Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Fides Service) - The 2nd International Congress of Imams and Rabbis for Peace will be held in Spain in Seville 19 - 22 March. The Meeting is organised by the Hommes du Parole Foundation which aims to use human speech as a channel for building peace among different communities. The first meeting was held in Brussels in 2005. On that occasion after initial perplexity also on the part of the organisers, Imams and Rabbis expressed freely their ideas about religious and cultural diversity. The principal theme of this second Congress is the vital importance of education and knowledge for breaking down barriers of prejudice, fear and insecurity in relations between followers of Islam and Judaism. The organisers asked Fr Justo Lacunza-Balda rector of the Pontifical Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies in Rome to moderate the first session of the debate. This is the first time that a representative of a Pontifical Institute of the Holy See has been asked to moderate a discussion between Imams and Rabbis representing communities, nations and institutions of the worlds of Islam and Judaism. The participants scheduled to take part include 53 rabbis and 62 imams and 71 experts on both religions from Canada, Great Britain, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Israel, Iran, Norway, Nigeria, Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya, Poland, Jordan, Turkey, Rumania, Venezuela, United States, Singapore, Tanzania, Tajikistan, Russia, Morocco, Switzerland, Ukraine. (See biographical note on Fr. Lacuna below)
Padre Lacunza why is this Congress important?
In a profoundly secularised world meetings of religious leaders are an opportunity to discover common values, a valuable contribution towards solving social problems, a way of building peace together integrating differences and pluralism. Religion is a most sensitive issue today. So a Congress like the one in Seville is an opportunity to placate anger, heal wounds and find new ways of building our societies together. Constructive dialogue, frank dialogue, sharing of ideas and experience is an excellent way to accelerate efforts to stop conflicts, wars and violence. Dialogue is never a waste of time because it is communication with others of life, convictions shared, values emphasised, working together in a world where societies and nations are caged in by walls indifference, inertia, apathy. Interreligious and intercultural dialogue is the logical consequence of a global, inter-connected, inter-dependent world.
Free market policies, which reduce people to facts and figures, are in danger of overlooking the precarious conditions of millions of people immersed in hardship and poverty. Bringing interlocutors of different religious traditions to put the human person back at the centre of things means calling attention to something common to all human societies regardless of differences. The Church’s universal spirit is the light which illuminates this journey and acts as a guide on this path.
The importance of this international Meeting can be summarised in three points: the need to come together, the important theme chosen, the focus on relations between Jews and Muslims. The political situation in recent months demands that religious leaders have the opportunity and desire to discuss matters which affect social life. The violence, conflicts, attacks launched in the name of religion make it necessary to come together in view of reaching solutions, peaceful co-existence, effective collaboration and reciprocal respect in diversity of beliefs. This is why the theme chosen for the Meeting touches two foundations of human society, education and knowledge which allow adaptation of the diversity of the different cultures in a civil and respectful manner. Jews and Muslims in recent years have had difficulty in speaking frankly to each other because on both sides an attitude of being in the right prevails. Today Jews and Muslims see that violence, conflict and hatred are not solutions to problems which can be better overcome by talking and listening. This Meeting brings together prominent Jews and Muslims from institutions, universities, study centres mosques and synagogues. It will be an opportunity to share ideas and convictions without fear of being judged or condemned. Each speaker will play a leading role at a Meeting where no one is simply a spectator and all are deeply involved. The importance of the Meeting lies in the fact that Jews and Muslims live side by side with Christians and members of other world religions and so it is inevitable, and above all necessary, for them to meet and dialogue. Better relations between Jews and Muslims affects also the quality and direction of relations with Christians. Many participants come from trouble spots where religion is exploited to strike and destroy those who are different, rather than to build together a better society. Most of the participants have never met each other before and the fact that they will meet is a step towards better reciprocal understanding, listening to real problems and finding the right answers. For example war and conflict waste human and natural resources, create enmity, poverty and violence. The question of religion cannot be reduced to mere ritual exercise it must involve everyone regardless of faith or culture because the human person must be put at the centre of every human society. In fact the Christian faith leads us to see and respect others not as travelling companions but as brothers and sisters created in the image of God.
What will be your role at this Congress?
Besides moderating, co-ordinating interventions and helping participants use the tools of ideas, experience and words to build together, I feel I must a be living witness of the Church’s universal spirit, the light of Christ “who illuminates every person”, of the Church’s concern for all peoples, of Deus caritas est of Pope Benedict XVI. My role is not limited to the sessions of work and debate. I will also speak informally and personally with people, answer questions about the Church’s activity, the Christian faith, our relations with other religions. I am aware that my Christian faith should be “salt and leaven”, a small mirror in which the participants will see the essence of Christian faith “love of God and neighbour”.
The organisers asked a Catholic priest, an expert in Islamic matters and rector of a Pontifical Institute specialised in Arabic-Islamic studies, to moderate discussion between leaders of different religions. I consider this an important sign of the Catholic Church’s role in diffusing a culture of respect, freedom, and collaboration. I think that as the moderator I will try to discern between real and imaginary problems between Jews and Muslims, such as for example, how they address one another, view each other’s religion and treat each other. My role will be to keep the paths of communications open so that dialectics can build and polemic will not destroy. It will also be important to build trust between the participants and create an environment where they can speak frankly and make proposals concerning education and knowledge to help achieve harmony, respect and peace at the local and international level.
The leading actors are imams and rabbis talking about peace. What is the significance of your presence as a representative of a Pontifical Institute?
As the title of the Congress shows Christian religious leaders are not involved in the discussion. However I think the presence of a Catholic moderator has a twofold function - of listening and of the spoken word - which can be traced to the essence of the Christian faith. The founder of the Christian Church spent most of his time listening, learning and growing in awareness of his identity. It was only after 30 years spent with his family in Nazareth that Jesus began his public life of teaching. In this sense the Catholic Church follows the example of her founder and strives to “incarnate” the message of Jesus in humanity.
Why education and knowledge?
These two subjects are indispensable in a world where science, technology and life itself demand constant updating of knowledge. Our societies cannot be managed only with sacred texts which are indispensable, an important role is played by secular education which helps the person form a liberal, critical spirit and develop talents. Education and knowledge are the basis for personal decision making. Education and knowledge allow a person to know a different religion and culture without fear. Discovery of others helps clarify one’s own identity and prepare for positive and constructive comparison. Ignorance is the direct route to an attitude of condemnation and polemic. Lack of knowledge of other religions is a source of prejudice and certain contraposition more or less violent. Knowledge and education help us consider the other person as a necessary and indispensable interlocutor who helps us grow in our own faith, mature our convictions and live with a deep sense of freedom in pluralism of cultures and religions. Putting different cultures together creates a superior culture.
What difficulties hinder relations between religious leaders?
Diffidence, prejudice and condemnation are some of the greatest obstacles. On the one hand there are those who believe they are right, who never question their way of seeing, understanding and speaking. It will be good at this international gathering for religious leaders to have an opportunity to unload a burden of grievances and complaints. This fact is a necessary condition for filling that emptied space with new ideas, a new way of thinking, a new point of view, to consider others on the same level, with the same dignity, with the same respect. In this sense problems can be faced more serenely and solutions can be found which are acceptable and valid for all. Dialogue between religious leaders cannot be ideology without content, instead it must be a way to work together to face the challenges of our world, from poverty to human rights, from religious freedom to minority rights, from economic precariousness to the dignity of every human person.
The problems are about the weight of history where Jewish communities practised their religion not as a right to religious freedom, but because it was allowed by the laws of an Islamic state. In the last 50 years, since the creation of the State of Israel to our day, relations between Muslim and Jewish leaders have been conditioned by the Israel-Palestine question. The problem emerges every time they meet. Another sensitive issue is that of text books which often use unsuitable language to describe the other religion. Another problem is the diffused idea among Muslim leaders that European and US politics are strongly influenced by lobbies led by the State of Israel. While Jewish religious leaders think all Muslim religious leaders support the cause of Palestine and are enemies of Israel and the Jewish people. Statements issued by Al-Qaeda and the President of Iran have had a negative impact on relations between Jewish and Muslim religious leaders. These relations were poisoned even further by attacks on mosques and synagogues.
Do you know any the religious leaders you will meet in Seville ?
I know many of the participants personally. I would underline the presence of imams and rabbis from the Gaza Strip and from Israel. Considering the existing tension between Palestinians and Israelis their presence could open a crack in the door to allow the genie of respect, rights and personal identity to slip in.
(1) - Spanish born Fr Justo Lacunza-Balda rector of the Pontifical Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies PISAI in Rome, is a member of the Society of the Missionaries of Africa or White Fathers. He has been a missionary in Tanzania where he had contact with Muslim communities for the first time. He studied Arabic and Islam at the PISAI and then obtained a doctorate in African languages and cultures with a specialisation in Islam and Swahili at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) of the University of London, one of the most prestigious in the world. Fr Justo Lacunza-Balda is considered one of the world’s greatest experts in Islamic questions and a scholar in Christian/Muslim relations. Fr Lacunza has always been deeply committed to promoting dialogue of faiths and cultures. (R.F.) (Agenzia Fides 16/3/2006 - Righe 159, parole 2.213)
