Princeton Seminary President a Consulting Scholar at Archbishop of Canterbury’s Consultation on Christian-Muslim Engagement

Princeton, NJ, June 6, 2008–Dr. Iain Torrance, president of Princeton Theological Seminary, participated as a consulting scholar at a June 1–3 ecumenical gathering convened by the Archbishop of Canterbury to discuss Christian-Muslim engagement.

Torrance was one of twenty scholars from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and the United States who served as resources to the consultation. He participated both as the representative of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) and as one of the invited scholars.

The consultation, held at Church House, Westminster, in London, brought together more than forty participants from a broad range of geographical, cultural, and denominational settings. Archbishop Rowan Williams expressed his gratitude that so many had taken the “opportunity for church leaders and scholars representing the geographical and confessional diversity of Christianity to discuss together the current experience of dialogue with Muslims for the sake of peace in our common home.”

Williams referred to the importance of the document A Common Word, a 2007 open letter from Muslim scholars addressed to leaders of world Christianity that declares the common ground between Christianity and Islam.

Torrance commented:

“In a world fraught with religious tension, the document A Common Word between Us and You came as a gesture of good will. It is to be seen as a gift, coming from a culture in which gifts are given in part to transform relationships.

A gift given calls for a gift in return, again as a token of changed relationships. After A Common Word, it was important for the Christians to whom it was addressed to respond in some appropriate way.

The Archbishop of Canterbury invited every addressee of A Common Word either to attend him/herself or to send a representative to Lambeth. A letter in response to A Common Word had been carefully drafted in advance. The Lambeth consultation, aided by a group of scholars who were also invited, took careful stock of the draft letter, which will, with further changes, subsequently be issued by the Archbishop. Other churches, as they feel able, over time, will, it is hoped, add their names.

I was in Lambeth both as the representative of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and as one of the invited scholars. I had been involved in the drafting process. My hope and prayer is that a response, written with equal generosity and expectation and challenge, may begin to transform relations between Christians and Muslims.

I was not there because I am president of Princeton Theological Seminary but because of relationships first formed many years ago. None the less, as I am president of Princeton Theological Seminary, I most sincerely hope that this great institution may play a role in building trust, offering hospitality, and learning repentantly in our relations with Islam.”

Torrance added: “One element of our response will be to host a session of Scriptural Reasoning at Princeton Theological Seminary in July, an event enabled by a grant from the F.I.S.H. Foundation.” For more information about the Scriptural Reasoning project, visit http://www.scripturalreasoning.org/.

Princeton Theological Seminary was founded in 1812 as the first seminary established by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church. It is the largest Presbyterian seminary in the country, with more than 700 students in seven graduate degree programs.