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Interfaith consultation concludes religion must address issues of violence and peace
2002-169-3
7/1/2002
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[Episcopal News Service]
Participants in an interfaith consultation at the World Council of Churches Ecumenical Institute near Geneva concluded that the elimination of violence is a challenge common to all religions--and they committed themselves to work together for peace.
'Religious communities and their leaders should work towards solemn mutual commitments to withdraw any moral or ethical legitimization from the use of violent means in response to conflict or in the pursuit of political, economic, cultural and even religious ends,' said WCC General Secretary Konrad Raiser in comments to the consultation. He reminded participants that Christianity, once a persecuted minority religion, came to be the persecutor once it was the dominant religion of the Roman Empire, using violence to maintain the unity of the church and empire. 'The traces of this unholy alliance of religion and violence are still with us in the crusading language of the 'war on terrorism,'' he said.
Yehezkel Landau, a Jew who is director of a center for interfaith dialogue and cooperation in Jerusalem, said that Jews and Muslims are fighting for control of territory and Christians are either squeezed in the middle or looking on in pain from a distance. 'I appeal to Christians, chastened by their own violent history, to exemplify the gospel teaching of preemptive forgiveness, so as to shock us into seeing how destructive our own behavior has become,' he said.
Speaking as a Muslim woman who teaches Islamic studies in India, Dr. Zeenat Ali said that 'it would be more constructive if religions focused on acts of peace-making, appreciation of the other, and acceptance of the plurality and diversity of humankind.' She argued that the world's religions can create a vision and action plan for global peace and survival through non-violent means--and she believes that women can play a vital role in that process.
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