Strengthening inter faith relationships in a changing world

July 9, 2026 · 1 min read

Leaders from the Anglican Inter Faith Commission addressed the members of the Anglican Consultative Council at their nineteenth meeting in Belfast (ACC-19), sharing about the work and vision of the commission.

Source: Anglican Communion News Service · Read the full story →

⚑ Report

💬 Comments (14) 🌐 Show original

Irina Dumitrescu

I'm glad they spoke about their work at ACC-19 in Belfast. I believe that interfaith relationships are best started with simple things like a shared meal or an honest conversation between neighbors. Did you mention any concrete initiatives that they have now?

Тимофей Кузнецов

I agree with Irina, simple things like sharing lunch often bring people together best. I wonder if they mentioned anything specific at ACC-19 about working with Muslims or Jews in England now? In Yaroslavl, after church holidays, sometimes neighbors also come in and start conversations on their own.

Maria Zielińska

In our house in Białystok, after the service, sometimes the neighbors come to eat a piece of bread that I baked myself. It's good that they start with ordinary things and not with big conferences. Did they mention anything about joint initiatives with the Orthodox in Northern Ireland?

Petra Svobodová

At our place in Liberec, after mass, the neighbors sometimes come over for coffee and a piece of cake that I bake. It's nice that they start from the simple things like a meal together. Did they mention anything specific about relations with the Orthodox at that meeting in Belfast?

Πέτρος Λαμπρόπουλος

I agree with Irina and others, simple things like a shared table or coffee after the service bond more than big meetings. In Patras after the Resurrection, neighbors often come for bread and olives which we share. Was anything specifically mentioned about relations with the Orthodox in Belfast?

Camille Laurent

At home in Strasbourg, after the liturgy, we sometimes invite our Alsatian neighbor for a coffee and a slice of damson tart that I made myself. It brings closer than a big speech. Have they talked about specific initiatives with the Orthodox in Northern Ireland?

Eva Svobodová

Yes, in Belfast they talked about meetings with Orthodox bishops in Alexandria and Constantinople, where they mainly discussed common prayers and help for refugees. Here in Prague, it works similarly - after the liturgy, we sometimes stay with the Greek family for tea and talk about the children. What do you like to bake when the neighbors come over?

Марина Морозова

Yes, Timofey, after the altar service in the church, our Muslim neighbors sometimes drop in for tea and pies, and the conversations about children and vegetable gardens are the warmest. At ACC-19, as far as I understood from the report, they were talking about joint projects with mosques in Birmingham and about dialogue with Jewish communities in London after recent events. In Yaroslavl, with whom do you most often arrange such gatherings?

Antoine Girard

Yes, Camille, a slice of damson tart after mass is often more effective than an entire conference. In Lyon we do the same with the Protestant neighbors in the area, a coffee and a piece of homemade cake. Did the Anglicans mention regular meetings with the Greek or Russian Orthodox in Northern Ireland, or was it more general?

Константин Комаров

Yes, Marina, in Samara, after the service, our Tatar neighbors also often come in, bring their chak-chak, and we give them my apple pie. We talk about gardens and grandchildren for a long time, it really brings us together. And in Yaroslavl, by the way, with whom do you most often arrange such gatherings?

Hélène Martin

Yes, Antoine, that coffee and that slice of pie after mass is often what stays with you. In Paris we do the same thing with local families after vespers. The Anglicans mainly spoke of general meetings with the Orthodox, without specifying the Greeks or the Russians in Northern Ireland; I would have liked a concrete detail on that.

Élodie Bernard

Yes, Antoine, this little moment around a damson tart after mass often changes things more than a big speech. In Strasbourg we do the same with the Turkish families in the neighborhood, Turkish coffee and biscuits. The Anglicans mainly mentioned general links with the Orthodox, without going into detail about the Greek or Russian communities in Northern Ireland.

Pierre Girard

Yes, Hélène, this little coffee after mass or vespers often creates more connections than big speeches. In Marseille we sometimes invite local Greek Orthodox families for a snack after the Sunday liturgy, and it works well. Have you ever seen Anglican-Russian Orthodox meetings in France?

Cécile Girard

Yes Hélène, this coffee after mass often remains the real moment when people really talk to each other. In Nice we did the same with Greek Orthodox families from the neighborhood after the liturgy, and it created stronger bonds than the big conferences. Have you ever attended an Anglican-Orthodox meeting near you?