"The general secretary of the World Council of Churches, the Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit, told the meeting that faith leaders need to exercise care about the way they use statements from the Scriptures when dealing with HIV and AIDS.
"Language is very much a matter of ideology and power," said Tveit, a Norwegian theologian who took office as the head of the Geneva-based WCC in January. This means, "not only being accountable about what pieces of our faith texts we quote but how we use these texts".
In recent months church leaders in countries including Uganda and Malawi have supported criminal penalties being applied against homosexuals. AIDS campaigners warn this can mean people at risk from HIV being driven underground.
Tveit was part of an opening panel at the multi-faith meeting looking at how faith traditions promote work towards universal access to HIV treatment, care, support and prevention.
"This has to do with a basic issue of justice," said the WCC leader. Tveit recalled that back in 1987 the main governing body of the WCC had affirmed the "right to medical and pastoral care regardless of socio-economic status, race, sex, sexual orientation or sexual relationship". He said, "We should keep our commitments to do what we know we have to do." (Read article)
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