Interfaith relations and world peace

Several years ago, religious leaders and theologians made the case for the following thesis: “Without peace among the world’s religions, there can be no peace in the world.” The recent tragic events committed by Muslim jihadists in Pakistan, Nigeria and Kenya leaves Christians living in Muslim-majority nations, in the very least nervous, and at its worst, fearing for their lives and livelihood.  What, if anything, are Muslims doing about this evil violence and terrorism? Is there adequate trust and mutual respect for both faiths to work together for peace with justice in the world? What do peace and justice look like for both faith traditions? In a recent article in the Globe and Mail, Lorna Dueck shares some hopeful thoughts on Christian-Muslim relations.  

   “Muslims finding common ground with Christians: The path to peace,” by Lorna Dueck: This week, my Muslim friend Raheel Raza asked me to come to Toronto’s Pakistani Consulate with her to protest her faith’s violent extremism against Christianity. It was an unexpected reach of kindness from Islam to me, a Christian, in response to a horrific attack days earlier at All Saints Anglican in Peshawar, which saw 85 Christians die when obscurantist suicide bombers rushed church doors as worshippers left. Like many, I’m angry that a powerful religion cannot correct its jihadism, and I don’t trust its ethos. Read the whole article here.