Orthodox link up with WCC for major peace conference
-19/10/05
Christian responses to the root causes of violence, together with the issue of how spirituality can contribute towards building cultures of peace, will be the focus of an international ecumenical conference taking place in Boston, USA, next week.
Entitled ëViolence and Christian spiritualityí, the meeting (27-29 October 2005) is sponsored by the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in cooperation with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Boston Theological Institute.
After considering violence from a broad variety of perspectives – including human rights, development, social change, interreligious relations, Christian anthropology, and gender – the gathering will highlight peace-building resources from the Christian spiritual life.
It will also explore the history of non-violence, the approach to forgiveness and reconciliation taken by leading Early Church teachers, the role of prayer and worship, and the relationship between justice and peace ñ both biblically and practically.
The organizers say that the conference is a direct contribution by the international Orthodox Christian community to the WCC’s Decade to Overcome Violence (2001-2010).
Social scientists, theologians, religious and community leaders from a broad range of Christian backgrounds, including some of the world’s foremost authorities in the study of peace and violence, will bring an interdisciplinary and critical approach to bear upon their subject.
Speakers from Orthodox and other church traditions will also contribute ecumenical perspectives on violence.
Scheduled speakers include Archbishop Demetrios, primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in America; Dr Marc Gopin, director of the Centre for World Religions, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University; the Rev Dr Sam Kobia, WCC general secretary; and Dr John Witte, Jr, director of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Study of Religion at Emory University.
Orthodox link up with WCC for major peace conference
-19/10/05
Christian responses to the root causes of violence, together with the issue of how spirituality can contribute towards building cultures of peace, will be the focus of an international ecumenical conference taking place in Boston, USA, next week.
Entitled ëViolence and Christian spirituality’, the meeting (27-29 October 2005) is sponsored by the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in cooperation with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Boston Theological Institute.
After considering violence from a broad variety of perspectives – including human rights, development, social change, interreligious relations, Christian anthropology, and gender – the gathering will highlight peace-building resources from the Christian spiritual life.
It will also explore the history of non-violence, the approach to forgiveness and reconciliation taken by leading Early Church teachers, the role of prayer and worship, and the relationship between justice and peace – both biblically and practically.
The organizers say that the conference is a direct contribution by the international Orthodox Christian community to the WCC’s Decade to Overcome Violence (2001-2010).
Social scientists, theologians, religious and community leaders from a broad range of Christian backgrounds, including some of the world’s foremost authorities in the study of peace and violence, will bring an interdisciplinary and critical approach to bear upon their subject.
Speakers from Orthodox and other church traditions will also contribute ecumenical perspectives on violence.
Scheduled speakers include Archbishop Demetrios, primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in America; Dr Marc Gopin, director of the Centre for World Religions, Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University; the Rev Dr Sam Kobia, WCC general secretary; and Dr John Witte, Jr, director of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Study of Religion at Emory University.