International Theological Conference on the "Promised Land"
Bern, Switzerland
Around 65 theologians and church representatives from member churches of the World Council of Churches (WCC), theological faculties and regional ecumenical organizations will gather in Bern, Switzerland, from 10 to 14 September 2008, in order to reflect on issues such as the "Promised Land", "the Church and Israel" and "Justice and Peace".
The consultation, hosted by the Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches and the Reformed Churches in Bern-Jura-Solothurn, is organized by the WCC in the framework of the Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum (PIEF), which was launched at an International Peace Conference in Amman, Jordan, in June 2007, as the cornerstone of a comprehensive ecumenical advocacy initiative on the Middle East. Delivered at the end of the June 2007 Conference, the Amman Call reminds us that this initiative has been taken in response to three fundamental imperatives that call us to action:
- The ethical and theological imperative for a Just Peace
- The ecumenical imperative for unity in action
- The Gospel imperative for costly solidarity
The Amman Call also states that the "peace building" track will include "furthering theological and biblical perspectives and Christian education resources around those issues central to the conflict". To this end, the consultation will address theological and biblical issues related to the conflict in Palestine/Israel.
WCC Programme "Churches in the Middle East: solidarity and witness for peace"
Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches
