Relation to Humanity and Nature
November 3, 2009
Ban Ki-moon on Supporting a Comprehensive Climate Deal at Copenhagen
November 3, 2009
Ban Ki-moon on Partnerships to Protect the Environment
November 3, 2009
November 3, 2009
Ban Ki-moon on Supporting a Comprehensive Climate Deal at Copenhagen
November 3, 2009
Ban Ki-moon on Partnerships to Protect the Environment
November 3, 2009
PUBLICATIONS (62)
Anchorage Declaration
April 24, 2009
United Methodist Council of Bishops' Response to A Common Word Between Us and You
January 5, 2009
Baptist World Alliance Response to "A Common Word Between Us and You"
December 19, 2008
April 24, 2009
United Methodist Council of Bishops' Response to A Common Word Between Us and You
January 5, 2009
Baptist World Alliance Response to "A Common Word Between Us and You"
December 19, 2008
Interreligious Dialogue
Events (135)
Interfaith dialogue describes exchanges among religious practitioners and communities on matters of doctrine and issues of mutual concern in culture and politics. Explore the engagement of the world's religious traditions around theological questions and in their efforts to collaborate on questions of peace, human rights, and economic and social development.
The Community of Sant’Egidio held its annual “Prayer for Peace” in Munich, Germany, on September 11-13, 2011, focusing on the theme “Bound to Live Together: Religions and Culture in Dialogue" as it hosted religious leaders from around the world in the spirit of interreligious and intercultural exchange. Attendees included scholars and religious men and women from Catholic, Orthodox, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Shinto, and other traditions. Over the course of three days, thirty-five panels...
Held October 16-25, 2010, the Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization celebrated the centennial of the Edinburgh World Missionary Conference. The event drew 4,000 participants through a selection process designed to bring together a forum representative of the global evangelical church; virtual participation via the GlobalLink format and the multimedia Lausanne Global Conversation initiative expanded options for those unable to attend personally. The themes of the Congress were...
Georgetown University's Office of the President and Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, together with the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought, hosted "A Common Word Between Us and You: A Global Agenda for Change" at Georgetown University. This two-day conference focused on the importance of Muslim-Western cooperation on global issues and developed concrete proposals to achieve peace and understanding between these two communities. Unlike most...
The 4th Triennial Global Consultation on Creation Stewardship and Climate Change provided Micah Network members with the opportunity to expand their knowledge of environmental issues and develop effective responses based on biblical models of environmental stewardship. Participants developed two statements during the consultation: the "Micah Network Declaration on Creation Stewardship and Climate Change" and the "Micah Network Statement to World Leaders - Our Expectations for Copenhagen," for...
A Common Word Convention brought together Pakistani religious leaders from diverse religions and theological traditions, as well as lay leaders from law, medicine, academia, and elsewhere. The conference specifically focused on using the lessons of A Common Word Between You and Us to address the problem of terrorism. This event followed an earlier conference held in Islamabad in April 2009; it highlighted the A Common Word process and the implications of interreligious dialogue for Pakistan....
The Fourth Summit of Religious Leaders on the Occasion of the G8 brought together over 100 religious leaders to dialogue and draft a statement presenting an ethical and spiritual perspective on the upcoming G8 agenda. The event began with a visit to earthquake-stricken L'Aquila, where delegates were reminded that our common humanity means suffering anywhere is a problem everywhere; in a welcome ceremony they also dedicated a plaque as part of the effort to rebuild L'Aquila's cathedral. The...
On May 8-9, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI visited Jordan in an effort to foster good relations between the Vatican and the Muslim world, appealing to the common history of Christianity and Islam at the King Hussein Mosque in Amman. Pope Benedict was greeted by HM King Abdullah II and HRH Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad bin Talal and spoke with Muslim religious leaders, members of the Diplomatic Corps, and rectors of Jordanian universities. The Pope called for greater unity between Christians and Muslims...
Following earlier consultations in Chicago (November 2006) and Tripoli (January 2008), the Third Evangelical Christian-Muslim Consultation focused its discussion on A Common Word Between Us and You, the open letter by Muslim leaders that has already been widely discussed in other Christian circles. Participants also discussed the theology of worship, the experiences of religious minorities and those affected by terrorism, and media portrayal of the two faith traditions. The approximately 65...
The Rudolph C. Barnes Sr. Symposium 2009 brought together multidisciplinary scholars to discuss the theme "Theory and Application of A Common Word" and develop new approaches to major international challenges using A Common Word Between Us and You as a basis for discussion. Sessions on comparative theology, mysticism, and metaphysics addressed theoretical questions, including how to engage in dialogue that is more than polite conversation but does not ignore profound differences. Applied...
The Third World Congress of Imams and Rabbis for Peace convened around the theme "The Sacredness of Peace." During the Congress, working groups discussed topics like the place of women in Abrahamic dialogue and the importance of peace education. In closing, the 85 participants produced a "Declaration and Action Plan" outlining methods of encouraging peace and understanding between Jews and Muslims. The event was cosponsored by the Hommes de Parole Foundation and the United Nations...
Co-sponsored by the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization and the World Council of Churches, the symposium on "Religion and peaceful co-existence" continued an interfaith dialogue begun in 1995. The Christian participants included leaders from churches within Iran as well as WCC representatives from around the world; the Islamic delegation included religious scholars and leaders from both Tehran and Qom. Discussion on modes of co-existence extended to issues of conversion and religious...
This event was a book launch for Reformist Voices of Islam: Mediating Islam and Modernity (M.E. Sharpe, 2008) by Shireen Hunter. This book analyzes the views of today's key Muslim reformist thinkers on such issues as democracy, human rights, minority rights, and women. It also analyzes the reasons why reformists have so far failed to attract Muslim masses, and the internal and external factors which could help or hinder their future progress. At the book launch, which was hosted by the Prince...
The "International Inter-religious Conference Faith in Human Rights" brought together international religious leaders in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Sponsored by Justitia et Pax (Justice and Peace Netherlands) and Stek, with support from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the conference culminated in the public signing of the statement "Faith in Human Rights." Notable signatories included the Dalai Lama, Ecumenical Patriarch...
The Interfaith Climate Summit united approximately 1,000 religious leaders and scholars in an effort to highlight the importance of addressing climate change. In addition to Christian participants, there were representatives of Buddhism, Sikhism, Islam, Judaism, and Daoism; politicians such as Vice President of the European Commission Margot Wallstrom were also present. After two days of discussion on climate change and poverty, post-Kyoto commitments, and global responsibility for change,...
The 2008 International Prayer for Peace celebrated the theme "The Civilization of Peace: Faith and Cultures in Dialogue." The Cyprus location embodied both the challenges and hopes of interfaith dialogue, with a 40-member interfaith delegation making a symbolic crossing of the Green line barrier separating the Turkish and Greek parts of the island. Under the leadership of Archbishop Chrysostomos II of New Justiniana and All Cyprus, the Orthodox Archdiocese of Cyprus played a central role in...
The Global Christian Forum Consultation on 3-Year Programme brought together about 50 participants from around the world to develop a strategic plan for the Global Christian Forum's next three years. The final report of the proceedings highlighted continued commitment to an organizational focus on building relationships, rather than problem-solving. The Forum maintains a unique ability to bring together churches and organizations that might otherwise not engage in conversation, and this...
This summit centered on the theme "Love of God, Love of Neighbor" and marked the third major gathering to result from the publication of A Common Word Between Us and You. It was also the first event to be sponsored by the Catholic-Muslim Forum of the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. Sessions focused on "Theological and Spiritual Foundations" and "Human Dignity and Mutual Respect" in each faith. Each religious tradition was represented by 24 scholars and religious...
This International Ecumenical Symposium explored how commemoration of saints and martyrs can serve as a locus for ecumenical cooperation using the theme "A Cloud of Witnesses." Such witnesses to the faith often inspire Christians beyond sectarian boundaries and promote mutual understanding and reconciliation. The symposium included regional case studies and presentations on commemoration within different Christian traditions; in addition, participants observed the Feast of All Saints on...
The World Evangelical Alliance General Assembly 2008 brought together 500 evangelical leaders to discuss the state of world evangelization and outline evangelical responses to major international trends. In addition to proclaiming their support for the Micah Challenge and global initiatives to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, participants also pledged to expand evangelical engagement in peacebuilding and reconciliation programs. Other resolutions called for increased attention to the...
The conference "Christians and Muslims: European Citizens and People of Faith - From Suspicion to Trust" brought together 45 Christian and Muslim representatives as part of the European Year for Interreligious Dialogue. Participants examined how religious pluralism, migration, and the philosophical neutrality of the democratic state influence relationships between people of faith. The final statement affirmed individuals' right to openly practice their faith, as well as the value of dialogue...
The seventh annual Abraham Conference, organized by the Australian Intercultural Society, brought together Australians from the three Abrahamic faiths to engage in dialogue aimed at recognizing injustice and encouraging reconciliation. Speakers focused on the process of reconciliation with the Aboriginal people of Australia and analyzed the perspectives of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism on achieving that reconciliation. The main speaker was Pat Dobson, the chairman of the Lingiari...
This ecumenical consultation on a theological understanding of dialogue with Islam expands a process prompted by the release of A Common Word Between Us and You. The consultation was broadly sponsored, with the World Council of Churches, Conference of Secretaries of Christian World Communions, and World Evangelical Alliance providing core support. Presenters explored Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Reformed, Anglican and Evangelical perspectives on Islam, and participants agreed that...
In celebration of the first anniversary of A Common Word Between Us and You, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, along with the Cambridge Inter-Faith Programme and the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought, hosted a three-day Conference on "A Common Word and Future Muslim-Christian Engagement" at the University of Cambridge and Lambeth Palace. The event brought together international religious leaders, including the most significant gathering of Muslim religious leaders in...
Sponsored by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, this Synaxis (religious assembly) of the Heads of the Eastern Orthodox Churches brought together Orthodox leaders to renew their commitment to fraternal cooperation and Christian witness. In their final statement, participants acknowledged the negative impact of national, ethnic, and ideological divides on both the church and humanity, as well as their disastrous consequences for the environment. The statement extended a similar condemnation to greedy...
The Ecumenical Conference on Human Trafficking educated participants about child slavery and other forms of trafficking and helped them brainstorm new approaches to combating the practice. Presenters discussed challenges such as misinformation among law enforcement officers and the complicity of other authority figures, such as doctors and translators; others showcased the stories of survivors and examples of grassroots anti-trafficking initiatives. The event was cosponsored by the National...
At the Religions for Peace Consultation at the High-level Event on the Millennium Development Goals, world religious leaders reiterated their support for global anti-poverty efforts. Religions for Peace Secretary General Dr. William F. Vendley challenged governments to build cooperative relationships with faith-based partners as they work to reach the Millennium Development Goals. In their final statement, religious leaders highlighted remaining challenges such as rising food prices,...
Held as part of the Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum, the WCC Conference on "The Promised Land" brought 85 theologians together to discuss diverse Christian perspectives on the land of Israel/Palestine. Many of the participants came from the Middle East, with important input from Palestinian Christians, and sessions often incorporated discussion on the role of biblical interpretation in formulating theological perspectives on the land. In their final statement, delegates pledged to continue...
At the Consultation on Revitalizing the Ecumenical Movement in Asia, Christian leaders met to find new ways of making ecumenical work relevant to changing social realities. In their final communique, participants identified challenges both in the broader social milieu and within the ecumenical movement, including economic turmoil and uninspiring ecumenical leadership. In response, leaders pledged to continue supporting social justice and human rights initiatives, including peace and...
The 2008 Ecumenical Pre-Conference took the 2006 pre-conference theme - Faith in Action - to inspire renewed effort towards the goal of the main International AIDS Conference: Universal Action Now. With an emphasis on networking and better cooperation, Pre-Conference participants can take advantage of eight workshop streams: theology in action; greater involvement of people living with HIV; advocacy and collaboration with key players; accessing resources; care and support; prevention; gender...
The Walk of Witness brought together the global members of the Anglican Communion and interfaith representatives from the United Kingdom in a demonstration that highlighted the persistent problem of global poverty. In the closing rally, Archbishop Rowan Williams offered UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown an open letter outlining faith communities' commitment to eradicating poverty and challenging world leaders to address poverty and inequality. Brown also spoke in support of the Millennium...
A Common Word Between Us and You first began bearing fruit with this dialogue on "Loving God and Neighbor in Word and Deed: Implications for Christians and Muslims," organized by Yale Divinity School and the Yale Center for Faith & Culture in coordination with the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought. Yale Professor Miroslav Volf and HRH Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad bin Talal of Jordan co-hosted the event. The workshop segment of the event, attended by 60 Christian and Muslim scholars...
Sponsored by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and organized by Mohammed al-Turki and the Muslim World League, the Madrid Interfaith Dialogue Conference focused on the foundations and importance of dialogue and the need for peaceful cooperation. Approximately 200 delegates representing Christianity, Judaism, Sunni and Shi'a Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and other religious traditions attended; participants also included academics and policy makers. The declaration issued at the end of the conference...
On July 15, 2008, the World Conference of Religions for Peace created a new council dedicated to promoting peace in the Middle East and North Africa. The council is co-chaired by His Beatitude Michel Sabbah, former Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, and Dr. Mohammad al Sammak, Secretary-General of the Christian-Muslim Committee for Dialogue. More than 20 religious leaders from around the region comprise the council, which will focus on establishing "principles for true dialogue" and will emphasize...
Held before the annual Group of 8 Summit, the G8 Religious Leaders Summit 2008 brought together international religious leaders for worship and discussion on critical world issues under the theme "Living with the Earth: Messages from World Religions." The Summit's Japanese hosts encouraged participants to reflect on humankind's connection to the environment in light of recent economic crises and develop new modes of consensus that can influence world policy. Participants split their time...
The 2008 International Council of Christians and Jews Conference took place in Jerusalem from June 22 to 25. The Conference was titled "The Contribution of Jewish-Christian-Muslim Dialogue to Peace-Building in the Middle East" and included study tours on the topics of "Listening to the Other's Religio-Historical Narrative" and "Spirituality and the Holy Land of Israel." The Interreligious Coordinating Council in Israel hosted the event, and organized a program of tours of Israeli and...
Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams hosted a meeting of international religious leaders, organized by Religions for Peace, to discuss their role in combating poverty and meeting the Millennium Development Goals. Participants represented a wide range of religions and geographic regions within the Religions for Peace network. Discussion focused on the organization's anti-poverty initiatives, including legal empowerment of the poor and support for the Women, Faith and Development Alliance,...
The Fourth Congress of the World Conference of Associations of Theological Institutions brought together theologians from across the globe to discuss the theme "Theological Education: A Radical Reappraisal." Presenters considered the influence of globalization and religious pluralism on theological education, with a special focus on institutions in the Global South. Participants agreed to increase their ecumenical theological efforts, noting that expanding access to quality theological...
Cosponsored by Fondazione Opera Campana dei Caduti (The Campana Foundation) of Rovereto, Italy, and the European Council of Religious Leaders (ECRL), part of Religions for Peace in Europe, the European Inter-Religious Encounter 2008 convened over 250 religious leaders, politicians, and grassroots activists for a four-day forum addressing interreligious life in Europe under the theme "Shared Values for a Changing Europe." Participants addressed economic disparity, community cohesion, and...
As part of the Smithsonian Institution's Resident Associate Program, Anthony Tambasco, professor of theology at Georgetown University, analyzed the impact that King David has had on both Judaism and Christianity, stressing that David's role in Israelite history and the biblical narrative is integral to understanding the development of both faiths. Professor Tambasco looked at the impact of David through both Biblical narratives and historical information to understand the greater implications...
Organized by the Canadian Christian Relief and Development Association, this two-day conference focused on helping Canadian faith-based organizations examine the intersection of faith and development and use their knowledge to improve their outreach and service provision. Speeches from Georgetown University professor and former World Bank official Katherine Marshall and Dr. Ray Vander Zaag of Canadian Mennonite University kicked off the conference. The first panel discussion that followed...
In a conference officially establishing the Religions for Peace Inter-religious Council (IRC)-Sri Lanka, international religious leaders met with their Sri Lankan counterparts to promote religious reconciliation as an element of the ongoing peace process. IRC-Sri Lanka includes Buddhist, Hindu, Christian, and Muslim members from across the country and political spectrum. The organization aims to use religious principles to promote interfaith cooperation and condemn extremism.The conference...
Traveling as the Religions for Peace Inter-religious Council-Thailand to foster reconciliation and peace, Asian religious leaders visited southern Thailand as part of an effort to promote peace and reconciliation. The visit included discussions with Thai political leaders, government officials, and local religious leaders. Delegation participants represented Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam, including members of the World Fellowship of Buddhists, the Christian Conference of Asia, and...
Sponsored by Religions for Peace in conjunction with regional Christian and Buddhist organizations, this conference focused on bringing together women of diverse religious traditions to discuss ways their faith can contribute to peace in society. Organizers hoped that participants would also leave better able to cooperate with outside organizations (such as the UN or national governments) on relevant issues. The conference's most notable accomplishment was the launch of the Pan Asian Women of...
Bangladesh's first Christian-Muslim dialogue event took place on April 18, 2008 under the leadership of the Department of World Religions at Dhaka University and the Episcopal Commission for Inter-religious Dialogue. The conference brought 35 Muslims and 35 Christians together to discuss the open letter from prominent Muslims to Christians, A Common Word Between Us and You, published in October 2007. Muslim-majority Bangladesh has had little official dialogue with its Christian minority,...
Held at the Washington National Cathedral, "Breakthrough: Women, Faith and Development Summit to End Global Poverty" marked the kickoff of the Women, Faith and Development Alliance's (WFDA) multi-year action and advocacy initiative to promote female empowerment across the world. The event brought together leaders from governments, NGOs, donors and advocacy groups, and worked with the Washington National Cathedral's Center for Global Justice and Reconciliation so as to have the widest possible...
Georgetown University and the World Economic Forum (WEF) jointly hosted a roundtable on Capitol Hill on April 4, 2008, on the topic "Islam and American Politics: Deepening the Dialogue." Participants discussed issues raised in the inaugural publication of Islam and the West: Annual Report on the State of Dialogue, a publication of the Berkley Center in conjunction with the WEF. Topics included the impact of Muslim Americans on US society and politics in general, the role of Islam in the 2008...
The Forum for Unity initiated a new effort to improve ecumenical dialogue in Latin America, drawing support from the work of the Global Christian Forum. In the pastoral letter released at the end of the meeting, participants emphasized that changing realities demand a fresh approach to the quest for Christian unity in diversity; unnecessary divisions only hinder the church's ability to fulfill its mission. Similarly, the letter notes the changing structure of interchurch relations and a...
The third Culture of Dialogue Conference took place on March 27, 2008, and was organized by the Interfaith Encounter Association (IEA) in coordination with Al-Qasemi Academy and other sponsors. The conference theme was "Acting Towards and Developing Partnership, Pluralism, and Accepting the Different." Keynote speakers included Mohamed Isawi, Amal Jamal, Head of the Political Science Department at Tel Aviv University, and stand-up comedian Norman Issa. The conference took place in Baqa...
More than thirty leaders from politics, business, and religious organizations met in London for a symposium jointly organized by the World Economic Forum (WEF) and Georgetown University to discuss the topic "Muslim Communities in Europe." The roundtable discussed issues raised in the inaugural publication of Islam and the West: Annual Report on the State of Dialogue, a publication of the Berkley Center in conjunction with the WEF. Participants discussed the prospects and limitations of...
The March 2008 conference on "The Future of Christian-Muslim Relations: Where do we go from here?" brought together Christian-Muslim and interreligious dialogue experts for discussion as part of the ongoing conversation sparked by A Common Word Between Us and You, in which Muslim leaders sought to begin dialogue with Christians based on a common love of God and one's neighbor. In the keynote address, Peter C. Phan addressed the challenge of reading religious texts interreligiously, followed...
The Institut d'Etudes Islamo-Chrétiennes (Institute of Islamic-Christian Studies), a Beirut-based think tank at the Université Saint-Joseph, hosted an event on March 7, 2008 called "Voices of Peace in Lebanon" as part of its series on Islamic-Christian interaction and cooperation. Pamela Chrabieh Badine led the seminar, which examined the contributions of Lebanese aged 25-40 years in national reconstruction. The event was organized in collaboration with Dar el-Machreq publishing and La...
Sponsored by Religions for Peace in cooperation with the Commission on Legal Empowerment of the Poor, a consultation on the theme "The Role of Religions in Advancing Legal Empowerment of the Poor" brought together global religious leaders to discuss new ways of partnering to assist those in poverty. The event particularly focused on identifying areas of moral and ethical consensus that could inspire religious engagement in support of legal empowerment of the poor. In their official statement,...
The Third International Conference on Coexistence and Peacemaking, hosted by the Jordanian Interfaith Coexistence Research Center (JICRC), brought together Middle Eastern religious leaders to reject violence and find ways of living together. Participants spent the first day studying the Christian peacemaking tradition, and on the second day the focus switched to the Muslim perspective on peacemaking. The last day's sessions explored concrete examples of peacemaking projects and techniques. In...
In January 2008, Trinity Institute's 38th Annual Theological Conference was themed "Religion and Violence: Untangling the Roots of Conflict." The panel featured theologians from the Abrahamic faiths, including Roman Catholic priest James Carroll, Muslim thinker Tariq Ramadan, Episcopal Church Primate Katharine Jefferts Schori, black liberation theologist James Cone, and Jewish scholar Susannah Heschel. In addition to the keynote speeches, the Conference allowed attendees of all religious...
At the Second Evangelical Christian-Muslim Dialogue, participants engaged the theme "Human Nature and the Divine Presence." Sessions covered theological topics such as sin, salvation, and atonement, while others focused on human rights and religious freedom; civic responsibility and racial justice were also discussion topics. Participants especially emphasized the need to continue expanding the dialogue to additional participants and endorsed A Common Word Between Us and You as an exemplar of...
From December 11-14, 2007, the World Council of Religions for Peace hosted an interfaith peace summit in Jaffna, Sri Lanka. Attending the summit were a variety of national and international leaders, including Buddhist, Hindu, Christian and Muslim leaders from Sri Lanka. Leaders held the meeting in the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)-controlled northern part of the country after a similar meeting in Colombo in June. In their final statement, religious leaders asked combatants to ensure...
This conference, entitled "Sacralist Challenges to the Sovereign State," examined how the Enlightenment insistence on rationality has impacted the modern state system. The secular state cannot ignore the fact that significant portions of humanity still recognize the influence of the sacral on world events, but the appropriate form for this relationship is still unclear. This conference especially focused on the roles Christianity and Islam play in shaping the discourse between the sacral and...
Sponsored by Religions for Peace, the Faith-Based Organization Forum on Multi-religious Cooperation for Humanitarian Relief, Development and Peace brought together representatives from numerous international FBOs to discuss possible areas of collaboration. Though the group reached no formal agreements, participants did informally generate goals for future forums; these included sharing case studies to develop best practices, promoting joint advocacy initiatives, and finding other areas for...
The Prince Alwaleed Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding sponsored an exhibition of 30 portraits by celebrated photojournalist Peter Sanders on October 25, 2007, at Georgetown University. The gallery exhibition was brought to a close with a speech by Shahid Malik, Minister for International Development of the United Kingdom. Malik focused on the possibility for Muslim-Christian cooperation and referenced the vivid images of interfaith living in the work of Peter Sanders.
At the 2007 International Encounter for Peace in Naples, Italy, the Community of Sant'Egidio augmented its respected annual "Prayer for Peace" gathering with sessions on interreligious dialogue and cultural exchange oriented around the theme "For a World without Violence: Religions and Cultures in Dialogue." Pope Benedict XVI opened the event by welcoming the participants and presiding over a Eucharistic celebration, breaking the papal tradition of only sending a written message to the annual...
The International Interreligious Encounter, held during the 2007 Universal Forum of Cultures in Monterrey, Mexico, used a variety of events to explore religious perspectives on major international issues such as bioethics, violence, diversity, and religion in society. In addition to a series of discussions, lectures, and workshops, the conference also included religious observances and sacred music performances. During the last two days, a Gathering of Experts discussed the state of the...
The Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding sponsored a lecture by His Excellency Dr. Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu, the Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), on September 21, 2007 at Georgetown University. Secretary General İhsanoğlu focused on the role of media in Muslim-Western relations in shaping public opinion and influencing decision-making processes. He spoke to an audience of Washington, DC's diplomatic corps, members of the media,...
The Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue for Peace and Sustainable Development brought together scholars, civil society representatives, and other stakeholders from various religious and cultural traditions to discuss the current state of dialogue and identify ways it can promote peace and cooperative action. Participants focused on issues such as the role of youth and the value of cultural and religious diversity. The conference also included an open session of the UNESCO Chairs...
The Third European Ecumenical Assembly focused on the theme "The light of Christ shines upon all: Hope for renewal and unity in Europe." Delegates first focused on unity, spirituality, and witness within the church. Subsequent sessions then moved on to consider religion and migration in Europe, as well as global questions of justice and peace. In their final message, participants pledged to include doctrine, moral values, and spirituality in future dialogue efforts; they also encouraged...
The theme of the Sixth International Abraham Conference hosted by the Australian Intercultural Society was "Shaping a Nation's Values: The Abrahamic Contribution." Hosted by Melbourne University in August 2007, the conference explored the contemporary debate over how to define core values in a modern, pluralistic society, a dilemma highlighted by various incidents of ethnic tension in Australian society. Opening remarks were made by the Governor of Victoria and speakers included prominent...
The second event sponsored by the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and the Office on Interreligious Relations and Dialogue of the World Council of Churches as part of the "Interreligious reflection on conversion: from controversy to a shared code of conduct" project, the theological consultation "Towards an Ethical Approach to Conversion: Christian Witness in a Multi-religious World" saw a diverse group of Christian leaders identify key issues that should be addressed in a...
Oxford-based Globalization for the Common Good hosted its 2007 annual conference on interfaith perspectives on globalization in Istanbul entitled "A Non-violent Path to Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding." Speakers and attendees from around the world came together to discuss religions role in conflict resolution in this increasingly globalized world. The first day's sessions speculated on the possibility of a Global Marshall Plan, while later presentations explored Islamic teachings that...
The Institute for Pastors and Pastoral Workers on Islam and Muslim-Christian Relations 2007 was a five-day conference dedicated to helping pastoral workers improve their knowledge of Islam in the hope that that knowledge would inform and improve their regular ministerial work. Participants came from across the United States. The event was jointly sponsored by Georgetown University, the Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University, and the...
The Interfaith Academies for Religious Leaders offered intensive training for religious leaders interested in engaging other religious traditions. Parallel sessions targeted emerging leaders and working professionals, with scholarships available for students. Participants visited worship centers, attended lectures and movie screenings, and engaged in common times of religious observance. Other sessions incorporated textual study and discussion. The Academies were jointly sponsored by the...
The Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University sponsored a lecture by Professor Zongbao Ma, a member of the Hui ethnic minority of China, on April 26, 2007. The lecture focused on the societies and cultures of Chinese-speaking Muslims and on Muslim-Chinese relations in the 1990s. Professor Zongbao Ma earned his BA in Ethnology from the Central University of Nationalities and his PhD in Ethnology from Lanzhou University. His research centers on...
The Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding sponsored an open conversation with award-winning poet Naomi Shihab Nye on April 21, 2007. The disucssion involved a sharing of poetry, screenplays, and stories between Nye and the audience. The event was a part of the Children of Abraham Festival. Naomi Shihab Nye is a widely-traveled Palestinian-American poet whose work reflects the shared humanity of people around the world. In addition to poetry, Shihab Nye is a...
The Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding sponsored a performance by Simon Shaheen, master 'oud and violin musician, on April 20, 2007. With his band Qantara, Shaheen performed music that fused Arab, jazz, and Latin American influences into a musical blend of cultures. The performance was a part of the Children of Abraham Festival, Georgetown University's first annual festival of interfaith arts, established to promote interfaith understanding and interaction...
An afternoon of sacred A Capella music was included in Georgetown University's Children of Abraham Festival of interfaith arts. The event featured Georgetown University's Concert Choir, GU Chamber Singers, Harmony, and The Chimes, who performed selections from Bach's Jesu, meine Freude, Giovanni Nanino's Diffusa est Gratia, and William Byrd's Ave Verum Corpus, among others. The Children of Abraham Festival was jointly sponsored by the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs,...
Soprano Jennifer Ellis and harpsichordist Mark Janello performed a selection of music by Barbara Strozzi and Claudio Monteverdi as part of Georgetown University's Children of Abraham Festival of interfaith arts. Both Ellis and Janello are musicians praised for their freshness, talent, ingenuity, and creativity. Ellis and Janello provided entertainment and intellectualism in their performances of 17th Century music from the Christian tradition, which flourished during the Italian renaissance....
The Opening Ceremony of the Children of Abraham Interfaith Arts Festival featured welcoming remarks from Georgetown University President Jack DeGioia and Dean Jane McAullife. The Opening Ceremony kicked off the festival on April 17, 2007, with performances by Georgetown University Concert choir member Michael Maliakel ('10) and the cast of the 2006 Theater Program production, The Gospel at Colonus. The Children of Abraham Festival was jointly sponsored by the Berkley Center for Religion,...
A performance by the internationally renowned dance troupe, the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange, was featured as part of Georgetown University's Children of Abraham Festival of interfaith arts. The dance company performed their new piece "613 Radical Acts of Prayer," a piece that addresses faith through dance. Following the performance, Liz Lerman and other company members gave a keynote address based upon the content of their new work. The Children of Abraham Festival was jointly sponsored by the...
The fourth meeting of the European Council of Religious Leaders - Religions for Peace convened to discuss the theme "Muslims in Britain," using that as a starting point for broader discussions on religion's role in society and the challenges of religious diversity. The meeting had special importance in light of the July 7, 2005, terrorist attacks on the London underground. In their final statement, participants denounced terrorism, expressed their support for religious education, and...
At the Christian-Muslim Religious Leaders' Dialogue on Peacebuilding in the Horn of Africa, African religious leaders came together to discuss the deteriorating situation in Somalia and find ways to promote peace in the region. In their final statement, participants condemned the deplorable humanitarian situation and noted the role of media and religious and traditional leaders in promoting a peaceful society; they also expressed support for disarmament and reconciliation initiatives and...
Vice President of the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) David Smock moderated a discussion on the lack of communication between Jewish, Muslim, and Christian groups in the Middle East, as well as the problems of internal rivalries within each religion. The panel discussion focused on efforts being taken to address these tensions through interfaith dialogue. Speakers included Rend Rahim Francke, USIP Senior Fellow and executive director of the Iraq Foundation; Samuel Rizk, George Mason...
The Global Peace Initiative of Women (GPIW) convened religious leaders from the Middle East and Asia to engage each other in the theme "A Re-commitment to Spirituality: Building Mutual Understanding and Peace." His Holiness Aram I, the Catholicos of the Armenian Orthodox Church, co-hosted the three-day conference in Beirut. There, Sunni, Shiite, and Christian sects of Lebanon briefed Christian, Hindu, Muslim and Buddhist guests on the current state of the country. In addition, participants...
The Global Peace Initiative of Women (GPIW) led an interfaith mission representing Hinduism and the Abrahamic faiths from the United States to Damascus, the first ever religious delegation of women to travel to Syria. During the three-day meeting, the mission met with religious and political leaders in Syria and engaged in direct dialogue about the importance of interfaith peace and the need for regional stability. Given the success of the mission, GPIW made plans to send a second delegation...
Priscilla Warner, Suzanne Oliver, and Georgetown University alumna Ranya Idliby visited Georgetown University for a discussion about their book, The Faith Club: A Muslim, A Christian, A Jew -- Three Women Search for Understanding (Free Press, 2006). The three authors discussed the importance of their book in its advocacy of interreligious understanding. The three women, three mothers from three different faiths, represented the Muslim, Christian, and Jewish traditions. In their book, they...
Hosted by the Global Peace Initiative of Women and Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade, the World Summit on Islamic/Christian Dialogue in Dakar coincided with the 2006 meeting of the Organization of the Islamic Conference. The purpose of the summit was to ease tensions between Muslims and Christians and improve interfaith dialogue and understanding. Participants met to discuss issues critical to their religious tradition, then engaged with political leaders about the potential role of...
The Second Congress of World and Traditional Religions took place in Astana, Kazakhstan, from September 12 to 13, 2006. The Congress was hosted by Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev and produced a declaration in support of interreligious dialogue and peace. 25 religious leaders and 14 honored guests from government and international organizations around the world participated in the Congress; participants hailed from over 20 countries. The Declaration issued at the end of the Congress...
The Micah Network global consultation on "Integral Mission in a World of Conflict" combined training seminars and workshops with case studies and times of personal sharing to help the 330 participants from Christian development, relief, and advocacy organizations better address the challenges of working in violent conflict environments. Other sessions focused on specific sectors such as HIV/AIDS, community-based development, and government-business partnerships. The keynote addresses explored...
Former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami gave a speech at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, DC, on September 7, 2006. The speech, which comprised part of a larger tour of the United States, spoke of possibilities for the future of West-Islam relations without compromising his critique of modernism. Khatami dismissed Orientalism and called for true and open dialogue across the East and West. Full text of the speech is available from the Washington National Cathedral. The event...
Religions for Peace held the "Eighth World Assembly of Religions for Peace" in Kyoto in August 2006. Over 800 delegates representing Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, Shinto, Zoroastrian and Indigenous traditions participated in four days of meetings, discussing topics such as women's and youth empowerment, global poverty, religious violence, and tensions in Sudan, Iraq and Sri Lanka. Notable speakers included Mohammed Khatami, Kofi Annan, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem...
Together with the All Africa Conference of Churches, the Church World Service (CWS) organized this conference to "engage the voices" of US and African faith communities on nine critical issues that challenge the African continent: the needs of children, solutions for displaced people, HIV/AIDS, hunger and food security, malaria, peace and reconciliation, the status of women, economic development, and access to water. The African delegation was comprised of Christians, Muslims, Hindus, and...
Held in Moscow, the 2006 World Summit of Religious Leaders sought to recognize the critical importance of interreligious cooperation and reconciliation to peaceful coexistence in regions and nations vulnerable to extremism. Host Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow invited over 200 leaders of the Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant, Islamic, Buddhist, Hindu, Sikh, Shinto, and Jewish traditions, and the summit served to open dialogue between world religions, such as Islam and Orthodox Christianity in...
The Institute for Pastors and Pastoral Workers on Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations 2006 was a coordinated effort of the Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown and the Duncan Black McDonald Center for the Study of Islam and Muslim-Christian Relations at Hartford Seminary. Financially supported by the Henry Luce Foundation, the Institute provided a week of tuition-free education for Christian pastors and pastoral workers about Islam and...
Sponsored by the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and the Office on Interreligious Relations and Dialogue of the World Council of Churches as part of the "Interreligious reflection on conversion: from controversy to a shared code of conduct," the conference on "Conversion: Assessing the Reality" brought together representatives of Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Islamic, Jewish, and Yoruba religious traditions to discuss the theological, historical, and contemporary aspects of...
In April 2006, Georgetown University hosted the International Prayer for Peace in Washington, DC. The first International Prayer for Peace on American soil brought together some 2,000 participants from such faith traditions as Islam, Judaism, Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Shintoism to engage in interreligious dialogue and share their faith perspectives on crucial global issues including violent conflict, human rights, and development. The Washington meeting was also unique in...
The "Fifth Building Bridges Seminar: Justice and Rights" was held at Georgetown University in March 2006. Following the focus on the relationship between religion, politics and society at Sarajevo in May 2005, this event explored the theme of justice and rights. The seminar followed a sequence from "Scriptural Foundations" through "Evolving Traditions" to "The Modern World." In addition to scriptural passages, participants discussed classical writings by thinkers such as Augustine and...
The Swiss organization Hommes de Parole held the Second World Congress of Imams and Rabbis for Peace in Seville, Spain. Continuing the theme of Jewish-Muslim dialogue established at the first Congress in Brussels, this meeting featured a stronger Palestinian delegation, which led to heightened awareness of the Israel-Palestine conflict throughout the sessions. The second Congress concluded with plans of action to increase interfaith education efforts, review the use of religious texts and...
In response to the Mohammed cartoon publication in the Netherlands and the blasting of two holy shrines in Sammarra, Iraq, the Organization of Islamic Culture and Relations of Iran and The World Forum for Proximity Islamic Schools of Thought hosted a conference entitled "Constructive Cooperation among Divine Religions: A Framework for International Order." Held in Isfahan, Iran, in March 2006, over fifty Muslim, Jewish, Christian and Zoroastrian leaders and scholars discussed topics such as...
The Ninth Assembly of the World Council of Churches brought 691 delegates together for discussion and worship on the theme "God, in your grace, transform the world." Plenary sessions addressed topics such as economic justice, religious plurality, and Christian unity, while other elements of the assembly fostered discussion on ecumenism in the 21st century and the future of the WCC, Orthodox participation in the WCC, and the challenges and opportunities of interreligious dialogue. The Ninth...
The Pre-International Conference on AIDS and STDs in Africa was hosted by the Pan-African Christian AIDS Network and the Catholic Church of Nigeria in December 2005 to discuss the need to build partnerships within the religious community for improving the standards of organizations fighting deadly STDs. Katherine Marshall offered the plenary session presentation on "Working Together to Confront the HIV/AIDS Crisis: New Partnerships in Variable Geometries." Topics of discussion focused on the...
The Clingendael Security and Conflict Programme of the Netherlands Institute of International Relations Clingendael joined the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs in hosting a 2005 conference on "Faith-Based Peace-Building" that looked at key Muslim and Christian organizations in that field. During the conference, they presented their findings on Muslim, Christian, and multi-faith peace-building organizations to the Netherlands Minister for Development Cooperation, Agnes van Ardenne....
On November 14-16, 2005, the Austrian government invited high ranking religious and political leaders to a conference in Vienna on "Islam in a Pluralistic World." Participants included Cardinal Christoph Schonborn, Archbishop of Vienna; Mohammad Khatami, former President of Iran; Jalal Talabani, President of Iraq; Hamid Karzai, President of Afghanistan; Ahmed Taoufiq, Morocco's Minister for Religion; and the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I. Also, Rabbi Arthur Schneier, founder of Appeal to...
Co-sponsored by the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Appeal of Conscience Foundation, the "Conference on Peace and Tolerance II: Dialogue and Understanding in Southeast Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia" convened representatives of the Abrahamic faiths to Istanbul. The conference called for an end to terrorism, applauded progress on peace in the former Yugoslavia, and appealed for increased efforts for interfaith understanding in the region. The conference was part of the Appeal of...
Hosted by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, this one-day conference welcomed multidisciplinary participants to a discussion on the role of faith in coping with the impact of HIV/AIDS on East African life and society. Most of the presented papers focused on Christianity, though research on Muslims in Tanzania also received attention. Presenters discussed religious explanations for AIDS that often compete with or contradict biomedical explanations. Increasingly dogmatic...
The 2005 International Prayer for Peace met in Lyon, France, and continued along the path set by the previous year's emphasis on developing a "New Spiritual Humanism" by focusing on the theme "Religions and Cultures: The Courage to Forge a Spiritual Humanism of Peace." The Lyon meeting paid homage to the late Pope John Paul II, who began the Prayer for Peace with his gathering in Assisi in 1986, and marked the first Prayer for Peace under the papacy of Pope Benedict XVI, who addressed...
The "Critical moment in interreligious dialogue" conference brought over 130 world religious leaders together to find ways to transform dialogue into meaningful common action. Participants expressed their renewed commitment to education initiatives and cultural exchanges that can help build bridges of dialogue and create a more peaceful world. Speakers emphasized the importance of humility when engaging the other and noted the need for national and regional level action plans. The conference...
The Thirteenth Conference on World Mission and Evangelism invited 500 participants to discuss the theme "Come, Holy Spirit, heal and reconcile: Called in Christ to be reconciling and healing communities." Held in Athens, the conference was the first world mission conference held in an Orthodox-majority country, and it was also the first conference in which Roman Catholic delegates participated as full members, rather than observers. Discussion themes included the need for interdisciplinary...
In April of 2005, the Church World Service (CWS) Middle East Forum hosted a delegation of eight Arab Christian and Muslim leaders from the Arab Group for Muslim-Christian Dialogue (AGMCD) whose goal was to debate and change popular notions of a "clash of civilizations" between Western and Islamic societies. The delegates, six men and two women from Egypt, Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria, held dialogues and gave presentations in Chicago, Charlotte, New York, and Washington. Led by the Rev. Dr....
To culminate a series of meetings between British Imams and Rabbis on interfaith dialogue that began in summer 2004, Alif Aleph UK convened 100 imams, rabbis, and Jewish and Muslim educators and community leaders to London in March 2005. The one-day event brought Jews and Muslims together for the purposes of learning and understanding. Seeking to diminish the "fear of the other" mentality, which causes tension between Muslim and Jewish communities, the conference aimed to create a platform...
The Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Ethics, a center affiliated with the Malibu Jewish Center and Synagogue, sponsored the Los Angeles Jewish-Muslim Dialogue on Human Rights in 2005. Taking place via email, Muslim and Jewish participants drafted a total of 76 messages, which were subject to peer editing. The event concluded with a physical meeting of 20 participants and others held at the Islamic Center in Los Angeles. The emails covered a wide range of issues and sought to find the common...
The Fifth Annual Islam in America conference convened theologians, historians, and other religious scholars to discuss the theme "Engaging America," chosen in the wake of the 2004 presidential election. Sponsored by Shura Islamic Forum, the Muslim students group at Harvard Divinity School, the conference featured speakers from Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Conference participants addressed historical and theological conceptions of the religious "other," a topic that arose out of Muslim...
In January of 2005, the Swiss organization Hommes de Parole along with the Elijah Interfaith Institute organized the first "World Congress of Imams and Rabbis for Peace." Over 150 rabbis and imams met in Brussels, Belgium to promote interfaith dialogue in the service of peace. The Congress denounced violence and discussed peaceful alternatives to global conflict. The meeting produced a declaration calling for Muslim and Jewish spiritual leaders to dedicate portions of their sermons to...
The 2004 Forum for World Evangelization united 1500 Christian leaders in the culmination of a months-long study process designed to systematically identify and address major issues within the field of evangelization. A global survey of Christian leaders had previously identified 31 key "roadblocks to evangelism," and these issues - as diverse as globalization, non-traditional families, bioethics, and diaspora communities - served as the basis for research and discussion issue groups. Using...
The 2004 International Prayer for Peace took place in Milan, Italy, and marked the eighteenth year of the event organized by the Catholic lay organization Community of Sant'Egidio. The theme of the Milan meeting was "Religions and Cultures: The Courage to Forge a New Spiritual Humanism." Religious leaders from an array of different faith traditions spoke on current topics such as Islam in Europe, globalization and inequality, and immigration. The overarching subject of the majority of panels...
For the 2004 Parliament of the World's Religions, held in Barcelona, Spain, nearly 9,000 religious leaders from 74 countries and nearly all religious backgrounds met to discuss the issues of religiously-motivated violence, access to water, refugees and internally displaced persons, and debt relief for developing countries. The Barcelona Parliament offered over 450 programs along one of three tracks: intra-religious, interreligious, and engagement. Programs included "Struggle for the Soul of...
The Community of Sant'Egidio's 2003 International Prayer for Peace was held in Aachen, Germany, under the theme of "War and Peace: Faiths and Cultures in Dialogue." This gathering of the Prayer for Peace was larger than any previous gathering, with more than 500 religious representatives taking part in the events and thousands of people attending the forums. The site of the meeting in Aachen, in the heart of Europe, went hand in hand with the Eurocentric topics of many of the panels, which...
The Micah Network consultation on "Globalization and the Poor" emphasized the increasing impact of globalization on the poor and the responsibility of Christians to advocate on their behalf. In addition to workshops and discussion sessions, times of worship and song were a memorable component of the event. Keynote addresses examined the relationship between globalization, culture, and the information revolution; others explored the biblical imperative and prophetic call to help the poor. In...
In June of 2003, hundreds of Muslims, Jews, and Christians came together to celebrate each others cultures around the common thread of bread. The group shared their history and culture with speeches and performing arts in an effort to illustrate their cultures to the group, as well as the symbolism of bread as a means to transcend differences between faith traditions. Organized by the American Society for Muslim Advancement, a dozen organizations representing Jews, Christians, and Muslims...
The Ethics and Public Policy Center (EPPC) held a meeting in May 2003, just after the US invasion of Iraq, to address the role of evangelical relief organizations in post-war Iraq and related questions about their methods of evangelism, public rhetoric, and relationship to US foreign policy. This meeting explored several issues pertaining to how evangelical groups conduct themselves in post-conflict countries, with special focus on Islamic countries. Lamin Sanneh of Yale Divinity School...
In May 2003, Imam Dr. Abduljalil Sajid, chair of Britain's Muslim Council for Religious and Racial Harmony, gave a lecture at the Muslim College London for the World Congress of Faiths. Outlining his understanding of Islam, Sajid emphasized the importance and necessity of interfaith dialogue in achieving peace. He supported this claim with theological reasons for which Muslims should engage in dialogue. He also touched on the role of religion in several controversial international topics,...
Bahraini Justice and Islamic Affairs Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa al-Khalifa hosted a three-day conference in Bahrain's capital, Manama, in October 2002 to assess the possibilities for peaceful co-existence between different religions at the local, national and international levels. More than 140 participants took part in the event, including prominent leaders from both the Christian and Muslim communities. Pope John Paul II and the Grand Sheikh of al-Azhar University, Ali Gomaa, both...
The 2002 International Prayer for Peace gathered in Palermo, Sicily, in the south of Italy on the sixteenth year of the annual event organized by the Catholic lay organization Community of Sant'Egidio. The theme of the Palermo meeting was "Faiths and Cultures within Conflict and Dialogue." Leaders from numerous faith traditions spoke on the importance of international cooperation between the West and Latin America, Europe and Africa. Participants also discussed topics such as immigration and...
Cosponsored by the Wilson Center's Middle East Project and the Kennan Institute, this event featured scholar Nayereh Tohidi discussing her book Globalization, Gender, and Religion: The Politics of Women's Rights in Catholic and Muslim Societies (Palgrave Macmillan, 2001). Inspired by the heated debates following the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action, Tohidi sought to understand the roots of the alliance between conservative Catholics and Muslims on issues like abortion rights. She...
Hosted by Pope John Paul II, the Day of Prayer for Peace in the World united Catholics with other Christians and world religious leaders to illustrate a common religious commitment to peace and justice. Representatives of various traditions offered their testimonies of peace and shared a meal; attendees also participated in prayer sessions organized by religion. The Day of Prayer for Peace closed with the ceremonial lighting of a lamp of peace, with religious leaders from each tradition...
The Alexandria Process Interfaith Summit provided a crucial space in which religious and political leaders addressed the religious aspects of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that both sides felt were inadequately addressed by the Oslo Accords. Conference participants drafted the First Alexandria Declaration of the Religious Leaders of the Holy Land, which advocates an end to violence and the resumption of the peace process. Sheikh Muhammad Sayyid al-Tantawi hosted the event, while Dr. George...
The community of Sant'Egidio, an officially recognized Catholic lay organization, held its annual meeting of Prayer for Peace in Barcelona in September 2001. The goal of the meeting was to promote interreligious dialogue and understanding, with the theme "On the Frontiers of Dialogue: Religions and Civilizations in the New Century." Speakers from a variety of religious traditions held round table discussions that focused on issues such as interreligious understanding, the death penalty, and...
The consultation "Integral Mission and the Poor" brought together Micah Network members from around the world to reflect on the nature of Christian mission work and their unity in pursuing it. A mix of plenary sessions and small-group discussions were designed to help participants network as they also identified relevant capacity-building steps; other activities explored areas for possible advocacy work. A key outcome of the consultation was the development of the Micah Declaration on...
The 2000 International Prayer for Peace took place in Lisbon, Portugal, marking the fourteenth year of the event organized by the Catholic lay group Community of Sant'Egidio. The theme of the Lisbon gathering was "Religions and Cultures in Dialogue." Religious leaders from a number of different faith traditions spoke on topics such as how interreligious dialogue can lead to forgiveness, the ability of religion to foster and hinder peace, and the role of humanitarianism in a globalized world....
One thousand of the world's top religious and spiritual leaders came together at the United Nations in August 2000 to discuss and devote themselves to world peace. Upon the conclusion of the summit the group composed and signed the "Declaration for World Peace," which delineated steps to be taken to achieve lasting international peace. Both Western and Islamic guests attended, including Pope John Paul II, Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey, Sheikh Ahmed Keftaro, the Grand Mufti of Syria,...
The 7,000 participants of the 1999 Parliament of the World's Religions came together to learn more about their respective religious traditions and plan new modes of cooperative action. Sessions broadly focused on issues of identity, approaches to interreligious dialogue, and religion's role in addressing contemporary challenges such as the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Numerous musical and artistic performances further contributed to the spirit of dialogue and respect. Parliament also produced A Call to...
The 1999 International Prayer for Peace was held in Genoa, Italy, with the theme of "Churches as Sisters, People as Brothers." This theme of unity and brotherhood was intended to unite the world together in a rejection of violence and division. The "Appeal for Peace" brought together the participants in calling for Christian unity across denominational divides. Among the highlights of the gathering was the written address from Pope John Paul II that was read to those in attendance. The Genoa...
The Seventh World Assembly of Religions for Peace focused on the theme "Action for Common Living," using the approaching new millennium as an impetus to build a culture of peace and dialogue. The assembly recognized common human dignity as the basis for global interdependence and the search for common security, and it reiterated its support for an effort focused on disarmament, conflict resolution, and environmental protection. The final statement, the Amman Declaration of the Seventh World...
Centered on the theme "Turn to God, Rejoice in Hope," the Eighth Assembly of the World Council of Churches marked the organization's 50th year of existence and focused attention on the experiences of African Christians. Nelson Mandela and Robert Mugabe urged participants to support economic development and anti-poverty efforts, and a delegation from Southern Sudan asked for assistance in ending the conflict there. In its official business, the assembly responded by issuing statements on debt...
The 1998 International Prayer for Peace was held in Bucharest, Romania, representing a symbolic middle ground between East and West. The gathering marked the twelfth year of the Prayer for Peace and was aimed at "promoting mutual understanding and dialogue among religions, in a horizon of peace." This year's theme was "Peace is the Name of God: God, Humankind and Peoples." Participants were encouraged to be servants of peace and replace violence with dialogue. They expressed their commitment...
The Twelfth World Mission and Evangelism Conference returned to the subject of mission and culture, partly in response to the perceived rise in ethnic conflicts following the break-up of the Soviet Union. The conference emphasized that respect for cultural identity does not equal unreflective acceptance. Rather, it requires using faith to discern which cultural practices reflect Christian teaching and which become problematic; the gospel, not culture, remains paramount. Participants also...
The 1993 Parliament of the World's Religions marked the centennial of the 1893 World's Parliament of Religions and attracted almost 8,000 attendees from 200 religious groups. Unlike the first parliament, the 1993 event featured wide participation by non-Western traditions; at the same time, some Orthodox and Jewish groups backed out in protest against some of the other invitees. The Parliament culminated in the affirmation of "Towards a Global Ethic: An Initial Declaration," a recognition of...
The 1980 Consultation on World Evangelization brought together roughly 900 participants to review current efforts and consider how best to continue. In addition to theological study, sessions covered practical evangelistic strategies and the challenges of reaching those unfamiliar with the Christian Gospel. Seventeen mini-consultations provided further opportunity to discuss specific groups and regions, and the results were eventually published as Lausanne Occasional Papers. In addition,...
The 1893 World's Parliament of Religions marked the unofficial beginning of the modern interreligious dialogue movement, and is often credited with introducing Eastern traditions like Hinduism to the West as legitimate religious options, rather than spiritual novelties. Held during the Chicago World's Fair, participants attended presentations and joint worship sessions in a temporary annex to the Chicago Art Institute. There were approximately 400 official delegates and daily public...