What do Jews, Christians and Muslims have in common? The sentence sounds like a set-up for a joke, but is actually a key question behind a new international council, that seeks to gather the three world religions in dialogue and cooperation.
2012 will be the year when 30 Jewish, Christian and Muslim scholars gather in a permanent, international council, opening up new roads in interreligious relations.
Named after the common religious figure the Abrahamic Council will translate ancient wisdom from Scripture into the modern world and thereby address dilemmas of our time.
“When glancing at news media in general, we get the impression, that the three largest religions of the world have very different views on practically everything. But is that a fact? We think not. In The Abrahamic Council we believe, that we have more in common than most people are aware of. By focusing on our common denominators we seek to find truth and grounds for peace,” explains Danish businessman and founder, Jeppe Hedaa.
Every year the council will consider issues, problems that pose moral or ethical dilemmas to individuals and society. Through a thorough and predefined process it will convey a consensus statement, supported by relevant facts, analysis and discussions.
First focus will be education
For the first year’s trial-run The Abrahamic Council will discuss guiding lines for how a country or a community could educate its children in religion, well aware that most countries today include a historic majority religion and growing minority religions together.
“Education is important for every society and holds the key to future understanding among different believers. By addressing this issue through the Abrahamic Council I truly think we can help to minimize conflicts for the next generations by allowing them to grow up with less prejudice,” states one of the council’s coordinators, Mohamed A. Mohamed, instructor in Religious Studies at Northern Arizona University.
The global aspect of the Abrahamic Council is crucial to the outcome, emphasizes Jewish coordinator, Yehuda Stolov, director of Interfaith Encounter Association in Israel:
“It is important, that we gather a wide group of scholars to reflect not only different religions but also different cultures, languages, nationalities and backgrounds. Only through a wide representation will we be able to seek real and lasting solutions for one world.”
The Christian coordinator, Hans Ucko, says: “Many good people are working hard around the globe to develop friendships and fuel positive changes to the inter-religious environment they are living in. Hopefully this new initiative will add to that existing work.”
The council will for the years to come explore also other relevant topics. Issues such as religious freedom, immigration, financial systems, secularism, or the role of media in promoting understanding and tolerance will most likely figure among such topics. The Abrahamic Council hopes to hold its first conference in late 2012 or early 2013.
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