Global Interfaith Dialog (03:44)

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On the fifth anniversary of 9/11, 1,800 delegates from 80 countries gathered at the Congress of World Religions in Montreal to spend a week in ecumenical dialogue. Will they share common values?

Global Religions: Unity or Disunity? (02:25)

A spiritual leader from India talks of the need for individuals to expand their identities and to focus on the unity behind all diversity. Another speaker argues that humans tend to distance themselves from one another.

Religious Diversity/Religious Identity (04:50)

Harvard Divinity School’s Harvey Cox remains cautious about using labels to describe people and their beliefs. Members of widely diverse religious groups nevertheless see themselves as the godly and all the others as the godless.

Diverse Religions/Common Foundations (03:16)

Religious mythologist Karen Armstrong discusses the underlying and similar structures of belief in the variety of religions.

Religion: Cultural Consciousness and Radicalism (03:23)

Yifa, recipient of the UN’s Outstanding Women in Buddhism Award discusses the need to study ourselves and the role of cultural consciousness in religions. Nobel Laureate Shirin Ebadi speaks about the "clash of civilizations" and rise of religious violence.

Opposition to Religious Pluralism (01:50)

All religious groups must acknowledge the destabilizing action/reaction spiral of violence, and the misuse of religion for political ends. Many will not accept religious pluralism out of feelings of alienation and "otherness."

UN Declaration of Human Rights (02:50)

Huston Smith, philosopher of world religions, recalls the establishment of the United Nations and "The Universal Declaration of Human Rights." The Congress of the World's Religions drafts a new declaration that is less preferential to the West.

Radical Poverty/Need for Compassion (02:13)

Deepak Chopra, president of the Alliance for a New Humanity, expresses concern about the radical poverty that exists in many parts of the world. Such extremes between the rich and power cause violence. All people must show compassion to each other.