Current Dialogue

Current Dialogue offers a platform for debate to those within the ecumenical movement who want to build bridges accross religious divides and to their partners of different faiths.

On the Current Dialogue blog, members of the team as well as guest contributors share their personal experiences and ideas on current issues in inter-religious dialogue. The Current Dialogue journal is published annually by the WCC Inter-religious Dialogue team. Sign up to receive future issues by e-mail!

The journal contains articles on interreligious dialogue, news about interreligious events and related WCC consultation reports.

No 50, February 2008: This issue is devoted to conversion as an issue in interreligious relations. This topic has for many years been a matter of conversation in staff meetings between the offices of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (PCID) and the Programme on Dialogue and Cooperation of the World Council of Churches (WCC).
No 49, July 2007: The Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation programme has not only acquired its new name. It also stresses a particular emphasis: co-operation. The many contributions in this issue reflect a diverse network that spans a good part of the world.
No 48, December 2006: This issue will highlight the relationship, which is likely to dominate the agenda of interreligious relations and dialogue of the WCC: Muslim-Christian relations.
No 47, June 2006: "People involved in the World Council of Churches (WCC) live in a time, which is still coloured by the Assembly in Porto Alegre, what it was, what it communicated and what it might mean for the future." The major part of this issue is dedicated to the 9th Assembly.
No 46, December 2005: The forthcoming assembly in Porto Alegre in Brazil 14-23 February 2006 "God, in your Grace, Transform the World" has required much work in the Office on Interreligious Relations and Dialogue (IRRD). The WCC and its Assembly Planning Committee have given ample space to interreligious relations and dialogue.
No 45, July 2005: This issue follows in the wake of the Critical Moment conference, an interreligious event, which the World Council of Churches (WCC) organised between June 7-9, 2005 involving some 130 participants of different faiths. It was the first time that the WCC manifested its commitment to be involved in the present and future of interreligious relations and dialogue in this way.
No 44, December 2004: This issue covers a September 2004 multifaith consultation in Addis Ababa, Rashied Omar's presentation at this summer's Visser't Hooft Memorial consultation "Religion, Power and Violence", and the WCC general secretary's greetings at the second forum of the Global Network of Religions for Children. The article "Christological and Soteriological reflections in the wake of half a century of Intense and Improved Jewish-Christian relations" was one of the interesting contributions at a consultation in December that addressed the question on how and whether Jewish-Christian dialogue has affected Christian self-understanding.
No 43, July 2004: This issue reflects, beyond articles written by friends in the Interfaith Dialogue Movement, some of our activities this year in the Office on Interreligious Relations and Dialogue (IRRD).
No 42, December 2003: This issue gives a particular emphasis to Christian-Buddhist dialogue, addressed from a couple of different perspectives.
No 41, July 2003: This issue reflects on issues relating to interreligious dialogue in different places throughout the world.
No 40, December 2002: This issue presents as its pièce de résistance a new document of the Office on Interreligious Relations and Dialogue: "Guidelines for Dialogue and Relations with People of Other Religions." It also contains a report from a Christian-Muslim dialogue, held under the auspices of the WCC in October in Geneva.
No 39, June 2002: This issue of Current Dialogue is mainly devoted to the theme of religion and violence.
No 38, December 2001: This issue pays homage to Stanley Samartha - a great man in the history of the ecumenical movement, in the life of the WCC and in the world of interfaith dialogue and relations.
No 37, June 2001: The multifaith process on 'Thinking Together' and the contribution of Africa to the religious heritage of the world.
No 36, December 2000: Focus on Christian-Muslim dialogue and relations.
No 35, July 2000: The role of women in religious education and instruction.
No 34, February 2000: This issue contains articles on the theme "What difference does religious plurality make?"
No 33, July 1999: Interreligious contributions on the Harare Assembly theme Turn to God -- Rejoice in Hope.
No 32, December 1998: A mix of articles dealing with the nature and authority of scripture: implications for Hindu-Christian dialogue, interreligious relations: a Sihk perspective, Jewish-Christian relations and mission, etc.
No 31, December 1997: This issue contains articles on new religious movements, interreligious prayer and Hindu-Christian dialogue.