In November 2005, His All Holiness Ecumenical
Patriarch Bartholomew spoke to a gathering of religious, political and academic
leaders at a conference on "Islam in a Pluralistic World." This landmark
address is reproduced here in full.
We
would like to thank the honorable Government of Austria, and especially Her
Excellency Ursula Plassnik, the Federal Foreign Minister of Austria, as well as the Austrian Organization
for the Middle East for inviting us to
participate in this International Conference on "Islam in a pluralistic
world". We thank you even more for offering us the floor to express our
thoughts on this topic, especially from the point of view on "cultures in
conflict and dialogue".
Such gatherings prepare the way for the peaceful cooperation of the peoples;
bring cultures to proximity toward one another and the faithful of the various
religions to a convincing communication, that all human beings as individuals
face the same problems in life, and that they ought to help, instead of
instigating and persecuting one another. We need to emphasize the important
role of the dialogue among religions and civilizations as the only mean to
arrive to a peaceful coexistence. Our contribution at this final session on
"cultures in conflict and dialogue" will try to emphasize this need for
a sincere and open dialogue between the two religions.
The interreligious dialogue extracts the people who have different religious
beliefs than the majority from their isolation and it prepares them for mutual
respect, understanding and acceptance of one another.
We have expressed ourselves many times for the dialogue and the possibility of
the coexistence of the peoples who come from different cultural traditions. We
are glad that once again an opportunity is given to us to repeat in the
presence of so many select personalities our unswerving conviction that if we
so desire, if our hearts accept it, we can coexist in peace and profitable
cooperation, despite the difference of our faiths.
We wholeheartedly greet the prominent Muslim brothers who participate in this
meeting, some of whom we have met in other similar conferences, during which
all together, them and us, try to infuse the world with the spirit of
reconciliation and peaceful coexistence among all. And we believe that the two
cultures, namely the Christian and the Islamic, about whom we converse mostly
these three days, have within them strong the elements of peaceful coexistence.
It is well known that the Koran, the Sacred Book of Islam, defines explicitly
that the Christians and the believers of Judaism, the so-called monotheists,
must not be forced to become Muslims. In general it says that religion is not
enforced. Furthermore, it describes the Gospel as an "illuminating
book" (Ch. 3, verse 184), and it recognizes that the Christians are those
who are mostly disposed to love the faithful (Ch. 5, verse 82). Therefore,
there is no religious reason according to the faith of Islam for disputes and
conflicts between Christians and Muslims. There are of course differences in
faith and conviction, but Islam does not exalt them to reasons for conflict.
The conflicts between Christians and Muslims that are mentioned in history have
their roots in politics and not in religion. Every time religion has been used
for inciting enmity and misfortunes, it has been a case of taking advantage of
the ignorance of the masses and misleading them into actions of intolerance and
fanaticism. If we examine these cases with a clear and healthy mind we see that
they are unjustifiable.
There are no religious reasons that would justify a violent conflict of the
Christian and Muslim cultures. Regarding the opinion that had been expressed,
publicized, and become known to the entire world on the theory of the clash of
civilizations we say that it is not valid, inasmuch as it refers to religion as
reason for such a supposedly expected and supposedly unavoidable conflict. If
the aspirations of the nations and the geopolitical correlations lead to
isolated or generalized conflicts of the Muslim and Christian peoples, or of
some of them; and if the politicians mobilize religions for the reinforcement
of the idea of otherness and of the hostile attitudes of one nation against the
other is a totally different issue and irrelevant to the true nature of
religion. Christians and Muslims lived together in the same areas in the
context of the Byzantine and the Ottoman Empire,
with the consent or the assistance of the political and the religious
authorities of the two monotheistic religions. The example as well of the
coexistence of the three monotheistic religions in the Middle Ages Andalusia in
Spain,
as was already mentioned, shows the possibilities offered even today. Despite
the occasional explosions of phenomena of religious intolerance and fanaticism,
the contemporary interreligious dialogue between Christianity and Islam rightly
seeks in the previously mentioned historical models the criteria for the
necessity of the dialogue, as well as for the founding of suggestions for
peaceful coexistence of peoples and nations in the contemporary globalized and
pluralistic world.
We see then that there are no religious reasons for the realization of the
aforementioned prophesized conflict. But even if there were reasons for such a
conflict, then it is our duty, as religious leaders of both religions to try
and prevent such an outcome. A fundamental way of settling any national,
economic, ideological, or other differences of every other nature is the
development of a serious and fair dialogue between the parties involved.
Dialogue resolves superstitions and biases, contributes to the mutual
understanding and paves the way for finding a peaceful solution to all
problems. Fear and suspiciousness are ill advisors, and can only be ostracized
by getting to know people better on a deeper level and by cultivating good and
truly friendly relations. Deep and meaningful relations will either affirm the
honesty, or possibly the dishonesty of one's colloquist.
Many people have such strong convictions that they would rather sacrifice their
own life than change them. Now, the following question is raised: Do we, by
mentioning this, introduce instability and variability of one's faith? No, we
do not introduce any such concept. We introduce only a closer examination, a
continuously deeper permeation of the truth. Those who examine truth closer,
come to the conclusion that many times ideas, which up to a point seemed
contradictable and ruled one another out, are in fact harmonized.
Let us give an example. It is written in the Gospel that "whoever desires to
save his life will lose it" (Mt 16:25). It's as if the person who wants to save
his or her own life, must accept to sacrifice it, for life is only won when it
is sacrificed, and not when it is preserved from danger with petty feelings and
fear of loss.
Hesiodus in ancient Greece
said that night and day is one and the same. If it is so, then why isn't Jew
and Greek, slave and freeman, male and female, human being and human being of
any race, language and religion one and the same thing?
Ancient Greeks distinguished themselves for their ability to take knowledge and
ideas from their fellow people and to develop them without the fear that by
doing so, they would actually downgrade or undervalue their own convictions.
The rapid and inspired development of the ancient Greek spirit during the
classic age is due also to their character. It was their character that allowed
them to intercross their ideas with the ideas of other peoples and
civilizations, and with great discernment to take on and reform all that was
good outside of Hellenism into a new composition.
This freedom of spirit is found in the foundation of every spiritual progress.
We believe that wherever there is the Spirit of God there is also freedom. The
danger that lies within spiritual freedom is not worth taking into account if
compared to all the good that this freedom has to offer. Unfortunately though,
as we have already mentioned, many of our fellow people construct a spiritual
and ideological stronghold, and shut themselves inside its walls to safeguard their
spiritual wholeness and integrity.
We have to clarify that a closer and deeper examination of the truth does not
necessarily imply a change of religious affiliation.
In the ecclesiastical language we use the word "μετάνοια", which literally
means the shift of the mind, of our mentality, and therefore according to the
Church Fathers this is necessary even to those without sin. It is this shift of
mentality that the dialogue helps realize, and that is why we hope that due to
the repeating dialogues we will succeed in the better, closer and deeper
examination of those truths, which facilitate the peaceful coexistence of the
people.
During these three days we had the beautiful opportunity to talk with one
another peacefully, and to listen to the distinguished speakers developing
their positions on important issues that are created by the coexistence or
cooperation of Christians and Muslims. What should be highlighted is the
development of the issues regarding the position of the Christians in the
Muslim countries, and the position of the Muslims in the Christian countries.
It seems that the position of the Christians in certain Muslim countries is
susceptible and needs important improvement, so that the Christians as well as
the other minorities will be able to enjoy in them the equivalent rights and
possibilities as the Muslims in Christian countries do.
It was only a week ago that we had in Istanbul
the second Conference on the topic of "Peace and Tolerance", which
declared among other things the respect for life by the proverbial expression
"Live and let live", the respect for human rights, especially the
rights of Minorities, and for religious tolerance, and it also condemned
terrorism and violence. Furthermore, it also pointed out the Christian saying
"blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called Children of
God", as well as the Muslim saying" Allah summoneth to the abode of
Peace". We finally expressed our gratitude to God, for He gave us the
opportunity to verify our decision to cooperate for the increase of peace,
justice and human dignity.
It is therefore necessary that we move towards that direction, beyond the
disabilities of the past. The impartial and incorruptible history has of course
registered behaviors of Christian nations and Governments that are incompatible
to the Gospel, as well as behaviors of Islamic nations and Governments that are
incompatible to the Koran. The time has come to act for God. We shall both
converge to what the will of God commands for all.
Once again we would like to express on behalf of all participants the warm
thanks and congratulations to the Federal Government of Austria for the
initiative and for the organization of this very important Conference. We have
to mention particularly that it was organized at the right time and at the
right place. Austria
has always been a hospitable country with an open perspective to the acceptance
of the other. The organization of this conference before taking over the
presidency of the European Union manifests the sincere interest for questions
of our multicultural and pluralistic world.
Those who have opened their hearts to God feel that the merciful and loving God
is not pleased by bloodshed, but by peace, which is the ultimate good and
divine present. Christians and Muslims greet one another using the word peace.
And it is with this greeting and with this wish that we will end our speech.
Peace be unto you. Peace be unto the world.
More information about the Ecumenical
Patriarchate can be found online at www.ecupatriarchate.org .
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