PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
Armenian version: nian.htm
RESPONDING TO THE CALL OF 138 MUSLIM RELIGIOUS LEADERS
"THE STRENGTHENING OF CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM COOPERATION
IS AN URGENT IMPERATIVE"
SAYS CATHOLICOS ARAM I
About three months ago 138 internationally renowned Muslim scholars, clerics
and intellectuals issued a joint call to Christianity- "A common word
between us and you"- inviting Christian leaders to dialogue and cooperation.
In their call, Muslim spiritual leaders had put a special emphasis on the
concept of love. They underlined the importance of loving one’s neighbor as
a tangible expression of humanity’s love towards God. While acknowledging
the differences between Christianity and Islam, the statement said: "our
differences should not be a reason for deep hatred and tension. It is
essential that we respect each other and be noble and fair towards one
another, living in an atmosphere of peace and harmony."
The 21-page appeal was sent by the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic
Thought to church leaders and ecumenical organizations. His Holiness Aram I
also received a copy.
Responding to the call with a letter, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I
welcomed the initiative of Muslim leaders to strengthen cooperation with
Christians. Hereunder the full text of the letter of His Holiness:
>From His Holiness Aram I
Catholicos of Cilicia
Antelias, Lebanon
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Armenian Orthodox Church
To Prof. Dr. H.R.H. prince Ghazi bin Muhammad bin Talal
And to distinguished Muslim leaders and scholars
Amman, Jordan
A Response to "A COMMON WORD BETWEEN US AND YOU"
We join our voice to all those who have welcomed the letter of 13 October
2007, "An Open Letter and Call from Muslim Religious Leaders": a common
call of one hundred thirty eight Muslim scholars from different parts of the
Muslim world.
We read with great interest the invitation to dialogue and peace building.
We warmly welcome the intention of the letter and the fundamental principles
laid out for frank dialogue and closer collaboration. We firmly believe that
Christians and Muslims together can bring a major contribution to building
peace with justice. Our history together has shown that although religion
may divide us, we continue to live together in the Middle East and other
regions of the world. The Armenian people have, indeed, a rich history of
living together with Islam since the Seventh Century in Armenia, in Cilicia
and in the Middle East.
Living together harmoniously and meaningfully is the command of God. After
creating Adam and Eve according to His "image", God said: "be fruitful, and
multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it" (Gen. 1: 28). We must respond
responsibly and obediently to the call of God.
1) Christians and Muslims can shape a life together based on the love of God
and love of neighbor, provided we apply the basic thrusts of our Scriptures
in our particular contexts. For us Christians, God expressed His love by
sending His Son (John 3:16). Jesus Christ provided us with the content of
our faith. Through teachings and His earthly life Jesus displayed for us the
true meaning and concrete implications of love. He also showed us the way to
love God and our fellow human being.
2) Love generates a quality of relationship. It urges us to build loving
rela – tions based on mutuality and reciprocity, which, in turn, engender
respect and call for accountability. Being in relation with the loving God
means remaining faithful to the imperatives of our faith. In both Holy
Books, love of the neighbor is the beginning of just relation with the
‘other’. According to the Gospel (Luke 10: 24-26) the word ‘neighbor’ does
not mean ‘proximity’ or ‘kinship’; the neighbor is the ‘other’ who is in
need of our love, help and fellowship.
3) Relationship, reciprocity and accountability build community. Sharing
life together implies building community. Human beings cannot live without
community. As an expression of love towards God and towards neighbor,
community building has been central to both Muslim and Christian teachings
and way of life. We firmly believe, as we have stated on different occasions
in ecumenical meetings, that a strong commitment to living together would
help us to destroy the walls of prejudice, reassert each religion’s
integrity, and gen – erate mutual accountability and common responsibility.
4) What sort of community shall we build together? In addition to their
theological teachings our two religions have the rich experience and inner
po – tential to transform mere coexistence into a broader community of shared
val – ues, interactive diversity, common participation and mutual trust. We
must ac – knowledge, however, that we have differences which may not be easy
to over – come. We must accept and respect the way we are, by suspending our
desire to emphasize differences and committing ourselves to becoming
communities of living together with the fear of God and not with the fear of
one another.
5) We belong to one humanity and one world under one sovereign God . This
profound sense of common belonging challenges us to act together sus – tained
by mutual understanding and support. Religion today has gone beyond personal
piety and has become a public reality. The love of God and love of neighbor
must empower us in our God-given responsibility of working to – gether for a
society governed by love, justice, dignity and peace: the gifts of God to
humanity.
Indeed, it is time to show the world that living together for Christians
and Muslims, as well as working together on issues and challenges of common
con – cern is possible.
With these thoughts and vision we propose to continue, with renewed
im – petus, Christian-Muslim dialogue and collaboration on local, regional and
global levels within the framework of local churches, the Middle East
Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches.
With best wishes,
ARAM I
CATHOLICOS OF CILICIA
Antelias, Lebanon
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The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Ecumenical
activities of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician
Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is located in
Antelias, Lebanon.