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National Hindu-Christian Dialogue

The National Hindu-Christian Dialogue began in 2018.  For almost a decade, the National Council of Churches had contemplated this possibility, and in 2017 the organization reached out to The Guibord Center to begin a conversation that led to the co-sponsorship of the dialogue.  This reflected, not only the close relationship between the NCC and TGC, but also the reality that, given the demographics, it was best to ground this dialogue on the west coast.

Participants in the first National Hindu-Christian Dialogue in 2018

Convening the dialogue are the National Council of Churches, The Guibord Center, and the Vedanta Society of Southern California.  Agendas and programs reflect the participating churches’ interest in discussing theological, communal, and social issues.  Building relationships, and indeed friendships, is of course the motivation of the dialogue, as is increasing our understanding of each other’s faiths and communities.  As with each of the NCC’s dialogues, one goal of such increased understanding would be the ability to speak together, and indeed for one another, when needed as issues confront our respective communities.

 

A team of co-conveners representing the coordinating organizations leads the dialogue planning.  These co-conveners include Swami Sarvadevananda and Swami Mahayogananda from the Hindu community; Dr. Don Thorsen, Rev. Dr. Ted Thompson, and Dr. Tony Kireopoulos from the Christian community; and Dr. Lo Sprague from The Guibord Center.