Armenian Church welcomes dialogue with Islam
ARTICLE: Apr. 02 (CWNews.com) – The Armenian Apostolic Church has
responded warmly to an invitation from Muslim leaders for
inter-religious dialogue, saying that all religious leaders should
unite to condemn hatred and terrorism.
In a reply to the 138 Muslim leaders who signed the "Common Word"
initiative last late year, Archbishop Yeznik Petrosian, the chief
ecumenical officer for the Armenian Apostolic Church, remarked: "We
therefore deem it imperative to begin a true dialogue among the
monotheistic religions, the aim of which should be the strengthening
of eternal and common human values, the reinforcement of relationships
between different faiths, and the protection of all that God has
created."
Archbishop Petrosian addressed his message to Prince Ghazi bin Talal,
director of the Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought in
Jordan. The Jordanian leader has been the focal point of the Common
Word initiative, previously arranging for in-depth talks with Vatican
officials, which have been scheduled for November 2008.
Archbishop Petrosian’s letter mentioned the long history of relations
between Armenian Christians and their Muslim neighbors. He recalled
that in the early 20th century many Islamic countries sheltered the
survivors of the Armenian genocide. That show of compassion, he said,
"can serve today as the best example of how Christians and Muslims can
live together in harmony, support one another in times of hardship,
and enjoy the God-given benefits of a peaceful and creative life."
The history of Christian-Muslim relations has also been marked by
violence and tragedy, the Armenian prelate acknowledged. He said that
Church leaders today would join to "deny and renounce violence and
enmity." The archbishop concluded his message with an appeal for peace
"in the Caucasus and Middle East-` the origin of life, the cradle of
ancient civilizations and the birthplace of the world’s largest
monotheistic religions."
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