Russian Orthodox to host global inter-religious summit before G8
Peter Kenny
Porto Alegre, Brazil (ENI). The Russian Orthodox Church is to host a world inter-religious summit drawing together top leaders of world faiths in Moscow around the time of the summit of heads of state from the Group of Eight (G8) leading industrial nations.
This conference looking at the effects of globalisation was announced on 15 February by the head of the external relations department of the Russian church, Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad.
At a media conference during the World Council of Church's ninth assembly, the highest governing body of the globe's largest grouping of churches, Kirill said the inter-religious summit would take place in Moscow on 4 and 5 July ahead of the G8 summit in Saint Petersburg.
The G8 groups Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States. Its member states account for 49 per cent of global exports, 51 per cent of industrial output, and 49 per cent of the assets in the International Monetary Fund. Its summit will take place from 15 to 17 July.
"This will be held prior to the G8 summit in order to pass on a statement [from world religious leaders] to the leaders of the G8," said Kirill. "It will be very important for religious leaders to have their say and to tell them what dangers we have."
Kirill noted, "I think that in years to come interreligious relations should be a priority for the ecumenical community", a reference to groups that seek the unification of Christian churches. "The question of inter-religious relations is very important for us," he said.b
The Orthodox spokesperson said relations between religions had been very peaceful in Russia for many years but required much attention to maintain mutual respect. Kirill said that 80 per cent of Russia's population are Christian Orthodox, 10 per cent Muslim, and other religious traditions comprise 10 per cent.
Speaking on the divide between the religious and secular worlds, Kirill noted that the most important question of the 21st century is "whether it is possible or not to balance religious values and secular values". He cited the global imbroglio over cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, first published in European newspapers, that sparked violence in some parts of the world, as such an example.
"I still have an idea that these values may be balanced," said Kirill. "Of course, that requires very hard work, but I think it's something which may be done."