“Who Do We Say That We Are?”

Abstract This article discusses the work of the World Council of Churches (WCC) in developing an understanding of Christian self‐understanding in the context of religious plurality, setting out a Christian theological rationale for interreligious dialogue. Against the background of serious questioning in the latter decades of the 20th century of the place of interreligious dialogue in an organization such as the WCC, the focus had been more on building up practical relationships than trying to arrive at a theological understanding that could be shared by the fellowship of churches within the WCC. The experience of the 9/11 attacks in the United States led to a realization that grappling more deeply with the question of Christian identity in the context of plurality was also a necessary endeavour. This led to discussions at the WCC assemblies in 2006 and 2013 and the publication of the document Who Do We Say That We Are? Christian Identity in a Multi‐Religious World , suggesting ways in which faith is deepened and new vistas opened on traditional Christian faith commitments through interreligious dialogue and engagement.