Anglican Communion News Service

As the politicians fail to negotiate peace in Palestine and the horrors of that situation continues to escalate at the expense of the entire world, it is time for religious leaders and people of prayer to step in, especially those of the three Abramic faiths viz. Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

We believers in the one true God must surely find common ground and common cause. If inter-faith dialogue can work in this country it can work in the Holy Land, where there is a critical need to address religious factionalism. Until we, who claim to serve God, attain mutual respect and love, what hope is there in the political arena?

We know that inter-faith co-operation is possible. I, for example, enjoy an excellent relationship with both Jewish and Muslim leaders on the Interfaith Commission on Violence in the Western Cape. As a nation, we have proved that negotiated settlement is possible and the religious among us know the power of prayer.

It is my prayerful hope that all believers will join me, and our global counterparts, in a prayer campaign that will ultimately see the world's religious leaders step in to achieve what appears to be impossible off a political base.

It is a God-given responsibility that we dare not shirk.