wfn.org | Archbishop of Canterbury - visit to Pakistan

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

     ACNS 4083     |	  LAMBETH     |     25 NOVEMBER 2005

Archbishop of Canterbury - visit to Pakistan

Photographs for this article are available here:
http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acns/articles/40/75/acns4083.cfm

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams has begun an eight-day 
visit to Pakistan with a church service in Rawalpindi.

Speaking in Christ Church, Rawalpindi on Tuesday [22nd November] Dr 
Williams told the congregation that their situation was similar to the boy 
whose loaves and fishes fed the five thousand (in John 6 v 5-14):

"For us, gathering as a small church in the middle of a society that is 
mostly not Christian, we think 'what can we do and what can we give?' We 
give our love, we give our compassion to those around us; we give our 
service and our witness: and the apostles of Jesus Christ say to us 'Don't 
worry; give it to Jesus, he knows what to do with it.' "

"So however small the gifts we feel we are giving, however small the 
influence we may sometimes feel we may have, give what we have to Jesus and 
he knows what to do with it. This does not come without cost ... when we 
offer our service and compassion and step out from the crowd, we don't feel 
very safe... but it is those acts of generosity where we take a step 
towards love and compassion, that is when Jesus can most use what we give."

"At a time when in this country when we are thinking of those great acts of 
reconciliation between communities, the challenge of Jesus is to step 
forward in reconciliation holding onto the vision of peace between 
different communities. That is very hard and very demanding."

Later, the Archbishop and Mrs Williams together with Bishop Michael Jackson 
and others had dinner with the President of Pakistan, General Pervez 
Musharraf, which followed a private meeting.

[Wednesday 23rd November] Dr Williams visited a tented village on the 
outskirts of Islamabad where victims displaced by the recent earthquake 
disaster are being temporarily sheltered. The complex, which holds nearly 
10,000 refugees, has organised and coordinated relief efforts from the 
government together with those from a number of international NGOs and 
other organisations. Dr Williams paid tribute to the operation:

"I was very moved to see how efficiently the displaced victims of the 
earthquake disaster are being cared for. Equally impressive were the plans 
for the reconstruction of communities and for moving people away from 
dependency with practical help to rebuild their lives."

Following on from this visit, Dr Williams delivered a lecture to an 
audience of students and academics at the International Islamic University 
in Islamabad. His lecture, What is Christianity?, explained some of the 
core beliefs which Christians hold together with explanations of some 
popular misconceptions.

The Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr Shaukat Aziz, hosted a lunch for Dr 
Williams that was followed by a brief press call.

Dr Williams returned to the university in the afternoon for a round-table 
discussion, Is inter faith dialogue possible? Dr Williams gave a brief 
informal presentation and then answered questions on dialogue from the 
delegates, who were academics and local Christian and Muslim leaders.

He told the delegates that religious representatives needed to be clear 
about the terms of engagement:

"Dialogue is not debate; dialogue is not proselytism; dialogue is not the 
attempt to persuade; dialogue is not negotiation. When I enter dialogue 
with someone of another religious tradition ... I am not out to secure 
agreement, but to secure understanding. An honest and constructive dialogue 
leads us to go away thinking 'Now I begin to see a little better what it is 
like to hold those views, pray those prayers and to live those lives'.

"Dialogue is possible, dialogue is necessary and, happily, by the grace of 
God, dialogue is above all, actual. The very fact of our meeting this 
afternoon is, I hope and pray, a sign of how that dialogue can and will 
unfold in the years ahead."

Dr Williams outlined some of the thinking behind proposals for a 
Christian-Muslim Forum in the United Kingdom and spoke of the potential for 
agreements that seek to protect minority communities:

"Part of that is connected with the suggestion that local religious 
communities adopt a covenant, a solemn agreement between each other to come 
to one another's defence if any one of the communities is attacked. It is 
the greatest possible sign of real and effective dialogue if ordinary 
people from the area will immediately come to support the community that 
has been attacked."

A meeting with Mr Muhammad Ijaz ul Haq, the Minister for Religious Affairs 
followed; discussion centred around the challenge of religious education 
and the protection of religious minorities in Pakistan, especially in the 
wake of the Sangla Hills incident.

Earlier, Dr Williams had told reporters that the incident had focussed 
attention on the problems caused by the country's blasphemy laws.

"I think it is widely recognised that the abuse of the blasphemy laws is a 
major problem which this country has to tackle; the problem is not so much 
the idea of a law against blasphemy as about a law whose penalty is so 
severe and whose practice gives so much scope for allowing people to settle 
private scores."

"It is true that in many areas the concern has been expressed that local 
authorities have been slow to respond. On the other hand, the National 
authorities have condemned these activities and I think that's where the 
leverage lies."

"I was able to speak to the President directly about this and the problem 
is certainly widely recognised."

On Wednesday evening [23rd November], Dr Williams attended a reception 
hosted by the British High Commissioner, HE Mark Lyall Grant CMG and Mrs 
Sheila Lyall Grant.

Dr Williams has travelled to Pakistan accompanied by his wife, Jane, and by 
the Anglican Bishop of Clogher, the Rt Revd Michael Jackson, who chairs the 
Network of Interfaith Concerns for the Anglican Communion.

The Archbishop, together with Mrs Jane Williams, travelled to Pakistan this 
week at the invitation of the Church of Pakistan, whose Moderator is the 
Bishop of Lahore, the Rt Revd Alexander Malik. The Archbishop and Mrs 
Williams are being accompanied by the Bishop of Clogher, the Rt Revd Dr 
Michael Jackson. Dr Jackson is the chair of NIFCON, the Network for Inter 
Faith Concerns in the Anglican Communion.

Note to editors: photographs are available from Church House press office. 
Tel 020 7898 1326.

Additional Photographs are available here:
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/sjyazdani/album?.dir=/d9e8&.src=ph&.tok=phMr
K_DB93U3bFNG

Press matters are being handled by the Revd Jonathan Jennings who, during 
the visit, can be reached on a UK mobile: +44 7801 964644.

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