wfn.org | Situation of Muslims in Denmark a Major Part of LWF

["Frank Imhoff" <FRANKI@elca.org>]

Situation of Muslims in Denmark a Major Part of LWF
Inter-religious Study on Conflict
Eliminating Wrong Images about Each Other Remains a Major
Challenge

COPENHAGEN, Denmark/GENEVA, 11 December 2003 (LWI) -
"Globalization is increasingly making its effects felt in
Denmark. [We are] in the difficult process of moving from a
'mono' to a 'multi'-society in the ethnic, cultural
and religious domains. This is the context in which the Lutheran
church, to which about 85 percent of the population belongs, has
to exercise its ministry." 

Theologian Dr Mogens S. Mogensen made these remarks as a
participant in a Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Christian-Muslim
study team on the role of religion in conflicts. The group
concluded its first case study in Denmark in October.

The team comprising a Christian and Muslim representative each
from Denmark, Indonesia, Nigeria and the United States of America
considered many aspects of the Danish situation. They
particularly focused on the situation of the Muslim community and
the pressure the group experiences as a result of strong
political debate in Danish media on the Muslims' rights to live
and practice their faith in Denmark. The group's work is being
carried out under the LWF Department for Theology and Studies
(DTS).
 
Mogensen, chairperson of "The Church in Inter-faith Dialogue,"
an organization recently formed by seven dioceses of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark, spoke of his appreciation
of the LWF study program. He pointed out that two years ago, the
church set up a project to further an encounter of witness and
dialogue between congregations and people of other faiths. "Based
on the gospel of reconciliation between God and humanity - and
between persons - the church has to contribute to the resolution
of conflicts between religious, ethnic and cultural groups in the
society," he said. 

He noted that the Lutheran church in Denmark has only had a few
years' experience with a multi-religious society, and would
therefore need to learn from more experienced sister churches in
Africa and Asia. The study team was hosted by the
Islamic-Christian Study Center, founded in Copenhagen in 1996 by
local Christians and Muslims. Its activities focus on promoting
dialogue and friendship between members of the two faith
communities.
 
"We have learned that it is difficult to consider yourself
Danish and Muslim at the same time," stated Dr Azam Nizamuddin.
In meetings with members of the Danish Muslim community he
stressed the importance of being pro-active in relations to the
media and the rest of society. "Knowing what the issues are,
confronting them critically as well as self-critically, is
crucial," he said. 

Eliminating Wrong Images about Each Other Remains a Major
Challenge

Study team member Rev. Dr Jamilin Sirait, principal of
Indonesia's Protestant Christian Batak Church (HKPB) theological
college in Pematang Siantar, commended the Danish church for
having started the dialogue process with the Muslims. 

He explained the Indonesian situation, saying it was
comparatively quite different, as Christians there are a
minority. "One of our problems is that we [Christians] are seen
as Westerners. Christianity is linked to Western thinking. Many
of our Muslim brothers and sisters see us as enemies, and
opponents of Muslim thought, while many Christians see Muslims as
extremists." 

Sirait said one of the major challenges of the Christian-Muslim
dialogue is to eliminate "these wrong views about each other
whereby Christians are perceived as representing the West, and
Muslims are seen as fundamentalists." He encouraged Danish
Muslims to talk more openly about the deeper roots of Islam as a
way of countering such negative perceptions. He cautioned that
this is not an easy approach, but emphasized its important role
"on the path toward better mutual understanding." There is need
"for a new paradigm in mission. No proselytism, but real dialogue
- with emphasis on good relationships between each other," he
stressed.

The LWF study coordinator Rev. Dr Ingo Wulfhorst, DTS Study
Secretary for the Church and People of Other Faiths, pointed out
that an increasing number of Christians are recognizing the need
to deal more in-depth with issues about Islam and other
religions. 

Wulfhorst said the team's encounters in Denmark were a
significant basic element of the three-year study process. "The
ongoing tension between members of the majority folk Lutheran
church and the minority 170,000 Muslims representing only around
three percent of the 5.3 million population, has many levels.
Dialogue is the only way to overcome cultural and religious
conflicts," he added.

The team will visit Indonesia and Nigeria next year. The result
of the study process will be discussed at an international
conference in 2005. (756 words)

(By LWI correspondent Elizabeth Knox-Seith, Denmark.)

(The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the
Lutheran tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund (Sweden), the LWF now
has 136 member churches in 76 countries representing over 61.7
million of the 65.4 million Lutherans worldwide. The LWF acts on
behalf of its member churches in areas of common interest such as
ecumenical and inter-faith relations, theology, humanitarian
assistance, human rights, communication, and the various aspects
of mission and development work. Its secretariat is located in
Geneva, Switzerland.)

[Lutheran World Information (LWI) is LWF's information service.
Unless specifically noted, material presented does not represent
positions or opinions of the LWF or of its various units. Where
the dateline of an article contains the notation (LWI), the
material may be freely reproduced with acknowledgment.]

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