Paras Romoutar
TRINIDAD, February 13, 2006: Trinidadian-born Dr. Anantanand Rambachan is now in Brazil to address the Ninth Assembly of the World Council of Churches, February 14 to 23. Dr. Rambachan, brother of the mayor of Chaguanas, Dr. Surujrattan Rambachan, is Professor of Religion at St. Olaf College (http://www.stolaf.edu/), of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The assembly, held once every seven years, is the legislative body of the World Council of Churches. He is one of 15 guests from non-Christian religions invited to attend. Dr. Rambachan said that his participation in the Assembly will present him with, “an opportunity to understand better the issues that are important to the Christian Church.” “At the same time, the presence and involvement of people of other faiths reminds us all of the multi-religious character of our world and of our need for each other,” he said. Dr. Rambachan continued: “As a Hindu scholar, I have an unique opportunity to bring to the attention of the gathering some of the concerns of Hindus and to offer a Hindu perspective on various issues.” More than 700 delegates and their advisers (representing 340 Protestant, Anglican, Orthodox, United and other Churches with a combined total of 550 million members) will attend the plenary sessions, hearings and committee meetings that are part of this year’s Assembly. Dr. Rambachan terms the assembly, “a powerful reminder of both the tremendous diversity of the Christian tradition and its unity.” Dr. Rambachan who has lectured throughout Trinidad and Tobago, and the Caribbean, also read from the Ramayan at the Divali Nagar for several years. He has taught at St. Olaf since 1985, and has worked on interfaith issues for more than 25 years, including a long involvement with the WCC and writing for Current Dialogue, the Council’s Interfaith journal. “I represent a Hindu perspective, but one that has been shaped by having grown up in the Western World and teaching within the Liberal Arts context of St. Olaf,” he added.