Missionary Activities and Human Rights
OBS! The draft version of the "Code of Conduct for Missionary Activities" is now published for hearing. We would very much like to hear your comments - please send them to the secretariat. The deadline for your contributions is the 1st. May.
- The web format of the draft Code of Conduct
- The Word forma of the draft Code of Conduct (right-click to download)
- background documents to the draft Code of Conduct (including accounts of different religions' approach to missionary work)
Project group: Gard Lindseth (group chair) Church of Norway Council on Ecumenical and International Relations - Egil Lothe the Norwegian Buddhist Association, Dag Nygaard - The Council of Religious and Life Stance Communities in Norway, Gard Lindseth - Church of Norway Council on Ecumenical and International Relations
Referansegruppe: Lars Gule - the Norwegian Humanist Association and the Oslo College, Bjørn A. Wegge - Norwegian Missions to the East, Ernst Harbakk - Areopagos, Gerd Marie Aadna (Stavanger Missionary College), Vedbjørn Horsfjord (European Council of Religious Leaders), Thom Arne Hellerslia (Lawyer), Senaid Kobilica (Islamic Council)
The aim of this project is to contribute, on the basis of human rights, to the prevention of conflicts arising from missionary activities.
The project group aims to promote knowledge among missionary organisations of the statements issued on missionary activities from the UNHRC, the European Union Human Rights Tribunal and other commissions and committees.The group also aims to raise awareness of how the human rights ethic ensures the rights of the individual where missionary activities are a source of conflict, and commits religious organisations to respect these rights.
Background Paper on the Work of the Working Group (Framework Document)
Aims and Objectives of the Working Group
In 2008:
In 2008 the Oslo Coalition will arrange an international conference with the purpose of thoroughly discussing the drafted "Code of Conduct for Missionary Activities". The intention is to ensure representation of a broad specter of religious organisations involved in missionary activities, to give the resulting Code of Conduct maximum acceptance.
In 2007:
A seminar entitled "What is Christian and Muslim Mission?" was held in Oslo in June. Participants were given a presentation of Christian missionary work and of Muslim missionary work, the philosphies behind them and how they are carried out in practice. The discussion addressed the question of human rights in relation to missionary work in the light of the presentations. For a report of the seminar (in Norwegian), see here.
In the course of 2007, through a series of meetings and e-mail interchanges, a first draft of a "Code of Conduct for Missionary Activities" was drawn up.
Earlier projects:
Please note: some of the links below link to our old website. Please use the arrows on your browser to come back to this website.
- International Workshop on Missionary Activities and Human Rights, August/September 2006:
Report from the workshop (.doc)
Workshop programme (.doc)
Background for the workshop
Press report from the conference (in Norwegian) ("Misjoneringsom menneskerett" Vårt Land 06.09.06)
- Report from fact finding mission to Sri Lanka
- Report from fact finding mission to Aserbajdsjan, januar 2006
