Regional Interfaith Dialogue, Connecting and Cooperating for Peace and Harmony In the Asia-Pacific region
Vatican City (AsiaNews) – An international conference on ‘Interreligious Dialogue: the Asian Perspective’ was held this morning in the John Paul II auditorium of the Pontifical Urbaniana University. The event follows an initiative by Asian ambassadors to the Holy See to promote mutual understanding and tolerance among religions.
Read more…Religion as an instrument of peace: the ‘Asian perspective’ on dialogue
The leaders of 6 religions in Hong Kong are in Rome this week to mark the 40th anniversary of an organization dedicated to improving interreligious ties. Pope Francis met the “Colloquium of Six Religious Leaders of Hong Kong” briefly on the sidelines of his Wednesday General Audience. He told them: “Upon all of you I invoke joy and peace in the Lord Jesus Christ. May God bless you!”
Read more…Pope Francis Meets Hong Kong’s Colloquium of Six Religious Leaders
Pope Francis called Friday for a reform of the way theology is taught in Catholic schools, saying students must learn about dialogue with Judaism and Islam, and that overall there must be greater freedom in theological research and academic pursuits. Theology students should be educated in dialogue with Judaism and Islam, the Pope said.
Read more…Pope seeks more freedom in theology, dialogue with Islam
SINGAPORE: Representative bodies of Singapore’s key religious communities have affirmed their commitment to safeguard religious harmony in the country. More than 250 organisations have put their names to the commitment, including the Catholic Archdiocese, Hindu Advisory Board, Islamic Religious Council of Singapore, National Council of Churches of Singapore, Sikh Advisory Board, Singapore Buddhist Federation, and Taoist Federation.
Read more…Singapore’s key religious organisations affirm commitment to religious harmony
WASHINGTON – In response to the release of the United Nations Refugee Agency’s Global Trends report on worldwide forced displacement, and in observance of June 20th as World Refugee Day, United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Chair Tony Perkins issued the following statement:
Read more…USCIRF Statement on World Refugee Day and Link Between Religious Freedom and Displacement
The World Council of Churches was among 25 signatories on a statement released by the UN Refugee Agency entitled “Faith Actors call for Global Solidarity.” The statement was released on World Refugee Day, observed on 20 June.
“The diversity of origins and traditions which make humanity unique are being targeted by intolerance, sometimes by brutal violence, and refugees are often on the front line of this assault,” reads the statement. “Based on their religious teachings, as well as on the experience that some of their communities have of being targeted themselves, faith-based actors seek to address xenophobia as one of their special responsibilities.”
The number of displaced people in the world has eclipsed 70 million. Social media campaigns, including #RefugeeForum and #StepWithRefugees also supported solidarity with refugees.
At the Building Bridges seminar of the World Council of Churches, challenges were made to some of the approaches of the intergovernmental and non-governmental sectors in dealing with faith-based organizations.
Pope Francis says that carbon pricing is “essential” to stem global warming — his clearest statement yet in support of penalising polluters — and appealed to climate change deniers to listen to science.
In an address to energy executives at the end of a two-day meeting, he also called for “open, transparent, science-based and standardised” reporting of climate risk and a “radical energy transition” away from carbon to save the planet.
The following is a Vatican-provided full translation of Pope Francis’ prepared address given today, June 14, 2019, at the encounter on the theme ‘The Energy Transition and Care for our Common Home,’ promoted by the Vatican’s Dicastery for an Integral Human Development, with world oil executives, held in the Vatican’s Casino IV:
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud received on Thursday the Charter of Makkah upon the conclusion of the four-day international conference entitled “Values of moderation in the texts of the Qur’an and Sunnah” organized by the Muslim World League (MWL), which took place in the Holy City of Mecca.