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De Silva’s work did not merely influence interreligious dialogue locally and globally but also had a formative impact on the gradual opening of the World Council of Churches (WCC) to dialogue with people of other faiths.
The panel discussed the lasting and still pathbreaking heritage of de Silva’s thoughts for interreligious dialogue and launched the book A Visionary Approach. Lynn A. de Silva and the Prospects for Buddhist-Christian Encounter, that emerged out a conference co-organised by the WCC to commemorate the birth centenary of Lynn de Silva.
Organized by the European Network of Buddhist Christian Studies, the panel was chaired by Prof. Perry Schmidt-Leukel, one of the editors of the volume. Panelists included Dr Elizabeth Harris (Birmingham University, UK), Dr Andreas Nehring (University of Erlangen/Nuremberg, Germany), and Rev. Dr Peniel Rajkumar (former programme coordinator of the WCC and currently global theologian with United Society Partners in the Gospel).
In his presentation on “The Influence of Lynn de Silva on the WCC’s Ongoing Commitment to Dialogue,” Rajkumar said that de Silva’s thinking for the ecumenical movement is as relevant today as it was during his own times.
“It encourages Christians to embrace the chances and challenges posed by the changing dynamics of contemporary interreligious realities and also empowers Christians to courageously embrace patterns of life and witness grounded in service and solidarity as a means to decolonise Christianity,” he said.
