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Christian local voice challenges the transformations in the Arab World
by Harry Hagopian on
http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/16178
29 January 2012 - 8:26pm
A Christian-Muslim consultation on the Christian presence and witness
in the Middle East took place at the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia
in Antelias, Lebanon, from 24-28 January 2012.
The consultation dealt with issues and challenges facing the Christian
communities at this critical juncture in the history of the Arab
World. It also explored the effective ways and means of deepening
Christian-Muslim coexistence and collaboration as partners in building
democratic societies. A general report appeared on Ekklesia here:
http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/16166
The consultation was organised by the Geneva-based World Council of
Churches in collaboration with the Beirut-based Middle East Council of
Churches. More than fifty persons, comprising Christian and Muslim
spiritual leaders, intellectuals and actors of civil society took part
in this event. A number of ecumenical partners from Europe and the USA
also attended it in order to discuss the imperatives of
Christian-Muslim dialogue in this volatile and uncertain part of the
world (often known as the Middle East and North Africa) and to affirm
the need for a deeper sense of engagement between the two faiths.
At the opening session, His Holiness Aram I spoke powerfully about the
realities of Christians in the region as well as the way forward for
communities of faith. In challenging and contextual remarks, he
affirmed that `the Christian communities in the Arab World must engage
in dialogue with all trends of Islam which advocate democracy,
coexistence and non-violence'
Also attending the consultation were Rev Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, WCC
General Secretary, Dr Mohammad Sammak, General Secretary of the
Christian-Muslim Dialogue Committee, Dr Paul Rouhanna, MECC General
Secretary and HB Patriarch Emeritus Michel Sabbah of the Latin-rite
Catholic Church. In his own intervention, the WCC General Secretary
reaffirmed churches' commitment to justice and peace in the Middle
East, while stressing the importance of a common vision for living
together by Christians and Muslims in the Arab world.
The two You-Tube links here represent together the 16-minute opening
presentation by HH Aram I that drew the roadmap for the future of the
conference - and in one sense perhaps the region too.
* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWlVpyTI66Y&feature=uploademail
* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygQ6U2nr7Dw&feature=uploademail
-----------
© Harry Hagopian is an international lawyer, ecumenist and EU
political consultant. He also acts as a Middle East and inter-faith
advisor to the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England & Wales and as
Middle East consultant to ACEP (Christians in Politics) in Paris. He
is an Ekklesia associate and regular contributor
(http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/HarryHagopian). Formerly an Executive
Secretary of the Jerusalem Inter-Church Committee and Executive
Director of the Middle East Council of Churches, he is now an
international fellow, Sorbonne III University, Paris, consultant to
the Campaign for Recognition of the Armenian Genocide (UK) and author
of The Armenian Church in the Holy Land. Dr Hagopian's own website is
www.epektasis.net
by Harry Hagopian on
http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/16178
29 January 2012 - 8:26pm
A Christian-Muslim consultation on the Christian presence and witness
in the Middle East took place at the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia
in Antelias, Lebanon, from 24-28 January 2012.
The consultation dealt with issues and challenges facing the Christian
communities at this critical juncture in the history of the Arab
World. It also explored the effective ways and means of deepening
Christian-Muslim coexistence and collaboration as partners in building
democratic societies. A general report appeared on Ekklesia here:
http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/16166
The consultation was organised by the Geneva-based World Council of
Churches in collaboration with the Beirut-based Middle East Council of
Churches. More than fifty persons, comprising Christian and Muslim
spiritual leaders, intellectuals and actors of civil society took part
in this event. A number of ecumenical partners from Europe and the USA
also attended it in order to discuss the imperatives of
Christian-Muslim dialogue in this volatile and uncertain part of the
world (often known as the Middle East and North Africa) and to affirm
the need for a deeper sense of engagement between the two faiths.
At the opening session, His Holiness Aram I spoke powerfully about the
realities of Christians in the region as well as the way forward for
communities of faith. In challenging and contextual remarks, he
affirmed that `the Christian communities in the Arab World must engage
in dialogue with all trends of Islam which advocate democracy,
coexistence and non-violence'
Also attending the consultation were Rev Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, WCC
General Secretary, Dr Mohammad Sammak, General Secretary of the
Christian-Muslim Dialogue Committee, Dr Paul Rouhanna, MECC General
Secretary and HB Patriarch Emeritus Michel Sabbah of the Latin-rite
Catholic Church. In his own intervention, the WCC General Secretary
reaffirmed churches' commitment to justice and peace in the Middle
East, while stressing the importance of a common vision for living
together by Christians and Muslims in the Arab world.
The two You-Tube links here represent together the 16-minute opening
presentation by HH Aram I that drew the roadmap for the future of the
conference - and in one sense perhaps the region too.
* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWlVpyTI66Y&feature=uploademail
* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygQ6U2nr7Dw&feature=uploademail
-----------
© Harry Hagopian is an international lawyer, ecumenist and EU
political consultant. He also acts as a Middle East and inter-faith
advisor to the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England & Wales and as
Middle East consultant to ACEP (Christians in Politics) in Paris. He
is an Ekklesia associate and regular contributor
(http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/HarryHagopian). Formerly an Executive
Secretary of the Jerusalem Inter-Church Committee and Executive
Director of the Middle East Council of Churches, he is now an
international fellow, Sorbonne III University, Paris, consultant to
the Campaign for Recognition of the Armenian Genocide (UK) and author
of The Armenian Church in the Holy Land. Dr Hagopian's own website is
www.epektasis.net