Hindus laud Lutheran World Federation for its call to other religions of developing 'common vision'

Nevada (US), July 23 (ANI): Hindus have applauded Lutheran World Federation (LWF) for its call to different religions to develop a common vision of solidarity, respect, justice, and compassion.

According to reports, LWF President Rev. Mark S. Hanson, addressing the Eleventh LWF Assembly (July 20-27) in Stuttgart (Germany) on July 21, said: ... demands that people of different religious convictions develop a common vision of solidarity, respect, justice, and compassion... the other is no longer the 'other,' the alien, but becomes a friend, a companion struggling for peace and justice in convivincia (coexistence).

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, pointed out that serious and honest interfaith dialogue was the need of the hour. 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, Zed stressed.

Rajan Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, hoped that LWF would work for promoting interfaith dialogue and cooperating in common causes such as peace, ecological responsibility, social development, etc., with different religions and denominations. Dialogue brought us mutual enrichment and helped us overcome prejudices passed down to us from previous generations, Zed added.

The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund (Sweden) and currently headquartered in Geneva (Switzerland), LWF claims to represent about 70 million Lutherans in 79 countries and 140 member churches. The Bible, the three Ecumenical Creeds and the confessions of the Lutheran Church form the LWF's doctrinal basis. Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko is General Secretary.

Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal. (ANI)