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“We are bound to each other in universal kinship through God”

Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC

“Human fraternity in its broadest and inclusive sense is the recognition that we are bound to each other in universal kinship through God, the source of our being and wellbeing,” Sauca said. “The WCC considers interreligious dialogue as ‘a means of living out our faith in Christ in service of community with our neighbours’ as one of our earliest documents affirmed.”

From its inception 50 years ago, the WCC’s engagement in interreligious dialogue has been rooted in the concrete pursuit of justice and peace, Sauca noted. “It is for us a call to a costly discipleship, where we are present at the bleeding points of a broken humanity and are attentive to the groaning of the entire creation,” he said. “Therefore, our interreligious engagement has consistently addressed issues of justice and peace in a spirit of honesty and hope.”

Sauca said he sees a strong resonance of the same spirit in Fratelli Tutti. “Attentiveness to the wounds of the world is key to social justice and human fraternity,” he said. “Even as we build on our commonalities, it is also time to compassionately bind the wound of those hurt by injustice and violence, as well as courageously break away from the mistakes of the past which have contributed to much hatred and damage.”