Hindus have praised Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew for voicing the need of inter-religious dialogue and urged him to organize the much needed world religious summit.
Acclaimed Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, applauded emphasis on inter-religious dialogue by His All Holiness Archbishop Bartholomew at the opening of three-day Synaxix at Istanbul (Turkey) today, which Bartholomew described as an “obligation” and adding “one that we must surely fulfill”.
Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, commended Bartholomew’s statement on the occasion of “…we must develop initiatives of reconciliation wherever conflicts among people either loom or erupt… need to assume the role of peacemaker within a world torn by conflicts…”
Serious and honest interfaith dialogue was the need of the hour and Bartholomew, who is Patriarch of the second largest Christian denomination of the world, should take the lead in organizing one, and should invite leaders of major world religions and denominations to his Istanbul headquarters and initiate the dialogue, Zed pointed out.
Religion was the most powerful, complex and far-reaching force in our society, so we must take it seriously. And we all knew that religion comprised much more than our own particular tradition/experience, Rajan Zed stressed.
Zed suggested that after intensive deliberations, this meeting of world religious leaders should come up with a concrete plan about the common religious concerns like human improvement, peace, ecological responsibility, social & economic development, etc. Maybe this gathering could become an annual feature after that, he added.
Rajan Zed further says that in our shared pursuit for the truth, we can learn from one another and thus can arrive nearer to the truth. This dialogue may help us vanquish the stereotypes, prejudices, caricatures, etc., passed on to us from previous generations. As dialogue brings us reciprocal enrichment, we shall be spiritually richer than before the contact.
His All Holiness, Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch is the 270th successor to the Apostle Andrew and spiritual leader of about 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide
Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion followers. Moksha (liberation) is the ultimate goal of Hinduism
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