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> Archbishop of Canterbury in Jerusalem

Posted On : February 23, 2010 2:32 PM | Posted By : Webmaster
ACNS: http://www.aco.org/acns/news.cfm/2010/2/23/ACNS4688
Related Categories: ACO - NIFCON  Lambeth

On 22 February, the third day of his visit to the Holy Land, the
Archbishop of Canterbury was received in a series of meetings by the
three most senior heads of churches in Jerusalem: His Beatitude
Theophilus III, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem and members of the
Holy Synod, His Beatitude Torkom II, Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem,
and His Beatitude Fouad Twal, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem.

The already warm relations that exist between the various local Churches
in Jerusalem were underlined, as was the common responsibility of the
Church globally to confirm and strengthen the presence of vulnerable
Christian communities in the Holy Land including in Jerusalem. Each
encounter reiterated that everything possible needed to be done to
ensure that the Christian communities in the Holy Land could continue to
flourish and contribute to the wider good of all communities in the
region.

Accompanied by the Bishop in Jerusalem, Rt Rev Suheil Dawani and Bishop
Michael Jackson, co-chair of the Anglican Jewish Commission, the
Archbishop led the Anglican delegation in the fourth meeting of the
dialogue with the Chief Rabbinate of Israel.

The meeting was characterised by a deepening sense of trust and
openness, and a growing determination to work towards a greater mutual
understanding between the faiths, and especially between the Jewish and
Christian communities in the Holy Land.

This growing mutual respect and confidence was symbolised by the
delegations together visiting Yad Vashem. Following a guided tour,
members of the delegations stood together in a moment of reflection
beside the eternal flame at the Hall of Remembrance. The Archbishop of
Canterbury and Bishops Dawani and Jackson laid a wreath and prayed
silently together.

A copy of the communiqué from the dialogue can be found below.

Following the visit to Yad Vashem the Archbishop was received by the
President of Israel, Shimon Peres. In a forty minute meeting they
discussed the current state of relations between Israel and Palestine,
the contribution of Christian communities and their institutions -
especially schools and hospitals - to national life, the importance of
inter-faith dialogue, and a range of environmental issues including
water.

> ENDS

Communique of the Fourth Meeting of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and
the Archbishop of Canterbury

The fourth regular meeting of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Chief
Rabbis of Israel took place at the Jerusalem offices of the Chief
Rabbinate of Israel on 22nd February 2010 / 8th Adar 5770 in keeping
with their joint protocol signed in 2006/5766

The Most Revd. Dr. Rowan Williams accompanied by the Rt. Revd. Michael
Jackson, Bishop of Clogher and co-chair of the Anglican Jewish
Commission; the Rt. Revd. Suheil Dawani, Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem;
and the Revd. Canon Guy Wilkinson, the Archbishop's Secretary for Inter
religious Affairs, were welcomed by Rabbi Shlomo Amar, Rishon LeZion and
Chief Rabbi of Israel, supported by Rabbi Shear Yashuv Cohen, Chief
Rabbi of Haifa and co-chair of the Anglican-Jewish Commission; Rabbi
David Rosen, Advisor to the Chief Rabbinate on Interreligious Affairs,
Rabbi David Brodman, Rabbi Professor Daniel Sperber and Mr Oded Wiener,
Director-General of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel.

After initial warm greetings and expression of thanks to the Creator of
the Universe for His Providence - in particular for the ongoing
friendship between the principals and their respective colleagues - warm
mutual appreciation was expressed for the work of the Anglican Jewish
Commission whose most recent meeting had focused on the meaning and
significance of Jerusalem in the Jewish and Christian traditions.

The Archbishop reflected on the presentations and on the concluding
statement of that meeting and expressed his own hopes and prayers and
those of his Church that the spirit of deep understanding and mutual
respect that pervaded the substance and form of that meeting will soon
be reflected on the ground between the different faith communities
through a just and peaceful resolution of the conflict in Jerusalem and
the Holy Land as a whole.

Rabbi Shear Yashuv Cohen responded, echoing the sentiments of the
Archbishop and adding the hope that genuine peace and reconciliation
will be one in which provision is made not only for the respect of
separate holy sites of each faith, but also for open access to sites
holy to more than one faith in a manner acceptable to all relevant
parties. All present expressed gratification with the progress of the
Dialogue to a degree that enabled honest and frank exchange in
discussion of both convergent and divergent vital issues. This was
considered of great significance in giving a renewed impetus for a
continuation and deepening of the Dialogue.

Chief Rabbi Amar and Archbishop Williams offered their reflections on
the theme of the forthcoming meeting in London of the Anglican Jewish
Commission on creation and human responsibility for the environment.
They spoke of their common understanding of the creation as a gift of
the Creator entrusted to humanity. They emphasised that Scripture
insists on the integrity of both the spiritual and material for any
effective approach to environmental concerns.

Discussion also took place concerning the life and needs of the diverse
Christian community in Jerusalem and the Holy Land and a clear
commitment was made to find practical ways in which greater mutual
understanding between communities could be brought about and to which
the special relationship of the principals could contribute.

The deliberations concluded with a commendation of the work of the
Council of Religious Institutions of the Holy Land and a commitment to
continue the Dialogue and the work of the Anglican Jewish Commission.

Following the meeting the delegations went together to Yad Vashem. The
Archbishop, with Bishop Suhail Dawani and Bishop Michael Jackson laid a
wreath in recognition of the abiding significance of the Holocaust and
as a commitment to the struggle against the continuing evil of anti
Semitism and all racial hatred and bigotry.

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