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The Unit IV Committee recognizes that diakonia, martyria and koinonia are essential elements of the central mission of the church. Koinonia without diakonia is dead. Sharing and service as practical actions are at the heart of our fellowship and are a source of our unity.

David K. Yemba, current moderator of the Faith and Order Commission and Dean of the Africa University in Mutare, Zimbabwe, discusses the content and reception of Faith and Order work in Africa, and the effect of African churches on the ecumenical movement in general.

Address to the Plenary of the World Summit for Social Development, March 1995, by Konrad Raiser, general secretary, World Council of Churches

In 1979 the WCC produced a document entitled "Guidelines on Dialogue with People of Living Faiths" which sought to identify and discuss the major practical and theological issues in interfaith relations. While it addressed some of the overall aspects, it recognized the need for more specific "guidelines" or ecumenical considerations on Christian relations with each of the major faith communities in the world. This document results from the attempt to follow this up in the area of Christian-Muslim relations. It draws on the experience gained from the considerable work carried out over the years. All the meetings between Christians and Muslims organized by the sub-unit on Dialogue during the past twenty years have been documented in the WCC publication "Meeting in Faith". These meetings, however, are only a small part of a much richer history of relations and numerous dialogue encounters in many places. The document that follows is itself based on five regional meetings between Christians and Muslims organized in different parts of the world. These meetings helped to identify some of the important issues which Christians and Muslims need to reflect on and continue to consider together in the years ahead. Many qualified persons in the field of Christian-Muslim relations were consulted in the process.

Richtlinien für das Teilen, Weltkonsultation über Ökumenisches Miteinanderteilen, El Escorial, Spanien, 1987

"Guidelines for sharing", in Sharing for Life, the report of the El Escorial consultation. 1987

Poor and oppressed people, who are at the margins of the world's concern, should be at the centre of Christian service, insisted the 300 participants in the 1986 global ecumenical consultation on interchurch aid in Larnaca, Cyprus. Diakonia, they said, is "liberating and transforming, suffering and empowering". Christian service cannot be separated from the struggle for justice and peace; therefore, advocacy, solidarity and sharing of skills are as essential to diakonia as the giving of money.

Adopted by the WCC Executive Committee’s at its meeting in Reykjavik, Iceland 15-19 September 1986

CHAPTER 1, Why this Study Was Prepared

CHAPTER 2, The scientific facts: an introduction

CHAPTER 4, Ethical Perspectives

CHAPTER 5, Human Rights, Responsibilities and HIV/AIDS

Amsterdam Assembly 1948 Extracts from Report of Committee IV CONCERNS OF THE CHURCHES: 3.· THE CHRISTIAN APPROACH TO THE JEWS