January 26, 2005
By Micael Vier B.

PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil – The question of God, the emergence of fundamentalisms and religious plurality in a globalized world are major challenges to religions, said Lutheran Theologian Vitor Westehell, of the Chicago Theological Faculty during the I World Forum on Theology and Liberation (FMTL).

The Catholic Bishop of Jales, Sao Paulo, Demetrio Valentini, noted that current reality emphasizes the importance of theology. He said that theology that has no impact on reality and no social concerns is worthless.

The forum took place just before the World Social Forum which will run until January 31. Some 200 theologians from around the world participated.

During the event, Mexican theologian Elsa Tamez condemned the feminization of poverty around the world and the recent murders of women in Guatemala and Mexico. What is the Church doing about this, she asked?

At the same time, the director of the Institute of Dialogue with Cultures and Religions of Chennai, India, Jesuit Michael Amaladoss, condemned the use of religion to justify repressive policies such as apartheid in South Africa and the caste system in India.

Religions and ideologies should not be obstacles for collaboration among humanity, he said. He noted that Hinduism went through a period of reform in the face of the impact from Christianity in the XIX Century and said that all religious should participate in building another possible world, as the World Social Forum proclaims.

Latin American and Caribbean News Agency