Hindus have welcomed the efforts of Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark (ELCD) at interfaith dialogue. Distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, commended the ELCD efforts at “dialogue cafés" with people from different religious backgrounds and its focus on “building bridges". Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, stressed that serious and honest interfaith dialogue was the need of the hour. Religion was the most powerful, complex and far-reaching force in our society, so we must take it seriously. And we all knew that religion comprised much more than our own particular tradition/experience. Rajan Zed noted the ELCD directive of “talk with each other instead of talking about each other" and its belief that “personal encounter with someone of another faith can build a bridge". “It is a step in the right direction," Zed said. Rajan Zed stated that all religions should work together for a just and peaceful world. Dialogue would bring us mutual enrichment, Zed added. Zed, however, pointed out that as ELCD was regarded as “the church of the people”, it needed to work more for the rights of minorities and other voiceless people. Moreover, religion told us to help the helpless. ELCD is the “official national church" of Denmark where Christianity was introduced in 960 CE. Her Majesty Danish Queen Margrethe Alexandrine Þorhildur Ingrid is the supreme authority. Peter Skov-Jakobsen is Bishop of Copenhagen. Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world, has about one billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal.
