Interfaith group will try to blaze trail to ‘peaceful coexistence’

Geneva—Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu and other religious leaders will gather in here June 7-9 at the invitation of the World Council of Churches (WCC) to promote inter-religious dialogue and seek common ground.

“The question is no longer ‘Why do we need dialogue?’ but rather ‘How do we transform dialogue into peaceful coexistence? And, ‘How do we translate dialogue into common action?’” said the WCC moderator, Catholicos Aram I of the Armenian Apostolic Church, in a statement released on June 2.

The WCC says the conference will bring together religious leaders, academics, human rights activists, humanitarian workers, journalists, and others from most parts of the world.

“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 the Rev. Samuel Kobia, the WCC general secretary.

The conference will examine the challenges of violence and prejudice, which undermine dialogue, Kobia said.

Kobia said during a May meeting of Christian leaders in Athens that interfaith dialogue would be a priority of the WCC, which has 347 member churches, mainly from Protestant, Anglican and Orthodox traditions.

Kobia said then: “The dialogue that we have between ourselves as Christians should also be extended to include people of other faiths.”