Maktaba-e-Anaveem, teaching theology to Christians and Muslims

(March 5, 2009) 20 years of activity spent teaching theology to ordinary people in a country where only 2% of the population is Christian, while there are more than 130 million Muslims, 85% of the inhabitants. This is the story of the Maktaba-e-Anaveem Pakistan (MAP), also known as the Theological Institute for Laity, created in 1989 from an idea of Fr. Emmanuel Asi, a Bible scholar and priest of the archdiocese of Lahore. On February 28, the MAP marked its 20th anniversary with a solemn celebration at its headquarters in Sadhoke, a village in the district of Gujranwala in Punjab. Fr. Asi says that more than 10,000 people have benefited from the activities of the MAP: "We welcome men and women of any faith without any discrimination in our groups so anyone interested in learning contextual theology can join our groups." Catholics and Protestants, but also Muslims and the faithful of other religions frequent the activities at the institute, which has a network of 16 groups scattered throughout various cities in Pakistan. The MAP organizes formation courses that include seminars and study sessions. The MAP also produces theological publications: over 20 years of activity, it has published about 170 books destined for both the Catholic and Protestant faithful, and also appreciated by Muslim scholars.