 |
CAIRS Home > Articles >
February 2007 E-Bulletin continued
6 February 2007
Previous items
Recommendations for good relations with Muslim neighbours – EKD(Evangelical Church in Germany) speaks for a clear positions in Christian-Muslim dialogue
In a paper presented in Berlin, the EKD stated that there is no alternative to dialogue, mutual understanding, respectful coexistence, and living together as good neighbours. This includes discussion of mistakes and conflicts that have arisen in the integration of Muslims in Germany and looking for ways to decrease tensions.
The EKD paper states that old ways of thinking "that create violence, hate, and enmity between Christianity and Islam must be made a thing of the past once and for all”. This requires both Christians and Muslims to undergo processes of self-criticism to counteract intolerance, exclusion, and inherited enemy images. Islam, with some three million adherents, is the second largest religion in Germany after Christianity.
EKD Bulletin, December 2007
Christian-Muslim cooperation at parish level in Egypt
Bishop Youannes is a passionate supporter of cooperation between Christians and Muslims, pointing to the positive experiences of his Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt. Egypt has been an Islamic country since the 7th Century, yet it is the seat of the Coptic Church, which claims to have been founded by the Mark the Evangelist. Today, around 12 million of the country’s 73 million inhabitants are Christian.
Bishop Youannes heads up his church’s social work. In carefully chosen words, he describes the situation of Egyptian Christians, which is dogged by social isolation and discrimination. A total of around a third of Egypt’s population lives in poverty, excluded from the country’s social development. Seeing this situation, the Coptic Church instigated development work to help the poor back in the 1960s. The Coptic Church thinks of its minority position in terms of the Biblical picture of being "the salt of the earth”. Formerly, Christian communities used to choose isolation from society, but the church is overcoming this and now runs health services and literacy courses in around 400 localities. To achieve all this, it relies on the voluntary commitment of people living in its parishes – both Muslims and Christians.
Bishop Youannes distinguishes between four kinds of Christian-Muslim dialogue. As well as day-to-day dialogue on the ground, there are also official talks between religious leaders. Dialogue on common social concerns and intellectual discourse also take place, although this last, he says, is unfortunately possible only with moderate Muslims.
EKD bulletin, December 2006
Muslims in Europe
You may be interested to read the BBC's country by country guide to the Muslim populations. This highlights the percentage of Muslim in each country, for which the UK figure is given as 2.8%. The 2001 Census also showed one third of the UK Muslim population to be under 16.
BBC News, December 23, 2005
US faith leaders push Rice on bipartisan Israel-Palestine peace deal
A delegation of Jewish, Christian and Muslim religious leaders met with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at the State Department today to support positive American engagement in achieving a bipartisan peace agreement in the Middle East.
Ekklesia, January 29, 2007
Archbishop of Canterbury condemns abuse of Holocaust memory and anti-Semitism
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, spiritual head of the world’s 77 million Anglicans, has denounced the political manipulation of the Nazi Holocaust for current political ends, and has called for a renewed struggle against anti-Semitism and prejudice in all its forms.
Ekklesia, January 29, 2007,
Face to faith - The 'many-sidedness' of Jainism could inoculate us against fundamentalist rigidity, says Aidan Rankin
The word Jainism conjures up images of ascetics who cover their mouths and sweep the ground before them with small brushes to avoid injuring the most minuscule forms of life. Some are also aware of the Jain-owned animal sanctuaries where even the sickest, most deformed birds and beasts are protected and cherished. These overt manifestations of an ancient faith challenge the comfortable - and near-universal - assumption of human precedence over other creatures. They dramatise for us the doctrine of ahimsa: non-violence or, more literally, the avoidance of anything that causes harm.
The Guardian, January 27, 2007
Methodists launch inter-faith initiative to combat religious misinformation
In 2006, the young people of Methodism challenged the Church to dedicate a month to prayer for improved relationships between people of different faiths. They pointed to the 'hostile and untrue' things that are said about some faiths, particularly Islam. Inter faith action, they decided, was hugely important as a way of challenging this. And the first step could be prayer. The Methodist Conference rose to the challenge and the 'Face 2 Faith' initiative, taking place across the Church in February 2007, is the result. For more information about Face 2 Faith, visit the website or email. Also available is May I Call You Friend?, a new resource designed to help Christians to consider the issues involved in sharing their faith with those of other religions, from mph by email or phone 01733 325002, at the price of £3.50
Ekklesia, January 25, 2007
From Aladdin to Lost Ark, Muslims get angry at 'bad guy' film images
Crude and exaggerated stereotypes are fuelling Islamophobia, says study Popular films ranging from Hollywood blockbusters to children's cartoons are depicting "crude and exaggerated" stereotypes of Muslims and perpetuating Islamophobia, according to a study published today.
A report by the Islamic Human Rights Commission argues that films as diverse as The Siege, a portrayal of a terrorist attack on New York starring Denzel Washington and Bruce Willis, the Disney film Aladdin and the British comedy East is East have helped demonise Muslims as violent, dangerous and threatening, and reinforce prejudices.
Lucy Ward, social affairs correspondent, Guardian, January 25, 2007
Pope addresses Christian-Jewish relations at start of Christian Unity week
The Pope has offered prayers for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which begins today, focusing on Christian-Jewish relations. Speaking at his weekly general audience yesterday (Wednesday) Pope Benedict said the road to Christian unity was a long and difficult one, but it was important not to become discouraged. In many countries the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is preceded by a Day of Reflection between Christians and Jews, in order to build greater respect, friendship and cooperation between our two communities.
Ekklesia, January 18, 2007
Jerusalem churches call Palestinian factions to focus on national priorities; WCC concurs
In a message to all the Palestinian people, Jerusalem church leaders alarmed at worsening relations between two main political parties are calling for an end to violence and an urgent return to the "real priorities" of Palestinians. The plan is to work with Jerusalem's top Islamic leaders on a similar Christian-Muslim message as well.
"The time has come for an all-out effort to unite our people and so concentrate on working for independence together," leaders of 13 different churches in Jerusalem said, "with the opportunity for all people in this Holy Land - Christian, Muslim and Jew - to know security and peace."
WCC, 15 January 2007
It is together that we find our place in the world
In his message for Epiphany 2007, Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, General Secretary of the World Council of Churches, highlights one of the key challenges for Christians set by the Porto Alegre meeting to be Inter-Religious Dialogue and Co-operation which activates a key issue for the future of humankind. The full text of Dr Kobia's message can be found here.
WCC, January 15, 2007
Stories from other faiths
Kathryn Price is part of a writing group for CURBS Scotland. CURBS, if you don’t already know, stands for Children in Urban Settings and we produce materials for after-school clubs, holiday schemes, and the like. Our style is to tell a story from scripture and suggest games and other activities around it that will – hopefully with a light touch – illustrate the values contained in the story. Aware that there are often children of other faiths in urban after-school clubs, we have the idea of producing a pack that contains stories from other faiths. Our aim would be to point up our connections – the values we hold in common – rather than simply saying we are all the same anyway. So far Kathryn has written the stories, but would prefer the multi-pack to have an authenticity that would come from having storytellers of other faiths involved. Do you know of anyone who might be interested? She is happy to contacted directly by email or at 11 Teviot Crescent, Glasgow G61 1LR, 0141 931 5803