[Anglican Communion News Service] A professor of Christianity and Islam has said, despite headlines about extremist atrocities, many Christians and Muslims worldwide live peacefully as neighbors.

David Thomas is the Nadir Dinshaw Professor of Inter Religious Relations School of Philosophy, Theology and Religion at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom.

He was speaking at the launch of the Anglican Communion’s latest edition of Christian-Muslim Digest – the newsletter of the Anglican Communion’s Network for Inter Faith Concerns (NIFCON).

“Behind the atrocities committed by extremists who say they act in the name of Islam, Christians and Muslims try to live together with respect and cooperation,” he said. “In many places followers of the two faiths succeed in welcoming one another as neighbors and as friends. However, communal life is hampered by insensitive acts on one side or another.”

The first Digest of 2015 records two of these acts and offers incisive reflections by two leading experts. Download the PDF of the Digest here.

The Network for Inter Faith Concerns (NIFCON) of the Anglican Communion exists to encourage:

• Progress towards genuinely open and loving relationships between Christians and people of other faiths.
• Exchange of news, information, ideas and resources relating to inter faith concerns between provinces of the Anglican Communion.
• Local contextual and wider theological reflection.
• Witness and evangelism where appropriate.
• Prayerful and urgent action with all involved in tension and conflict.
• Support for people of faith, especially Christians, who live as religious minorities in situations of discrimination or danger.