The Vatican and other Christian representatives have issued a series of recommendations for evangelization in multifaith societies, rejecting aggressive or coercive methods but defending the right to profess, propagate or change one\u2019s religion.<\/p>\n
The principles were outlined June 28 in a document titled, \u201cChristian Witness in a Multi-Religious World: Recommendations for Conduct,\u201d issued jointly by the Pontifical Council for the Interreligious Dialogue, the World Council of Churches and the World Evangelical Alliance.<\/p>\n
\u201cChristian witness in a pluralistic world includes engaging in dialogue with people of different religions and cultures,\u201d the document said. It added that while every Christian has the duty to witness to Christ, \u201cconversion is ultimately the work of the Holy Spirit.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf Christians engage in inappropriate methods of exercising mission by resorting to deception and coercive means, they betray the Gospel and may cause suffering to others,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n
The document was the product of five years of consultations by some 40 experts in ecumenical and interreligious dialogue. Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, the head of the Vatican\u2019s interreligious council, said defining the principles was \u201cnot easy\u201d but that the final text was important and should now be studied by Christian communities around the world.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s very important that religions, especially Christianity, appear not as a source of division but a source of solidarity and communion,\u201d he told Vatican Radio. An essential point, he said, was that witnessing the Gospel cannot be an \u201caggressive campaign.\u201d<\/p>\n
The document strongly emphasized that exploitation of situations of poverty and need has no place in Christian outreach.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Read more. <\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Christian leaders including the Vatican, have agreed on guidelines. Details: The Vatican and other Christian representatives have issued a series of recommendations for evangelization in multifaith societies, rejecting aggressive or coercive methods but defending the right to profess, propagate or change one\u2019s religion. The principles were outlined June 28 in a document titled, \u201cChristian Witness […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":132,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[328],"class_list":["post-4783","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-interfaith-news","tag-evangelization"],"yoast_head":"\n
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