An American interfaith delegation of Catholic, Jewish and Protestant religious leaders conferred with Foreign Minister Wu Xueqian of the Peoples Republic of China at the Foreign Ministry in Beijing Tuesday, it was reported here. The delegation is headed by Rabbi Arthur Schneier, president of the Appeal of Conscience Foundation, which sponsored the visit to China.
Schneier, who is rabbi of the Park East Synagogue in Manhattan, reported that the discussion covered the Middle East, Israel and East-West relations among other topics. In addition to Schneier, the delegation consisted of Vincent Thomas O’Keefe, Society of Jesus, who is a past President of Fordham University, and the Rev. David James Randolph, senior minister of Christ Church Methodist in Manhattan.
The American clergymen are lecturing in China on current religious trends in the U.S., the role of religious communities in advancing world peace and understanding, and the history, policies and priorities of the Catholic, Jewish and Protestant communities in the U.S.
The report from Beijing said the delegation was given considerable attention in the Chinese media. The People’s Daily published an article and the national television network broadcast the delegates being greeted by the Foreign Minister.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
