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God is at work in the religious life of all humanity.

The praying room of the Nasr Ol Molk Mosque
Credit: dynamosquito

We are called to love our neighbour . The United Church, believing that God is at work in the religious life of all humanity, has long been involved in interfaith dialogue and action to build respectful mutual relationships.

Whole World Ecumenism

Mending the World (1997) articulates the broad principles of whole world ecumenism: an emphasis on churches relating to the world beyond themselves to people involved in other religious traditions, ideologies, and secular agencies. The United Church of Canada joins with other people of good will in the search for justice, wholeness, and love.

These principles continue to inform our interfaith work. We set out to build relationships with different faiths, listen deeply to each other, work through issues and learn from our differences, and open up to new possibilities for working together.

United Church‒Jewish Relations

Bearing Faithful Witness (1997) contains the Statement on United Church-Jewish Relations Today, which was approved at General Council in 2003.

In this statement we acknowledge a history of anti-Judaism in Christian biblical interpretation, theology, and action. We affirm the significance of Judaism as at once a religion, a people, and a covenant community. Rooted in our common calling to God’s world-mending work, the statement encourages all in the church to seek opportunities to meet with Jews and to learn about modern Judaism, to continue to study significant issues, to resist antisemitism and anti-Judaism in church and society, and to create worship opportunities to highlight the Jewish–Christian relationship.

United Church‒Muslim Relations

That We May Know Each Other: United Church-Muslim Relations Today (2005) resulted in the Statement on United Church-Muslim Relations Today that was approved in 2006.

The statement acknowledges a history of hostility and misunderstanding between Christians and Muslims, and recognizes Islam as a religion of peace, mercy, justice, and compassion. It names a shared theological heritage as Abrahamic religions but also acknowledges the particular gifts of Islam to a global tapestry of insight into God’s work in the world . We are encouraged to work with Muslims and others for peace and justice for all humanity.

United Church‒Hindu Relations

Honouring the Divine in Each Other: United Church-Hindu Relations Today (2016) is the basis of the Statement on United Church-Hindu Relations Today that was approved at General Council in 2018.

The statement expresses regret for the church’s condemnation of Hindu worship practices in our missionary history, its condemnation of the language of idolatry, and its complicity in colonialism. The statement expresses respect for the richness of Hindu philosophical traditions and their variety of expressions of divinity. And it encourages opportunities for learning from each other and for mutual transformation in faith and action.

Interfaith Dialogue Organizations

The United Church participates in interfaith dialogue and action through local, national, and global organizations.

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