Engage in Dialogue, while Bearing Witness to our Faith
London, 04 May 2013: Dialogue and proclamation and the question of building Christian
and Muslim youths’ identity were the two main themes that were discussed during a
three-day meeting from 1st to 3rd May in London on Christian-Muslim
relations, revealed a press release on Saturday. The meeting was chaired by Cardinal
Jean-Pierre Ricard, Archbishop of Bordeaux, and was attended by bishops and delegates
for Christian-Muslim relations from 20 European Bishops’ Conferences, as well as delegates
from cultural and Church institutions.
The communique further stated that
the delegates shared and confirmed that ‘all testimonies of faith imply engaging in
dialogue with everybody. In contemporary Europe - whether East or West, North or South
– dialogue between Christians and Muslims has become a mandatory necessity. They also
agreed that ‘dialogue’ can only be achieved through deeper mutual knowledge. Only
through contact and dialogue will it be possible to approach Muslim believers within
genuine and unbiased relations. In secularized and pluralistic societies, the challenge
of educating people to open up to diversity must be integrated with a deepening of
our faith and identity. At the same time, pluralistic societies can only exist if
people respect and are looking forward to knowing each other, through constant dialogue,
explained the bishops and Bishops Conferences’ delegates for Christian-Muslim relations,
who gathered in London, stated the press release.
Father Andrea Pacini, CCEE
Meeting Coordinator and Secretary for ecumenism and interreligious dialogue of the
regional Bishops’ Conference of Piedmont and the Aosta Valley, discussed the relationship
between dialogue and proclamation, showing how living testimony is the best synthesis
and response regarding both pastoral needs. The reflection on identity building for
young Christians and Muslim was illustrated, instead, by Prof. Brigitte Maréchal,
from the University of Louvain, and Dr. Erwin Tanner, Secretary General of the Swiss
Bishops’ Conference. The President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious
Dialogue, Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, and the President of the Bishops’ Conference
of England and Wales, Mons. Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, were also
in attendance.
During their three-day London meeting, participants addressed
the plight of young Christians living as minorities: they discussed the situation
in their respective countries, and the difficulties young Christians go through, which
might possibly lead to their conversion to Islam. The issue of young Christians’ lesser
engagement in their faith – compared to their Muslim peers – was also explored, as
well as the initiatives the Church is currently introducing in Europe in order to
be present among young people in new and different ways. During the meeting, delegates
from Albania, France, Germany and England reported on their countries’ situation.
Source: VR Sedoc