Press Releases22 Mar 04

Church explores inter-faith encounter

CHURCH EXPLORES INTER-FAITH ENCOUNTER

The Church of Ireland Committee for Christian Unity is looking at a spectrum of ecumenical activity across the churches.

The Rt Rev Michael Jackson, Bishop of Clogher, a member of the committee, said: ?This work is difficult and important. Understanding of others? faith and of faiths other than our own is essential in our discipleship of Jesus Christ today.?

And speaking at a recent meeting of the Committee, the Reverend Canon Michael Ipgrave, Adviser on Inter-Faith Relations to the Archbishop?s Council in the Church of England and Honorary Canon of Leicester Cathedral, stressed the importance of theological engagement in the Inter-Faith area.

He said education and training of people in the Church to increase knowledge of other Faiths was important as well as the discernment of Christian responses to people of other faiths.

Canon Ipgrave recommended the Guidelines for Inter-Faith Encounter in the Churches of the Porvoo Communion agreed in Oslo in December 2003 as a basis for consideration of the whole Inter-Faith area.