Facebook is usually used to arrange parties and keep in touch with friends, but now religious leaders have ambitions to combat extremism and encourage multi-faith understanding through the social networking site.

Faithbook was launched today on the popular website by a group of British Jews and is supported by the Muslim Institute. It aims to be a place for debate about religious issues and allows members to upload photos, start discussions and add notes.

Pictures of the sacred texts of the major religions are also on display and prayers for international and interfaith “understanding” are written on the page. Discussions about the place of religion in modern society and countering extremism through websites are underway but so far the only posts are from pre-arranged commenters engaged by the organisers.

The Movement for Reform Judaism, behind Faithbook, said that it was essential to use social networking sites for good.

Rabbi Shoshana Boyd Gelfand, executive director of the movement said: “So much of what has happened with new media is that it has become a place where extremists can construct messages of hate and intolerance. We have got to combat that and create a space where people who may not meet face to face can have a constructive debate.”

Simon Cohen, spokesman for Faithbook, told Times Online that it was the only faith group on Facebook to invite all faiths to participate. It would “engage the younger generation” and inform people about religion.

The page has generated 23 fans since it launched at midnight.

Simon Barrow, from the Christian think-tank Ekklesia, criticised Faithbook as being “just another Facebook group”. Another commentator on the page urged people to “ditch your skygods and try out some rational thinking”.

Ghayasuddin Siddiqui, director of the Muslim Institute, said that the group would be a success regardless of the differences between the major faiths. He added: “Irrespective of whatever cultural baggage we carry, racial background or faith that we follow, we have to recognise that our creator is the same whatever we call him.”

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