"In the Christian church, the term “interfaith dialogue” often referred to evangelism programs created to reach out to other cultures with the gospel message. Today, however, the term is a bit more pluralistic in nature, and suggests embracing members of other religions for the purpose of finding common ground in the values and goals we share.
In the early 20th century interfaith dialogue started to take place between the Abrahamic faiths: Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Bahai. And in 1965, the Roman Catholic Church issued the Vatican II document, Nostra Aetate, instituting major policy changes in the Catholic Church's policy towards non-Christian religions. The InterFaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington was created in 1978, bringing together 11 historic faith communities to promote dialogue, understanding and a sense of community among persons of diverse faiths.
Of course a great deal of debate has risen in the church on the issue of interfaith dialogue, mostly due to those who, in their desire to create harmony among various religions, are willing to compromise the essentials of their own faith. One such document accused of doing just that was A Common Word Between Us and You, a letter signed by 138 religious leaders agreeing on the two things that Islam and Christianity have in common. One excerpt from the document reads:
Interfaith dialogue could also prove difficult when conversing with other groups that may claim devotion to the Christian faith like The Gay Christian Network, a nonprofit ministry which challenges biblical authority because it supports unrepentant Christians worldwide who have chose to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender." FocusOnTheFamily
Of course a great deal of debate has risen in the church on the issue of interfaith dialogue, mostly due to those who, in their desire to create harmony among various religions, are willing to compromise the essentials of their own faith. One such document accused of doing just that was A Common Word Between Us and You, a letter signed by 138 religious leaders agreeing on the two things that Islam and Christianity have in common. One excerpt from the document reads:
“The basis for this peace and understanding already exists. It is part of the very foundational principles of both faiths: love of the One God, and love of the neighbour. These principles are found over and over again in the sacred texts of Islam and Christianity. The Unity of God, the necessity of love for Him, and the necessity of love of the neighbour is thus the common ground between Islam and Christianity.”
But do we really share those foundational beliefs? One theologian taking offense to the letter was John Piper, pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minn., and founder of Desiring God Ministries. Pastor Piper chastised several Protestant leaders for signing a document that, in his opinion, is disingenuous. In his reproof posted on Youtube.com he states, “When we speak of the love of God and even quote a verse from 1 John 4, and don’t take into account the very next verse where the love of God that sustains us Christians is the love of God that sent the Son, Jesus Christ, into the world as the propitiation for our sins, we are not being honest. They do not believe in the God we believe in. "Interfaith dialogue could also prove difficult when conversing with other groups that may claim devotion to the Christian faith like The Gay Christian Network, a nonprofit ministry which challenges biblical authority because it supports unrepentant Christians worldwide who have chose to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender." FocusOnTheFamily
Inter-Faith: Where no one is "Wrong"? Really?
And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
John 5:29
Hmmm....Guess someone must be Wrong if there are 2 resurrections
