The Commission’s remit is to bring mutual understanding and to build trust between different faith groups where there is ignorance, fear and hostility. It will build on the work done in recent years by NIFCON (the Network for Inter Faith Concerns), working internationally and through five regional groups. These groups will cover:
The Commission will gather research into the engagement of Anglicans around the world with other faiths. There are also plans to develop and share resources to enable Anglicans to better understand other faiths. The Commission will also look at supporting theological colleges and seminaries so their curricula enable students to study and engage with other faiths.
The Archbishop of Canterbury described the Commission’s role as essential to our future at a time when the world was looking for religious leaders to differ without hating. He said Commission brought together the wisest people across the Communion to work on this area in the places of highest tension with the aim of replacing diversity in conflict with diversity in collaboration.
Commission membership
The commission is chaired by Bishop Danald Jute of the Diocese of Kuching, the Church of the Province of South East Asia.
Commission members meet the Grand Imam of al-Azhar al-Sharif in Cairo.