Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Christians Engage in Understanding Their Muslim Brethren in the Extensive Course on “Islam and Interfaith Dialogue” in Shillong

By New Age Islam Special Correspondent

May 20, 2014

One of the baffling challenges that the adherents of the world religions face today is that of inter-faith relations in general and Muslim-Christian ties in particular. Given the history of intense conflicts and grave atrocities perpetrated by extremists of both communities, the adherents of the two largest religions of the world are laden with the burden of harsh memories. While the history witnessed the bitter reality of the Crusades, the present plight of Christians in many parts of the Muslim world continues to create misconceptions about Islam in the minds of many Christians. In such an environment which actually seems to promote division, a two-week international workshop on “Islam and Interfaith Relations” came up with glad tidings to the mainstream peace-loving Muslims and Christians. The event was organized by Henry Martyn Institute (Hyderabad) at Shillong (Meghalaya), from the 4th to the 17th of May, 2014.
The course on “Islam and Interfaith Relations” included an intensive introduction to Islamic beliefs, doctrines and practical guidelines for how to relate to people of other faiths and an introduction to conflict resolution as a way to promote reconciliation.  This study of Islam and interfaith relations was an important part of pastoral training, particularly in light of the present context of communal divisions on destructive lines. The course focused on communal harmony in India and the growing need for understanding of Muslim neighbors so that the two largest communities of
the world may help to build bridges of understanding and cooperation the
world over.




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