Jordan Times
Sunday, December 4, 2005
Church leaders call for peace
in Iraq, Palestine and region
By Rula Samain
AMMAN — Heads of Oriental Orthodox Churches
concluded their annual meeting in Daboug on Friday calling for peace in Iraq,
Palestine and the Middle East.
“Iraqis have the right to live freely. They have lost all hope of a decent life
due to the hardships they are facing in their country on all levels,” said a
statement issued by the bishops, read by Latin Archbishop Michel Sabbah.
The statement also denounced terrorist attacks in countries of the region,
including the triple suicide bombings in Jordan on Nov. 9, which killed 60
people.
“We specifically mentioned Jordan, because it is the country that hosted our
annual meeting this year and what happened [on Nov. 9] was unexpected and shook
us all,” His Beatitude Cardinal Mar Nasrallah Sfeir, patriarch of Antioch and
All the East, said at the conclusion of the six-day meeting.
In their statement, the patriarchs attributed such violence to a
“misunderstanding of the religion and the lack of true democracy in many
countries.”
The church leaders also discussed the Palestinian issue, voicing their support
for “the right of the people [Palestinians] to live freely and for a need to end
the violence and occupation.”
During their meetings, the patriarchs gave their blessings to the “Amman
Message,” and reconfirmed the churches' support for the document.
The Amman Message, issued in November 2004, spells out Jordan's understanding of
Islam as a religion that rejects extremism as a distortion of the true values of
Islam, whilst promoting the faith as one that honours all human beings and
provides common ground among different faiths and peoples.
The bishops also urged Christians in the Middle East to show Christ's love in
their daily lives, fulfil their roles in society, in the political civil spheres
and help to spread “democracy, tolerance and mutual respect” in the region.
In addition, they called on educational channels to encourage the younger
generation to be involved in volunteer work.
“We are proud to see this council's meeting taking place in Jordan. We have been
praised for the work that's been done in the Kingdom,” Jordan Interfaith
Coexistence Research Centre Executive Director Father Nabil Haddad said.
The meeting of the heads of Oriental Orthodox Churches will be held in Lebanon
next year.