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Welcome!
The Interfaith Relations Office seeks to support those in
the church who are interested in, concerned about or engaged in building interfaith
relationships. As Presbyterians learn about religious diversity, we reflect
theologically on our relations with neighbors of other faiths. We also seek avenues
for cooperation, or look for education resources and practical models for bringing
communities together. We hope you will find helpful information and resources
on this Web site.
Interfaith team will visit six presbyteries
February 13 – March 8, 2009
We have rescheduled the visit of the Rev. Dr. Maqsood Kamil, executive secretary of the Presbyterian Church of Pakistan, and Mr. Khuram Dastgir Khan, elected member of Pakistan’s National Parliament from the Muslim League Party. Events in Pakistan forced this change from the originally-scheduled time to these dates early in the new year. From Friday, February 13, through Sunday, March 8, the team will visit churches and colleges, men’s and women’s groups, and ecumenical and interfaith gatherings in the six hosting presbyteries. The order and timing of these visits is now in the planning stages. For more information about the program, see the Interfaith Listening Program Web site or contact Jay T. Rock in the Office of Interfaith Relations.
Presbyterians and other U.S. communions respond to 'A Common Word'
On September 24, the member churches of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA approved an ecumenical response to the Muslim invitation "A Common Word," which has stimulated an international process of dialogue and engagement between Christians and Muslims. The ecumenical response encourages Christians to engage with Muslims in conversation and work rooted in love of God and love of neighbor and provides a theological framework for such engagement. For more information about "A Common Word" and the many responses to it, refer to the helpful resources on the Web site of the Presbyterian Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations Network.
Members of the National Muslim-Christian Initiative at the Chicago meeting. Photo by Erin Day
National dialogues move forward
The National Christian-Jewish Roundtable held its biannual meeting at the offices of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in Chicago September 16–17. Started in 2004, the roundtable brings together staff of Jewish religious movements and organizations with staff from a number of communions in the United States, including the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA. At this meeting, study focused on Jewish and Christian readings of Exodus 19 — God’s choosing of a people as a "treasured possession out of all the peoples" (19:5). An effort to speak together about shared principles and concerns regarding resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict made little headway, but will be taken up again at the next meeting in Los Angeles.
On September 15–16, the National Muslim-Christian Initiative also met in Chicago. This initiative brings together six national churches, including the PC(USA) and the NCCCUSA, with seven Muslim organizations. The group missed the participation of colleagues from the Mosque Cares and issued a letter of condolence to the family and community of Imam Warith Deen Mohammed. See the letter from Stated Clerk Gradye Parsons commemorating the Imam’s death. A highlight of this meeting was an evening at the Islamic Foundation in Villa Park hosted by the Islamic Circle of North America, marking the end of the day’s fast with an iftar meal and community conversation. Work is underway through this initiative to bring churches and mosques together. Most immediately, a study guide is being prepared to help local congregations talk about the Muslim invitation “A Common Word” and the ecumenical response of the churches.
Other resources of note
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help in responding to new instances of anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim bias.
