Forum for World Religions | Forum für Weltreligionen

Ecumenical research- and workcenter for interreligious dialogue and interreligious cooperation

Initiator
The idea for the Forum for World Religions originates with Cardinal Karl König. It was inspired by the Afro-Asian Institute (AAI) Vienna founded by Dr Andreas Bsteh SCD in 1962. In 1985, Prof. Msgr. Petrus Bsteh (then member of the commission Islam en Europe of the CCEE) suggested a “Contact Point for World Religions” which the Roman-Catholic Church agreed to establish. As rector of the AAI, Msgr. Bsteh was appointed head of the initiative. Until 2010, the initiative worked under the authority of the Bishops´ Conference. In the same year, it became independent, changed name to Forum für Weltreligionen, and has functioned as a research- and workplace cooperating with the Ecumenical Council of the Churches in Austria since.

Occasion
Founding the Forum was prompted by the wish to create a contact point for world religions and to realize dialogue-related mandates stipulated by the Second Vatican Council (Nostra Aetate).  

Target Groups
The Forum focuses on theological as well as religio-political dialogues. Focal points include the Abrahamic religions and the dialogue with monistic religions and systems. Encounters are being sought with all religions. Exchange and cooperations relating to relevant topics are being supported.

The initiative primarily addresses professionals working with people from different religious backgrounds, multipliers, journalists, politicians, educators, spiritual care-givers, church leaders and, where possible, those generally interested.

Objectives
Major objectives include enhancement of communication between religious communities on a theological level (Austria and Europe), thereby deepening people´s knowledge about their own traditions and religions. The initiative also contributes to the analysis and critical reappraisal of historical conflicts and misunderstandings. FWR promotes communication of religious leaders and integration and preservation of diversity. It takes an active part in social dialogue and the discourse on integration. 

Topics (selection)

  • Enhancing interreligious dialogue competences
  • Dialog of Spiritualities (directed especially at religious orders, religious communities and religious movements)
  • Significance of religions in Europe
  • Peace-building
  • Advanced training programs for multipliers
  • Theological enhancement of the relations between Judaism, Christianity and Islam
  • Dialogues between monotheistic and monistic religions.

Duration
The Forum was founded in 1986 and has been active since.

Activities
The Forum offers a broad spectrum of activities relating to science, research, education and academic encounters:

  • AGORA – educational program offered by the FWR (each semester)
  • Symposiums
  • Abrahamitischer Freundeskreis (a bimonthly meeting of Jews, Muslims and Christians)
  • Colloquium Oecumenicum – talks and dialogues of theologians (ecumenical) to specific topics, reflecting Christian beliefs in comparison to those of other world religions
  • Series of conferences “Spiritualitäten im Dialog – Ordenscharismen und ihr Potential für Dialog“ (talks and discussions on order charisms and their potential contributions to dialogue)
  • Annual monotheism conference in memory of Hermann Stieglecker as well as relating publications
  • Academies on the occasion of the Kurt Schubert Memorial Award
  • Publication series “Spiritualität im Dialog” (Lit-Verlag)
  • Research projects Monotheism and Stieglecker Archives
  • Research Project “Wegbereiter des interreligiösen Dialogs“ (precursors of interreligious dialogue)
  • Development of the Alberta Lücker Archive in regard to the history of dialogue in Europe
  • Lectures upon request (in educational institutions, theological courses, military pastoral care, religious orders, universities and parishes)
  • The project “Charisms and Religions”
  • Venue of the World Conference of Religions for Peace (WCRP) Austria, cooperation with the Board of Religions for Peace Europe, organization of transnational conferences

The Forum also has a library specializing in religions and dialogue.

Form of Organization
The Forum functions as an independent research- and workplace. It is a non-profit association with networks. Contacts and connections have been established to

  • Worldwide institutions
    • World Conference of Religions for Peace (NGO, New York)
  • Institutions in other European countries
    • Journées d'Arras (pan-European ecumenical platform for the Christian-Islamic dialogue)
    • International Council for Christians and Jews, Martin Buber Haus, Heppenheim
    • Christlich Muslimisches Begegnungs- und Dokumentationszentrum – CIBEDO (Christian-Muslim center for encounter and documentation), Frankfurt
  • Austrian institutions
    • Department of Legal Philosophy, University of Vienna
    • Austrian Society for Religious Studies
    • Department of Religious Studies, University of Vienna
    • Department of Religious Education, University of Vienna
    • The Institute for Religion and Peace of the Military Ordinariate
    • The Coordination Committee for Christian-Jewish Cooperation (Koordinierungsausschuss für christlich-jüdische Zusammenarbeit)
    • The Platform for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence (Plattform für eine Kultur des Friedens und der Gewaltfreiheit)
    • The Institute for Medical Ethics and Law, University of Vienna
    • The Association of Catholic Academics (Katholischer Akademikerverband)
    • The Institute for Intercultural Theology and the Study of Religion (Institut für Interkulturelle Theologie und Studium der Religionen), University of Salzburg
    • Ecumenical Council of the Churches in Austria (Ökumenischer Rat der Kirchen in Österreich)
    • Religious-Theological Research Institute of St. Gabriel, Mödling (Religionstheologisches Forschungsinstitut der Hochschule St. Gabriel, Mödling
    • Pro Oriente
    • The Catholic Social Academy of Austria (Katholische Sozialakademie Österreichs)

Funding
Donations, public subsidies, sales of publications as well as professional fees.

Products
Religious studies / theological journal „Religionen unterwegs“

Book publications since 2018:

  • Diaspora als monotheistische Weise der Weltpräsenz (2018)
  • Wegbereiter des interreligiösen Dialogs II (2018)
  • Wegbereiter des interreligiösen Dialogs Band III (2019)
  • New edition of „Glaubenslehren des Islam“ by Hermann Stieglecker (2021)
  • Monotheismus. Interreligiöse Gespräche im Umfeld moderner Gottesfragen im Anschluss an Hermann Stieglecker (2021)
  • Calendar of the World Religions, published in September for the following year
  • Commemorative publications on occasion of the Kurt Schubert Memorial Award
  • Books/ publications in cooperation with external authors or institutions

Website | Social Media | Contact
www.weltreligionen.at
Facebook: Forum für Weltreligionen - Startseite | Facebook
Twitter: Forum Weltreligionen (@ForumWeltrel) / Twitter

Meeting Forum and library (open upon request – non-lending library)
Grundsteingasse 30
A-1160 Wien

E-mail: forum@weltreligionen.at

Director: Prof. Petrus Bsteh; Management: Mag. Dr Brigitte M. Proksch
Stranzenberggasse 9B (Fasangartengasse 101)
A-1130 Wien

T: +43 1 3178470
E-mail: forum@weltreligionen.at

 

editor: jl / update: jb / bs 2022