wfn.org | Anglican - Old Catholic Bishops statement on Muslim Christian

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ACNS 3916     |     EUROPE     |     26 NOVEMBER 2004

Statement of the Anglican-Old Catholic Bishops' Conference on False
Depictions of Muslims and Christians

 >From the Episcopal News Service

19 November 2004

The Anglican and Old Catholic Bishops in mainland Europe, during our
Conference in Wislikhaven, Switzerland, 17-19 November 2004, have
observed with great concern that, in a number of countries in central
and western Europe, tensions have risen between the Islamic and
non-Islamic populations, provoked by a number of acts of violence.

Many comments by journalists and politicians with respect to this
development have given the impression that among the non-Islamic
population a radical Christian "fundamentalism" -- or even Christendom
as such -- is at work as a counterpart to a radical Islamic
"fundamentalism", and which is equally open to the use of violence.

The Bishops reject all such characterizations in whatever form they are
presented. Since at least the end of the Second World War, European
churches represented in ecumenical bodies in central and western Europe
have never furthered a radical Christian "fundamentalism" which has
preached violence or permitted it to be preached. On the contrary, the
churches have supported and encouraged a continuing dialogue with
non-Christian religions, which has often led to positive results.
Moreover, the Bishops also condemn any tendency to label Islam as such
as a religion that promotes violence.

Journalists and politicians have a responsibility to be more conscious
of what they say in their comments or write in their reports.
Over-simplified depictions, which may convey such a false opposition,
whether conscious or merely careless, do not contribute to the goal of
peaceful coexistence, and at worst, they create new divisions.

Signed

The Most Revd Joris Vercammen
Archbishop of Utrecht, Co-chair

The Rt Revd Dr Geoffrey Rowell
Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe, Co-chair

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