“Current Dialogue” focuses on rethinking interfaith engagement

Current Dialogue Cover

Current Dialogue, the World Council of Churches’ long-standing journal on interreligious relations, is now available online and as a print issue in a new format.

Recognizing the indispensability of interreligious dialogue amidst changing religious realities, the journal seeks to offer space for stimulating and sustained reflections on a wide range of interreligious issues.

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Pope Francis abolishes ‘pontifical secret’ in clergy sex abuse cases

Pope Francis preaching in RomePope Francis has abolished the “pontifical secret” used in clergy sexual abuse cases, after mounting criticism that the high degree of confidentiality has been used to protect paedophiles, silence victims and keep law enforcement from investigating crimes.

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Community Trauma Toolkit

Community Trauma Toolkit

Emerging Minds has released a new suite of resources designed to help children and young people affected by trauma. Developed by Emerging Minds and the Australian National University as part of the National Workforce Centre for Child Mental Health project, the information and training materials include videos, podcasts, training workshops to run with your team and downloadable fact sheets.

The toolkit is tailored to six key audiences – educators, first responders, community leaders, families, general practitioners (GPs), and health and social service practitioners. It’s also arranged to match five timelines – preparedness, immediate, short-term recovery, long-term recovery and ongoing recovery.

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“World Leaders Must Act Now in the Face of Climate Emergency” – Message from the Faith-Based Organizations To the High-Level Ministerial Segment of COP25

cop25-logoIf the world is to address the climate emergency, every person must be involved in a transformation on many levels, notes a message from the World Council of Churches (WCC) at the UN climate talks this week. Speaking on behalf of Faith Based Organisations in Madrid for the United Nations Conference on Climate change, the message led by the World Council of Churches told – inter alia – “We call for systemic, cultural and spiritual transformations that may be translated into changes in the ways we live, produce and consume.”

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Pontifical Academy for Life hosts interreligious discussion on palliative care

Vatican flag flies above St PetersVatican City, Dec 12, 2019 / 04:56 pm (CNA).- The Vatican’s Pontifical Academy for Life held an international symposium this week on medical ethics and palliative care, hosted together with the WISH initiative, a part of the Qatar Foundation. The Dec. 11-12 conference included presentations by representatives of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism on the topic of medical ethics, palliative care, and the mental health of the elderly.

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Vatican: Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue Meets with World Council of Churches

Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue LogoThe Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue hosts a one day meeting aimed at enhancing interreligious solidarity in the service of a vulnerable and wounded humanity. The Prefect of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, Cardinal Ayuso, tells, We are called to collaborate in healing the wounds of our humanity.

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Serving a Wounded Humanity: Towards Interreligious Solidarity

shaking hands with the popeThe World Council of Churches (WCC) Office for Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation and the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue met on 10 December to reflect on their next joint project entitled “Serving a Wounded Humanity: Towards Interreligious Solidarity.”

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Australia: Second Draft of Religious Freedom Bill released

religious freedomThe Morrison government has made 11 changes to its proposed religious freedom legislation in a bid to minimise dissent and secure its passage through Parliament early next year. But the changes largely heed the concerns of churches and religious groups and have been panned by the Greens and LGBTIQ groups as increasing the potential for discrimination.

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Interfaith Declaration on Climate Change for COP 25 Madrid, 2019

On the penultimate day of COP 25, a sign in the corridors reminds delegates of the urgency of reaching a positive outcome.


The most recent Climate Change Conference – called COP 25 – concluded yesterday in Madrid, Spain. Faith Communities, including the Brahma Kumaris and Religions for Peace International (both of whom have offices in the UN plaza in New York) (with a large delegation from the Lutheran World Federation) joined together with many faiths, many voices to produce a Faith-inspired declaration on Climate Change. This was delivered to the Deputy Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change by the World Council of Churches – in service and on behalf of all faith communities. The document is called Interfaith Declaration on Climate Change for COP 25 Madrid, 2019 . You may read this document in full:

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