About people with different faiths coming to a mutual understanding and respect that allows them to live and cooperate with each other spite their differences. Refers to cooperative and positive interaction between people of different religious traditions at both the individual and institutional level. Everyone remains true to their own beliefs while respecting the right of the other to practise their faith freely. It includes human interaction and relationships between people of different faiths. It can take place between individuals and communities and on many levels eg. Schools, neighbour’s schools and in places of work, it can also take place in both formal and informal settings. It explores the engagement of the world’s religious traditions around theological questions and in their efforts to collaborate on questions of peace, human rights, and economic and social development.
It is hard to find today a major city that does not have an “interfaith” or “interreligious” council or a university that does not sponsor some sort of “dialogue” among world religions. Interfaith dialogue is believed to have began in 1893 Chicago when the first “Parliament of the World’s Religions” met in conjunction with the World’s Columbian Exposition of the same year, which was an attempt to create a global dialogue of faiths, Its board of trustees are elected from various faith communities. The upcoming parliament of the worlds religions will be held on November 1-7.
Interfaith Dialogue Aims
• Increase mutual understanding and good relations.
• Identify causes of tension in Christian Muslim relations. These are often economic, social or political rather than religious.
• Build understanding and confidence to overcome or prevent tensions.
• Break down the barriers and stereotypes which lead to distrust, suspicion and bigotry.
Passage
“And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”
or
“I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Genesis 12:3
Explanation:
The promises of blessings were for Abram, if he left family and home, and went where God sent him. The blessing was not just for Abram, but for all the families of the earth who are faithful like Abram (Christians). God promised Abram that he would be a great nation, and his name would be made great, and through him all the nations of the earth would be blessed.
There is an offering of blessing to those who bless Abram. The other side of the coin is a curse, if we curse Abram. Abram is really the father of the Israelites and the believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. He truly is a great nation.
Relation to Interfaith Dialogue:
Interfaith dialogue is about people of different faiths acting as one. This passage states “you and all the families of the earth shall be blessed” indicating that no matter your religion, culture, gender you will be blessed and equal to everyone. Communicating that not only people of Abram’s religion will be blessed but all religions are included and have the potential to be blessed through Abram.
ANDCMJ – The Australian National Dialogue of Christians, Muslims and Jews
What:
The ANDCMJ is an Australian organisation aiming to provide an opportunity for the national bodies of each faith to come together to build understanding and harmony in the Australian context. ANDCMJ is also connected with The Three Faith Journey of Promise initiative, in which young people of each faith share in experiencing each other’s religion and growing in their understanding about other faiths.
Who:
Five appointed persons from each faith community participate in the dialogue. The chairing of the meetings is also rotated.
When:
The Dialogue was officially ‘launched’ in March 2003 after 12 months of formal preparation, which was preceded by informal contact and discussions between the NCCA, AFIC, & ECAJ.
Where:
ANDCMJ was established in Sydney Australia and the regular meetings locations are on rotation between Jewish, Muslim and Christian venues in Sydney.
How does the initiative address the principles of Interfaith Dialogue?
ANDCMJ fulfils the principals of Interfaith dialogue through its connection with ‘The Three Faith Journey of Promise” initiative. Which young people share and experience each other’s religions, establishing the experience of the partner’s religion or ideology ‘from within’ which is a key principal of Interfaith Dialogue. These sessions with ‘The Three Faith Journey of Promise’ aims to ensure that people come with complete honesty and sincerity, arrive open minded with no assumptions and ready change and grow in the perception and understanding of reality which are also key principles of interfaith dialogue.
Why is this initiative successful?
ANDCMJ has been a very successful initiative as over the years it has, been a model of how different faiths can live harmoniously together in Australia, has built more of an understanding for faiths, it has created good will and a sense of community between people of different faiths and has made sure to explore and learn about each other and our faith traditions. ANDCMJ has been successful by conducting regular meetings, workshops, media releases and public forums. ANDCMJ wants to continue to share knowledge and insights with others and to build a platform for people to work together to achieve a cooperative community.
APRO- Australian Partnership of Religious Organisations
What:
APO is an Australian initiative created to promote and advocate for inter-faith harmony, and understanding and respect between the adherents of the various religions in Australia. To combat religious prejudice and discrimination; and to consider and address matter of mutual concern arising out of the shared values and interests of the various religions.
Who:
APRO is a unique initiative in that it comprises representatives of major religious bodies as well as national-level multicultural and interfaith community organisations and academics with expertise in inter-faith and intercultural relations. Among its member organisations are the peak bodies for Australian Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs and Baha’is.
When:
APRO is a peak body established in 2003 to help build interfaith harmony and understanding in Australia.
Where:
APRO was established in Sydney Australia.
How does the initiative address the principles of Interfaith Dialogue?
Addressing the principals as the APO provides a practical example of how successfully diverse religious communities can work collaboratively in Australia. For example, APRO hosts periodic inter-faith forums bringing members of faith communities together in dialogue providing experiences for people to experience other religions.
Why is this initiative successful?
APRO has been a very successful organisation as it has effectively brought together people from multiple faiths. APO has become one of the most influential multi-faith body’s in Australia. APRO acts in an advisory capacity to government. APRO stands willing to support and assist the work of government in relevant policy areas, including working with Parliament, multiculturalism, protection against discrimination and vilification on the basis of religion, interfaith dialogue, foreign affairs and reconciliation.
JCMA- The Jewish Christian Muslim Association of Australia
What:
The Jewish Christian Muslim Association of Australia (JCMA) is a not for profit organisation promoting the prevention of emotional and physical abuse arising from religious intolerance and cultural discrimination.
Who:
Interested individuals from each faith met at the invitation of Rabbi Jonathan Keren Black and agreed to invite a wide range of religious leaders and academics to join a reference panel to establish the outlines and parameters for dialogue and for the operation of such a conference.
When:
JCMA was formed in 2003, to establish an annual residential conference based upon the thirty years of experience developed by the Jewish-Christian-Muslim conference held in Bendorf, Germany.
Where:
The Jewish Christian Muslim Association of Australia (JCMA) was established in Melbourne, Australia.
How does the initiative address the principles of Interfaith Dialogue?
JCMA aims to understand other faiths (and their own) more deeply by starting to discover what they mean to other people who live them. They wish to develop an awareness of what is true, good and beautiful in faiths other than their own, thereby overcoming the religious discrimination and intolerance that exists within our society. To achieve these principal purposes, the Association, among other things, organises conferences and other activities for the purpose of learning about each other’s faith, of sharing personal experience, and of discussing issues of concern within their own faith communities and within the broader society.
Why is this initiative successful?
JCMA aims to reduce racism, intolerance, bigotry and violence and the associated emotional harm through creating and providing forums for interfaith dialogue and shared experience. JCMA’s principal activities, encourage participation in programs that contribute towards targeting racism and abusive behaviour and preventing its harmful emotional effects.
How does Interfaith Dialogue make a positive contribution to the Australian religious landscape in 2018?
Throughout history, religion has been an important force shaping beliefs about the purpose of life, our place in the world, and how society should be structured. Many Australians continue to hold religious beliefs, and our religious landscape has become increasingly diverse, including those who do not have a religion. Though Australia’s religious, cultural and ethnic diversity is constantly increasing. Peoples affiliation to non-Christian religions has dramatically increased in a short period of time. Evidently as shown in the statistics in 1911 reported to be 96% of Australians affiliated with Christianity compared to 2011 61% percent of Australians affiliated with Christianity and now 2016 reported 52.1% of people affiliating themselves with Christianity.
Since Australia’s diversity Religion has awakened in people capacities to love, to forgive, to create, to dare greatly, and to sacrifice for the common good. The multiple religions and their followers have played a vital role in movements for social welfare and social justice in Australia. They have also sometimes acted as obstacles in the path to those goals. Religious prejudice and strife have been a cause of conflict and suffering in Australia and overseas, a major blight to progress, and are increasingly abhorrent to the people of all faiths and no faith.