Christian
and
Muslim
leaders
are
gathered
in
Geneva
for
a
high-level
interfaith
dialogue
on
how
to
build
strong
and
sustainable
relationships
between
the
two
groups
and
how
the
religious
communities
can
use
their
resources
to
transform
their
communities.
The
four-day
event
titled,
“Transforming
Communities:
Christians
and
Muslims
Building
a
Common
Future,”
is
inspired
by
the
historic
2007
letter
by
138
Muslim
scholars
called,
“A
Common
Word.”
"The
central
theme
of
our
conference
affirms
that
dialogue
is
important
but
that
we
also
need
to
address
issues
of
common
concern
and
act
together
–
putting
the
common
good
at
the
heart
of
our
joint
initiative
so
as
to
promote
‘dialogue
in
action,”
said
the
Rev.
Dr.
Olav
Fykse
Tveit,
general
secretary
of
the
WCC,
in
his
welcome
address
on
Monday.
Four
key
challenges
facing
the
Muslim-Christian
communities
are:
how
to
build
a
wider
sense
of
the
understanding
of
the
word
“we”
that
focuses
on
everyone
being
part
of
one
humanity
rather
than
excluding
people;
how
to
build
strong
and
sustainable
relationships
between
Muslim
and
Christian
leaders
that
prevent
crises
and
address
challenges
together;
how
to
transform
communities
through
wise
use
of
spiritual
and
religious
resources;
and
how
to
build
good
and
peaceful
relationships
between
Christians
and
Muslims,
according
to
Tveit.
“My
strong
belief
is
that
we
are
called
together
to
become
peacemakers,
respecting
the
will
of
our
Creator
and
our
Creator’s
love
for
the
entire
creation,”
said
the
WCC
head.
“It
is
our
task
to
make
sure
that
religion
is
not
a
synonym
with
conflict
in
the
eyes
of
people,
but
a
synonym
for
justice
and
peace.”
Meanwhile,
Prince
Ghazi
bin
Muhammad
bin
Talal
of
Jordan
noted
that
while
Muslims
and
Christians
do
not
share
the
same
theology,
they
are
“all
in
the
same
boat.”
The
prince,
who
serves
as
personal
envoy
and
special
adviser
to
King
Abdullah
II
or
Jordan,
said
people
of
faith
face
the
same
problems
and
opportunities.
He
highlighted,
as
in
the
“Common
Word”
document,
that
Christians
and
Muslims
share
the
common
commitment
to
love
God
and
love
one’s
neighbor.
The
“Transforming
Communities”
consultation
was
joined
by
representatives
of
Christian
world
communions,
including
the
Roman
Catholic,
Orthodox,
Anglican,
Protestant
Evangelical
and
Pentecostal
traditions.
A
joint
statement
will
be
issued
at
the
end
of
the
consultation
on
Nov.
4.
