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:
www.oikoumene.org/interreligious.html
