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The report results from seven years' work by a dedicated group drawn from the World Council of Churches and the Roman Catholic Church. The character of the document is intentionally educational. The group believed that it would in this way best serve the interest of all who wish to know not only the Joint Working Group's agenda but the growing relationship of the WCC and the RCC within the broader perspective of the one ecumenical movement which the group has witnessed and in some measure assisted.

Letter to the WCC 8th Assembly from the women and men of the Decade Festival of the Churches in Solidarity with Women

Prayers from the Decade of Churches in Solidarity with Women (as published in “Celebrating the Decade” © 1997 WCC, and “I will pour out my Spirit” © 1992 WCC)

The Vocation of the Laity in Church and World: Towards an Inclusive Community on Different Levels" - a response by by Elizabeth Tapia to the paper "Formation of the Laos".

Bible study on 1 Peter 3:14-15 led by John Fotopoulos at the May 1997 consultation on the theme: "Towards a Common Understanding of the Theological Concepts of Laity/Laos: The People of God."

Response by Maha Milki Wehbe to the paper "On Being Christian in the World" by Hans-Ruedi Weber at the May 1997 international consultation on the theme: "Towards a Common Understanding of the Theological Concepts of Laity/Laos: The People of God."

From 7-10 May 1997, twenty-seven men and women in cooperation with the World Council of Churches met in Geneva to consider together the possibility of a common understanding of the theological concepts of laity/laos/the people of God. We talked about the present situation and future challenges to the Christian churches. The meeting was chaired by Fr Nicholas Apostola (Romanian Orthodox Church) and Dr Anne Tveter (Lutheran). It was organized by Evelyn Appiah, Executive Secretary of the Stream of Lay Participation towards Inclusive Community.

In May of 1997 the team held an international consultation on the theme: "Towards a Common Understanding of the Theological Concepts of Laity/Laos: The People of God." The aim of the consultation was to begin to clarify the theological understanding and terminology of laity, laos, people of God (Laos tou Theou), and the whole people of God.

This text is the fruit of the joint study programme on Ecclesiology and Ethics conducted by Faith and Order and the WCC's Justice, Peace and Creation team. The results of meetings in Rønde, Denmark; Jerusalem, Israel; and Johannesburg, South Africa, they explore how the churches are called to be a community of ethical reflection - and engagement - in today's world.

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.

CHAPTER 1, Why this Study Was Prepared

CHAPTER 2, The scientific facts: an introduction

CHAPTER 4, Ethical Perspectives