Philippine webinar discusses role of interfaith talks, cooperation on maintaining religious values

Morteza Sabouri, Iran’s cultural attaché in Manila rejected those who interpret religious texts based on the literal meanings or those who disrespect religions under the pretext of freedom and rationality, reported Taqrib News Agency (TNA).

He said the webinar aimed to shed more light on different aspects of interfaith cooperation for religious teachings.

Hujjat-ul-Islam Hosseini Kouhsari, international deputy of seminaries, in this online meeting said interfaith dialogues should not be held on particular occasions but they should be conducted among all people with different ideologies.

He referred to three interpretations based on interfaith meetings: all religions should be interwoven to reach one religion; one should depend upon commonalities of all religions, religious pluralism which highlights commonalities and differences among religions.

Senior cleric called Islam and Christianity as close faiths and counted love and affection as two major themes in Christianity.

He noted expansion of interfaith dialogues as a mission of religious leaders and stressed,” To hold joint educational courses and further focus on interfaith dialogue and cooperation will open the ways for more mutual understanding between Islam and Christianity.”