ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines twentieth-century history and developments in Christian–Muslim relations with respect to the Roman Catholic Church and the World Council of Churches (WCC), which, together, encapsulate the bulk of Christianity. It also discusses the engagement of the churches with Islam in the twenty-first century. The Second Vatican Council, or Vatican II, was a watershed moment in the Roman Catholic Church with respect to its relations with other religions. Vatican II produced two important texts concerning Islam as well as other religions. WCC came into being soon after World War II. Its inaugural Assembly was held in Amsterdam in 1948. In March 1979 a meeting was called to evaluate dialogues and plan for the future. This involved a widely representative group of people from the WCC, the Vatican and some key Muslim organisations, together with a number of scholars and other leaders. The resultant report laid out the foundations for Christian–Muslim relations.
