Common Code of Conduct on Religious Conversion

The Vatican and the WCC launched a three-year joint study project aimed at developing a shared code of conduct on the controversial issue of religious conversion.

The process began with a consultation that brought together 27 participants comprising representatives from Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, African (Yoruba) Religion and Christianity, who met near Rome in Lariano/Velletri, May 12-16, 2006.

The focus of the meeting was to assess the current reality of religious conversion from an interreligious point of view.

Representatives from each faith tradition were able to share their perspectives and to also relate the issue to experiences from the various contexts from which they came.

It was apparent to all that conversions of persons and communities from one faith to another were not without its problems. In some cases, it is causing strain on interfaith relations, as the community that has lost an adherent may view conversion beyond an individual choice interpreted beyond the framework of personal religious convictions. One religious community may accuse the other of political, economic, or, social motives, where communities are targeted for conversions with the hope of dislodging them from traditional culture and social loyalties.

As the participants prepared to report on their discussions at the end of the Consultation, they were able to affirm that freedom of religion and respect for the other must always be held in creative tension.

“Freedom of religion connotes the freedom, without any obstruction, to practice one’s own faith, freedom to propagate the teachings of one’s faith to people of one’s own and other faiths, and also the freedom to embrace another faith out of one’s own free choice”, the final report affirmed.

But that freedom should never be used to denigrate others, or, that conversion becomes an “obsession” where people become targets to display the numerical expansion of a religion.

To this point the final report unequivocally stated that freedom of religion must also entail, “equally non-negotiable responsibility to respect faiths other than our own, and never to denigrates, vilify or misrepresent them for the purpose of affirming superiority of our faith”. The right to invite others to an understanding of one’s own faith “should not be exercised by violating other’s right and religious sensibilities,” the report explained.

The report put forward a bold recommendation:

“All should heal themselves from the obsession of converting others.” Acknowledging that “errors have been perpetrated and injustice committed by the adherents of every faith”, it suggests that “it is incumbent on every community to conduct honest self-critical examination of its historical record as well as its doctrines.”

As a result of such “self-criticism and repentance”, some reforms should take place in order to ensure a healthier approach to the issue of conversion.

Some of the concrete examples put forward by the report included; discouraging, and rejecting “unethical means”, avoiding taking advantage of “vulnerable people like children and disabled persons”; and, doing humanitarian work “without any ulterior motives.”

Rev. Dr. Hermen Shastri, the General Secretary of the Council of Churches of Malaysia, who attended the Consultation, commented that a lot more patient work still needs to accompany the study process. “Although a convergent understanding of several aspects of the issue of religious conversion emerged at the meeting, many differences and disagreements still need to be worked through,” he said.

“Due to the controversial dimension of the issue, which are played out differently in various contexts around the world, dialogue on the issue should not be dealt with on a confrontational way but in a frank, open and committed way, where partners in dialogue should move away from a ‘some-win, some-lose’ mindset,” he pointed out.

The process that began with the Rome consultation will continue, with more input expected from a wider circle of the people engaged in such issues around the world.

The participants in their report thanked the Vatican and the World Council of Churches for their bold and courageous step in taking on an issue that is controversial, yet needing urgent attention.

The findings of the study process will surely be followed with great interest by all engaged in inter-religious dialogue around the world.