US event brings interreligious perspective to efforts to understand, overcome violence

 

An inter-religious seminar on the "spiritual dimensions underlying the crisis in violence" will be part of a 13-15 November public event in Rochester, New York (USA) focusing on violence and the how faith communities can respond to it.  

The seminar, in the form of an exchange between World Council of Churches' (WCC) Decade to Overcome Violence coordinator, Rev. Hansulrich Gerber, and a panel of leaders of the local Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish and Christian faith communities, will attempt to explore the root causes of violence. 

Other events scheduled in the two-day November programme include a 13 November multimedia presentation of the WCC's 9th Assembly in Porto Alegre, Brazil, an ecumenical worship celebration with prayers, litanies and readings from the Assembly and a 14 November workshop sharing stories of hope from Rochester and around the world. After hearing from a woman church leader who lost a sister to violence, participants in a 15 November event entitled "Raise up the foundations of many generations: churches respond to violence" will learn about a plan to launch church forums on the spiritual and moral foundations of community.  

The event is being sponsored by the Greater Rochester Community of Churches, the Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School and the Rochester Friends of the WCC. 

A detailed programme is available on the website of the Greater Rochester Community of Churches

Media contact in Rochester, USA: Rev. Larry Whitmer, tel. +1-585-342-6376; email lewitmer (at) aol.com

Decade of Overcome Violence website 

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