Witnessing to a multi-faith world

How to promote Christian witness and mission in a multi-faith context? How to engage sincerely and respectfully with people of other religious traditions? How to stamp out arrogant, aggressive or coercive missionary activities? These questions were at the heart of a new joint document published in Geneva on Tuesday by the World Council of Churches, the Pontifical council for Interreligious Dialogue and the World Evangelical Alliance. The document is the result of five years of consultations by some 40 experts in ecumenical and interfaith relations in countries around the world. Entitled ‘Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious World’, it contains twelve key principles plus recommendations for local churches seeking to overcome conflicts that arise as a result of aggressive missionary activities.
Among those present for the joint launch in Geneva were Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, general secretary of the World Council of Churches. Philippa Hitchen spoke to them both to find out more about this major step forward for the ecumenical movement..

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