Two Ambitious World Projects: Christian Unity and World Peace

Summarizing these movements of peoples, it can be stated that those who believe in Christ must be One, and those who believe in our common humanity must treat each other as Brothers and Sisters.

For an enormously long, long time now (since 1910?), every year from January 18 to 24, Catholics and Protestants as world organizations, have been celebrating together what is now called Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. It is admirably coordinated by the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity based in Rome and by a Committee of the World Council of Churches based in Geneva.

On 4 February 2020 in the Muslim City of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirate, Pope Francis, speaking for “Christians of the West”, and Ahmed Al Tayebb, Grand Imam from Al – Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt, speaking for “Muslims of the East”, issued a call to ALL to bring about World Peace by Living Together in Human Fraternity (or as Brothers and Sisters).

How can such a worldwide project be possible? The two world religious leaders said it can be done through a lived FORMULA!

They express their plan by stating, “In the name of God, we declare the adoption of a culture of dialogue as the path; mutual cooperation as the code of conduct; reciprocal understanding as method and standard.” How to make this Formula a Living Experience?

Pope Francis issued Fratelli Tutti as his own answer. He even subtitled his Encyclical Letter with “On Fraternity and Social Friendship”. More on this in the next Shalom.