Interfaith, Intercultural, International Dialogue: Upcoming Conferences

Dear colleagues and friends,

please find below information about upcoming important Conferences on Dialogue in April and May 2012 (Interfaith, Intercultural, International) I will be attending:

1- Danish-Arab Conference 2012:

The Muslim-Christian Contact Group of The National Council of Churches in Denmark organizes a double dialogue conference in partnership with the Lebanon based Arab Group For Muslim-Christian Dialogue. The conference will be held in Beirut, Lebanon 30 April – 3 May 2012 and a corresponding conference in Copenhagen 25 - 28 September 2012. The participants in the conference will be Christians and Muslims from Denmark, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, The Emirates and Iraq.

The conference is supported by The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Objectives

The objective of the conferences is to further a common understanding between Christians and Muslims across the Mediterranean Sea and to further an understanding of basic common values within both religions as a constructive point of departure for development that focuses on peace, reconciliation, mutuality, and democracy. The purpose is to promote peaceful co-existence between cultures and religions in Denmark as well as in the Middle East, and to contribute to an alternative understanding of religion – Christianity and Islam in particular – to the one portrayed by extremists. There is a need for continuous dialogue between Christians and Muslims in the West (Denmark) and the Middle East, which has been enhanced with the growing tension in the Middle East in recent months.

Background

The Contact Group for Muslims and Christians in Denmark took the initiative to this conference. But the realization of the conference in Lebanon and Denmark is only possible thanks to a good partnership with The Arab Group for Muslim-Christian Dialogue in Lebanon and the financial support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Denmark.

In 2007, 138 Muslim leaders sent an open letter, A Common Word, to all Christian leaders in the world, extending an invitation to dialog about common understandings and recognition of each other. The National Council of Churches in Denmark answered positively in June 2008, inviting to continued dialog on issues raised in the document. Out of this effort, the Contact Group for Muslims and Christians was formed and consists of elected representatives of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark, the Roman-Catholic Church in Denmark and the free churches as well as the Muslim Council of Denmark and the Muslim Union of Denmark. The Contact Group meets regularly and is also the initiator of the conferences.

For more information about the Conference, Beirut's program (April-May 2012) and Participants:

http://dialogue2012.org/

I will present a paper on 'Inter-Continental Dialogue: Role of Religions' - May 1st, 2012.

2- CONGRES INTERNATIONAL, BEYROUTH 2012: SITP (SOCIETE INTERNATIONALE DE THEOLOGIE PRATIQUE):

« Vivre ensemble » est depuis toujours un des axes principaux de la théologie chrétienne, dans tous les domaines et toutes les disciplines. C’est également le cas pour la théologie pratique qui cherche à analyser et à stimuler les différentes pratiques spirituelles et ecclésiales qui peuvent contribuer au renforcement des relations communautaires tant dans leur dynamique verticale (le vivre ensemble avec Dieu) que dans leur dynamique horizontale (le vivre ensemble avec la famille, l’Eglise,  les autres communautés religieuses, la société).  Notre Congrès international de la SITP de mai 2012 aborde cette question du « Vivre ensemble » dans plusieurs de ses dimensions : ecclésiale et ecclésiologique, œcuménique, interreligieuse, sociopolitique et culturelle, missiologique et écospirituelle, que ce soit en conférences plénières, en temps d’ateliers, en moments spirituels ou encore à l’occasion de visites. Ainsi, après une introduction générale du thème le vendredi soir 4 mai, la journée du samedi 5 mai sera consacrée à une ouverture sur les enjeux du vivre ensemble dans le contexte libanais (matin), puis se prolongera autour de la dimension interreligieuse (après-midi). La dimension ecclésiale sera au cœur de la journée du dimanche 6 mai avec notamment des visites par petits groupes dans diverses paroisses qui seront l’occasion d’un travail d’analyse dans une démarche de théologie pratique. Lundi 7 mai, une transition se fera entre la dimension ecclésiologique et les dimensions sociales et culturelles notamment. Enfin, mardi 8 mai sera abordée la dimension écospirituelle.

Ma conférence aura lieu le 8 mai 2012: "Pratiques, joies et défis du dialogue".

Pour plus d'informations sur la conférence et le programme:
http://www.sitp.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Programme-congr%C3%A8s-SITP-Beyrouth-2012-nov-2011.pdf

http://www.sitp.org/congres/

Furthermore, I will be participating in a workshop on Ecumenical Communication/Information organized by the Middle East Council of Churches in Amman-Jordan, 22-24 April 2012.