President Hadsell Participates in Symposium
on “Religion and Peaceful Co-Existence” in Iran
Equal participation and shared responsibility in society are at the basis of a peaceful co-existence between Christians and Muslims, stated participants at an interreligious symposium in Tehran, Iran in December.
They highlighted the value of learning from each other's faith and criticized "irresponsible media."
The December 13-14, 2008 symposium on "Religion and Peaceful Co-Existence" was jointly convened by the Tehran-based Centre for Inter-religious Dialogue of the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization and the World Council of Churches (WCC).
Among the participants was Heidi Hadsell, President of Hartford Seminary.
A joint communiqué summarizing eight points of agreement highlighted the co-existence between Christians and Muslims in Iran, as well as the value of dialogue, which "should not be confined to scholars and spiritual leaders," and of "learning about each other's faith."
The joint communiqué states: "Peaceful coexistence between Christians and Muslims should be based on their equal participation and shared responsibility towards society and each other. This includes recognizing and respecting one another's religious and civil rights, and taking a common stand whenever the rights of religious communities are violated and whenever irresponsible media try to present a distorted image of any particular religion, offending its symbols and followers."
The fifth of a series started in 1995, the symposium brought together a half dozen Christian representatives (see participants list below) and some 15 Muslim scholars and spiritual leaders. Its opening session, broadcast by an Iranian TV channel, was attended by nearly 80 guests, including Iranian clergy and lay leaders, as well as scholars and university students.
For the first time, the symposium saw the participation of representatives from Iranian churches. A parallel program provided an opportunity for the Christians from abroad to worship and maintain extensive contacts with local Christian communities.
Full text of the joint communiqué:
http://www.oikoumene.org/?id=6527
Christian participants at the symposium:
Leader of the WCC delegation:
- Archbishop Sebouh Sarkissian, primate of the Diocese of Tehran, Armenian Apostolic Church, Holy See of Cilicia
Representatives of churches in Iran:
- Archbishop Ramzi Garmou, Chaldean Catholic Church in Iran (observer)
- Rev. Matavos (Sergey) Shaverdian, moderator of the Synod of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Iran
Members of the WCC delegation:
- Rev. Dr Jean-Claude Basset, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
- Prof. Heidi Hadsell, president of Hartford Seminary
- Prof. Jorgen Nielsen, director of the project on Islam in Europe, Copenhagen University, Denmark
- Mr Samer Laham, Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East, Syria
- Dr Gary Vachicourras, Institute of Postgraduate Studies in Orthodox Theology at the Orthodox Centre of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Chambésy, Geneva, Switzerland
