Tom Ryan observes that the Church has a mission in the world, a job to do—evangelization, social justice, peace-making, combatting the challenge of secularism—and that the most effective way for the churches to address these tasks is by working together rather than alone.

Kelly Fassett shares various inspiring initiatives that are being undertaken in the Boston region towards racial, educational, housing and economic  justice and the nurturing of friendships across churches for accountability and support in peoples’ day-to-day lives.

John Borelli reflects on how Fratelli Tutti is the first major papal document after Vatican II primarily arising from interreligious experiences, with interreligious dialogue and cooperation as its impetus, and religious pluralism as a context for social friendship. 

• Tear Down These Walls by John Armstrong, who has devoted three decades to the work of Christian unity. His story and ministry are reflected in this memoir of a life devoted to unity.  $23 – 40% discount available until Oct 1 with the promo code UNITY. 2 min. video about the book.
• Transforming Interreligious Relations by Leo D. Lefebure, a professor of theology at Georgetown University, who shares what he has learned from his involvement  with Jews, Muslims, and Asian religious communities, and the implications of his learnings for contemporary Catholic identity  and spirituality (Orbis Books). 

• Online talk and dialogue on Receptive Ecumenism:  On September 17, 10-11:30am, Dr. Paul Murray, a lay-Catholic theologian, will give a talk on Receptive Ecumenism which focuses on what we might learn and receive from our ecumenical partners as we grow together in the Church of Christ, as well as its implications and applications on a local level. This free 1.5 hr session will include time for dialogue and questions. More info and registration.

• Baptists and Catholics Together?  September 22, 1pm ET. Join Baptist ecumenist Steven Harmon and Catholic ecumenist Paul Murray as they discuss Catholic-Baptist relations and how the Baptist-Catholic encounter can benefit the whole Christian community. 

• The 8th Parliament of the World’s Religions– hosted for the first time virtually Oct 16-18, will bring together people of faith from around the world. The virtual Parliament is a safe way to gather the world’s global interfaith movement and celebrate the enduring spirit and work of religious and spiritual communities striving toward a more just, peaceful, and sustainable world. The 2021 Parliament will not only provide attendees 48 hours of programming but the opportunity to access all the programming free with your registration for 30 days on the Accelevents platform after October 18th. This means re-watching all the plenaries, experiencing all the featured religious and spiritual observances, and attending all featured programs at the touch of a button. For more info about the program and schedule, and to register, click here. 

• New 2022 date decided for World Council of Churches 11th Assembly: The executive committee of the World Council of Churches (WCC) has approved a new date for the WCC 11th Assembly, which will now be held in Karlsruhe, Germany, from 31 August – 8 September 2022. Originally planned for 2021, the event was postponed by one year because of the gravity and uncertainties related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Inner Freedom