Interfaith Dialogue and Religious Conflict

Religious difference has been linked to both conflict and cooperation. Historians note that conflicts labeled 'religious', such as the Thirty Years' War or the Troubles in Northern Ireland, usually also involved politics, land, ethnicity and power, so religion is one factor among several. At the same time, modern movements have built bridges.

The 1893 World's Parliament of Religions in Chicago is often seen as the start of organized interfaith dialogue. In 1965 the Catholic Church's declaration Nostra Aetate expressed respect for other religions and rejected blaming Jews collectively for Jesus's death, transforming Catholic–Jewish relations.

In 1986 Pope John Paul II invited leaders of many faiths to pray for peace at Assisi, and in 2007 Muslim scholars issued 'A Common Word Between Us and You', inviting Christians to dialogue based on love of God and neighbor. Interfaith work today ranges from theological discussion to joint service projects, showing how communities can cooperate while keeping distinct beliefs.