FINAL DECLARATION FROM SYMPOSIUM ON RELIGIONS FOR PEACE

VATICAN CITY, FEB 11, 2003 (VIS) - The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue organized a symposium in Rome from January 16 to 18 on the theme "Spiritual resources of the Religions for Peace." According to the Final Declaration that was made public today, "38 participants from 15 countries dedicated themselves to exploring the rich resources of religions (Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Sikhism, Zoroastrianism) for peace.

Following are some excerpts from that declaration, written in English:

"As conflicts divide neighbors and nations and the threat of war hangs over us like a shadow," says the Declaration, "too many people see and employ religion as a force of divisiveness and violence, rather than a force for unity and peace."

"The talk of war has intensified in recent months, but there has not been much increase in the talk of peace."

"We hold that the scriptures of each religion teach the path to peace, but we acknowledge that our various sacred writings have often been and continue to be used to justify violence, war, and exclusion of others. Our various communities cannot ignore such passages which have often been misinterpreted or manipulated for unworthy goals such as power, wealth or revenge, but we must all recognize the need for new, contextual studies and a deeper understanding of our various scriptures that clearly enunciate the message and value of peace for all humanity."

"Believers need to examine those scriptural passages that depict people of other religions in ways that conflict with their own self-understanding."

"Spiritual resources for peace include not only our scriptural foundations, but also the example of our fellow believers who, down through history, have taught peace and acted as peacemakers."

"The spiritual resources for peace also include interreligious encounters which have helped many to come together to learn about each other's religious beliefs and shared values, and to discover the possibility of living and working together to build societies of justice and peace."

"Opting for peace does not mean a passive acquiescence in evil or a compromising of principle. It demands an active struggle against hatred, oppression and disunity, but not by using methods of violence. Building peace requires creative and courageous action. A commitment to peace is a labor of patience and perseverance. It involves as well as a readiness to examine self-critically the relationship of our traditions to those social, economic and political structures which are frequently agents of violence and injustice."

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