In the aftermath of the events of 11 September 2001, there is an urgent need for solidarity between Christians and Muslims to be expressed concretely and as part of ongoing processes of dialogue and relationship. There have already been many responses to this need, through meetings, interfaith worship services, and gestures such as leaving flowers at each other�s houses of worship. Such signs of mutual respect and care for one another must continue.

At the same time, we need to be careful not to exaggerate the extent to which �the world has changed and will change� after the terrorist attacks in the USA. The world has always been a dangerous place, in which human beings are capable of great evil. We have received a very shocking reminder of these realities - the horrific violence, the fear of it and the sense of vulnerability. Many in our world are quite familiar with these things in their daily lives. There were, however, some key differences on this occasion. The cameras were there to broadcast it live, and it took place in a nation which both its citizens and other nations had considered immune from such attack.

For Christians and Muslims, the days to come must be a time of reflection about what religious faith means in a world of violence. A question before us is: Where is our ultimate loyalty? How can we bear witness first and foremost to a God who loves the whole world, rather than to one who is bound to certain national, cultural, or political allegiances?

The intent of the �Is!amic-Christian Summit� is �to indicate a path of dialogue towards new peaceful conditions between Christians and Muslims.� That requires us to articulate the distinctive and common understandings and commitments that arise out of our respective religious traditions.

We also must engage in self-examination that leads to acknowledgement and confession of how our traditions have been misused to justify violence against others, and guard against this occurring in the future.

The LWF has been engaged for many years in interfaith dialogue with Muslims and those of other faiths. Such dialogue is itself an expression of genuine faith in God. It is a living witness in words, deeds and celebrations of faith, which cross the walls that separate us. We are called to love the neighbor who may be of another faith, to relate with them, attempting to understand their spirituality and religious experiences. Although people of different faiths may be reluctant to discuss doctrine, they often are eager to find ways to worship together. Such a dialogue and relationship cannot and should not be isolated from its social and -political implications. Through such dialogue and relationships we can give witness to the common humanity and God-given dignity that we share, and which the policies of our political leaders should reflect. Dialogue and its outcomes are not the sole responsibility of politicians and diplomats, but must engage our communities at the people-to-people level.

The outlook for promoting peace and justice must necessarily be long-term and wide in its focus. The short-term, narrowly-focused perspective on military and geo-political objectives has failed so often, that the historical lesson can no longer be avoided. Our common response must be in the direction of addressing the injustices, and circumstances of deprivation that provide a constituency for fanaticism. We must take seriously the injunction to love our neighbour as ourselves.

In the light of today�s realities, interfaith dialogue and relationships between people of different faiths have to continue, because such dialogue and relationships are themselves expressions of genuine faith in God. It is urgently important to create a climate of confidence in order to initiate and develop a dialogue that builds bridges of mutual trust and respect and destroys walls of hostility.

The ultimate purpose of our reflection and dialogue is to hear what God has to tell us through our different traditions, to discover together the grace and the will of God and to renounce any attitudes that legitimize religiously-based conquest. We need to testify concretely and sufficiently to the love of God in our daily life and how it guides our responses.

It is my hope that this meeting will lead to a common expression of the limits and errors of both sides, on the basis of which God can pardon, reconcile and liberate us from our desire to conquer. We must denounce all those ways in which religion has been used to alienate, oppress, exploit and manipulate human beings It must avoid becoming identified with a specific ideology. Let us work together in quest of the peace that grows out of more just and trusting relationships between human beings, cultures and nations. Without justice and trust there can be no peace.