Nouvelles du 27-02- 2009
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Catholiques et musulmans souhaitent protéger les jeunes du fanatisme

Réunion du Comité pour le dialogue entre catholiques et musulmans

ROME, Vendredi 27 février 2009 (ZENIT.org) - Il faut être particulièrement attentifs aux jeunes, « avenir de toutes les religions », et les protéger du « fanatisme » et de la « violence », ont estimé catholiques et musulmans.

Dans la déclaration finale du Comité conjoint pour le dialogue entre catholiques et musulmans, qui a tenu sa réunion annuelle à Rome les 24 et 25 février 2009, les participants ont évoqué la situation au Proche-Orient.

Cette réunion annuelle a été présidée conjointement par le cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, président du Conseil pontifical pour le dialogue interreligieux et par le professeur Ali Abd al-Baqi Shahata, secrétaire général de l'Académie pour la recherche islamique d'al-Azhar du Caire (Egypte).

« Les jeunes, qui sont l'avenir de toutes les religions et même de l'humanité, ont besoin d'une attention particulière pour être protégés du fanatisme et de la violence et pour devenir des constructeurs de paix pour un monde meilleur », ont estimé les participants catholiques et musulmans.

Réunis sur le thème « La promotion d'une pédagogie et d'une culture de paix, avec une référence particulière au rôle des religions », ils ont souligné ensemble l'importance de « la paix » et de « la sécurité » dans un « monde contemporain marqué par de nombreux conflits et par un sentiment d'insécurité ».

« Chrétiens et musulmans considèrent la paix comme un don de Dieu » et comme « un fruit de l'effort humain » ont-ils expliqué, rappelant le devoir des « responsables religieux (...) d'encourager une culture de la paix », notamment à travers « l'enseignement et la prédication ».

Cette culture de la paix « devrait toucher tous les aspects de la vie : la formation religieuse, l'éducation, les rapports interpersonnels et les expressions artistiques dans leurs différentes formes », ont-il ajouté. « A cette fin, les textes scolaires devraient être revus afin qu'ils ne contiennent pas de documents qui puissent porter atteinte aux sentiments religieux des autres croyants, parfois à travers une présentation erronée des dogmes, des aspects éthiques ou des reconstructions historiques des autres religions ».

Les participants à cette rencontre ont enfin évoqué les « souffrances supportées par les populations du Proche-Orient à cause de conflits irrésolus ». Ils ont souhaité que les responsables politiques fassent usage « des ressources du droit international pour résoudre les problèmes qui concernent la vérité et la justice ».

La prochaine rencontre du Comité se déroulera au Caire, les 23 et 24 février 2010.

Cheikh Ali Abd al-Baqi Shahata
Head of al-Azhar Delegation

Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran
Head of the Catholic Delegation

site Zenith

Muslims, Catholics Join to Promote Peace

Annual Meeting Ends With 8 Conclusions

ROME, FEB. 26, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Muslims and Catholics have much in common when it comes to beliefs about peace, decided participants at an interreligious meeting: Both faiths consider that peace should permeate all aspects of life.

This was a conclusion from the Joint Committee for Dialogue of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and the Cairo-based Permanent Committee of al-Azhar for Dialogue Among the Monotheistic Religions. The group had their annual meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The seven-member group, led by Cheikh Ali Abd al-Baqi Shahata as head of the al-Azhar delegation, and Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, head of the Catholic delegation, gave eight conclusions in their final statement today.

"Peace and security are much needed in our present world marked by many conflicts and a feeling of insecurity," they affirmed. "Both Christians and Muslims consider peace a gift from God and, at the same time, the fruit of human endeavor. No true and lasting peace can be achieved without justice and equality among persons and communities."

The committees went on to affirm that religious leaders of both faiths "have the duty to promote a culture of peace, each within his respective community, especially through teaching and preaching."

And they contended that a "culture of peace should permeate all aspects of life: religious formation, education, interpersonal relations and the arts in their diverse forms. To this end, scholastic books should be revised in order not to contain material which may offend the religious sentiments of other believers, at times through the erroneous presentation of dogmas, morals or history of other religions."

Kids and the press

The Muslim-Catholic group also affirmed that the media has a key role in "the promotion of positive and respectful relations among the faithful of various religions."

And they acknowledged that there is a strong link between peace and human rights, such that "special attention was given to the defense of the dignity of the human person [...] especially regarding freedom of conscience and of religion."

The religious leaders said that youth need "special care" to be protected from violence and fanaticism so that they become "peace builders for a better world."

Finally, the delegations had a word to say about the Middle East.

"[T]he participants," they said, "in respect of the competence of the political leaders, ask to make use, through dialogue, of the resources of international law to solve the problems at stake in truth and justice."

 

ROME, FEB. 26, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Here is the final statement from the Joint Committee for Dialogue of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and the Cairo-based Permanent Committee of al-Azhar for Dialogue Among the Monotheistic Religions. The group had their annual meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The participants listened to the presentation of the theme "The Promotion of a Pedagogy and Culture of Peace with Particular Reference to the Role of Religions" from the point of view of Catholics, by Dr. Bernard Sabella, and from the Islamic point of view by Cheikh Ali Shahata.

The discussions took place in a spirit of mutual respect, openness, and friendship. They were inspired by the conviction of the importance of good relations between Christians and Muslims and of their specific contribution to peace in the world.

The participants agreed on the following:

1. Peace and security are much needed in our present world marked by many conflicts and a feeling of insecurity.

2. Both Christians and Muslims consider peace a gift from God and, at the same time, the fruit of human endeavor. No true and lasting peace can be achieved without justice and equality among persons and communities.

3. Religious leaders, especially Muslims and Christians, have the duty to promote a culture of peace, each within his respective community, especially through teaching and preaching.

4. A culture of peace should permeate all aspects of life: religious formation, education, interpersonal relations and the arts in their diverse forms. To this end, scholastic books should be revised in order not to contain material which may offend the religious sentiments of other believers, at times through the erroneous presentation of dogmas, morals or history of other religions.

5. The media have a major role and responsibility in the promotion of positive and respectful relations among the faithful of various religions.

6. Recognizing the strong link between peace and human rights, special attention was given to the defense of the dignity of the human person and his/her rights, especially regarding freedom of conscience and of religion.

7. Youth, the future of all religions and of humanity itself, need special care in order to be protected from fanaticism and violence, and to become peace builders for a better world.

8. Mindful of the suffering endured by the peoples of the Middle East due to non-resolved conflicts, the participants, in respect of the competence of the political leaders, ask to make use, through dialogue, of the resources of international law to solve the problems at stake in truth and justice.

Grateful to Almighty God for the abundant fruits of this meeting, the participants agreed to have the next meeting of the Committee in Cairo, from Tuesday, Feb. 23 to Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2010.

Cheikh Ali Abd al-Baqi Shahata
Head of al-Azhar Delegation

Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran
Head of the Catholic Delegation