|
Frans
Bouwen, M. Afr. On 16 January 2002 our confrère Frans Bouwen took part in a forum in the Hebrew University of Jerusalem on relations between the Christian community and both Muslim and Jews. In an address to the meeting, Frans offered a careful analysis of these relations, and we reproduce here what he had to say about the relations between Christians and Jews. I. Relations with Muslims The Palestinian Christian Community is very well aware of the fact that the quality of its interreligious relations is part and parcel of its existence and a necessary condition for its future presence in this part of the world. This is easy to understand when one has a quick look at the numbers of this community. Christians represent only about one percent of the total population in Israel/Palestine and between three and four percent of the Palestinian population. Moreover, the Palestinian Christian Community has been deeply influenced and intimately shaped, both in its history and in its present being, by the centuries old relations with believers of other faiths, especially Islam, but also Judaism. Hence the question: how does the community face this reality? With fatalism? Or as an opportunity? Or as we Christians would say, as a vocation? It is impossible to give a general answer to these questions, particularly in the present context. A number of clear distinctions have to be made. For instance, we have to distinguish not only between the relations with Islam and Judaism, but quite often also between the situation in Israel and in the Palestinian Territories. Most of the time it is also more accurate to speak about relations with Muslims and/or Jews, rather than about relations with Islam and/or Judaism, because these interreligious relations are located and lived on the level of concrete reality and not on an abstract, theoretical level of principles. It seems appropriate to start with the relations between Christians and Muslims, because they constitute the more immediate reality for Palestinian Christians and Muslims, because they constitute the more immediate reality for Palestinian Christians, for various reasons. Traditional relations As a whole, I think that we can affirm that the relations between Christians and Muslims in the Palestinian people are traditionally good. We can even add that, in general, they are better than in many other Arab Muslim countries. One of the main reasons seems to be that this country, which for many centuries has been called Palestine, has been, throughout history, a crossroads and a crucible for a long list of peoples who passed trough it and settled in it at different periods of time. This country is also open to the Mediterranean Sea and, beyond it, to the larger world. Therefore a certain form of diversity and pluralism is an essential part of the history and the constitution of Palestine and the Palestinian people. These traditional ties between Christian and Muslim Palestinians have been confirmed and strengthened during the last century because both were involved in the same national struggle: they have suffered the same exile and want to build a new national future together. Before proceeding to the present situation, it might be interesting to note that these traditional ties can be quite different according to the social level and sometimes also according to the geographical location. On the upper level of society, among academics or liberal professionals, there exist absolutely no problems in the relations between Christians and Muslims: both have the same intellectual preparation, social standard and financial status. On the other hand, at the popular level, there still exists a certain degree of mutual ignorance and prejudices, transmitted from one generation to the other. And between these two extremes one can find a large range of different sensitivities and attitudes. The relations may also be quite different according to the geographical situation. In a town or village, Christians may either constitute a small minority, may be more or less the same number as the Muslims or may constitute a clear majority. The mutual relations may be different accordingly. A particular sensitive climate may be perceptible where the majority in the two communities has changed in the course of one generation. We can think, for instance, of Nazareth and Bethlehem, where the Christians represented roughly two thirds of the population before 1948 and the Muslims one third, while today it is practically the opposite. It is not difficult to imagine that adjusting to this new situation sometimes requires painful revisions and can cause sporadic frictions. Nevertheless, it is possible to say that, on the whole, in Palestinian society, Christians and Muslims have developed, in the course of centuries, a kind of practical wisdom of living together that enables them to overcome possible difficult moments. This generally positive view does not prevent us from recognizing that these relations sometimes passed through moments of tension or crisis. In this sense we can also recognize that during the last fifteen years or so, some new elements have emerged that deserve careful analysis and reaction. Recent developments It is generally accepted that the impact of the religious factor on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has increased considerably during the last decades. On the Palestinian side, the Islamic dimension of the national struggle has been more and more emphasized. It is normal that a people that struggles for its national identity and independence mobilises all available energy for this propose. That does not mean that every Muslim who finds inspiration and strength in his religion is necessarily an extremist. However, it is true that within the Palestinian people, some fundamentalist Islamic or extreme Islamistic movements have emerged and gained influence. Practically all over the world, hopeless social, economic or political situations are the fertile breeding ground for fundamentalist movements that claim to be inspired by Islam. The Palestinian situation is no exception. A hopeless social situation, particularly in the Gaza Strip, and a political situation without any solution in view for the near future have allowed movements like Hamas to extend their influence considerably. This is, of course, a reason for concern for the Palestinian Christian community: what is going to be the place of the Christians in a future Palestinian society where Islam would exercise a predominant influence? In fact, at present there are no real problems on the level of the leaders: Christian and Muslim leaders, including those from these movements, meet occasionally and among them it is understood that there is no question of religious antagonism, but that the ultimate aim is the nationalistic struggle. Unfortunately, on the popular level these distinctions are not always clearly made, and tensions may arise, occasional confrontations may occur. It is then up to the leaders on both sides to calm down tempers and to strengthen relations. Usually they succeed. However, the present situation requires a new and sustained attention from them. The future development or the relations between religions and communities will depend to a large extent on the future of the peace process between Israelis and Palestinians, whatever forms this process may take. In fact, recent events have shown that each time the peace process is blocked, for one reason or another, these extremist movements gain influence, while as soon as a new promising opening appears, they see their audience diminished. The sooner a peaceful and lasting political solution can be found, the better it will be for all, Jews, Christians and Muslims alike. The longer the present conflict lasts, the more difficult it will become to find such a solution and to come to a harmonious coexistence. A vision for coexistence In this present context, and building on the traditional relationships, different efforts were undertaken to promote a new reflection on ways of promoting more conscious interreligious relations and a more direct education to pluralism. The vision that is at the basis of these efforts is fundamentally the following. In the Arab world, and particularly in Palestine, Christians and Muslims share a common history, a common language and a common culture. This common heritage is the basis for building together a common future. This approach is present in different church documents, some of them being proper to the Catholic Church, while others have been published in common, for instance in the framework of the Middle East Council of Churches. As an example, I would like to refer here to two letters published by the seven Catholic Patriarchs in the Middle East. The first one, published in 1992, is entitled: "The Christian Presence in the middle East: Witness and Mission". Its content is evidently much larger than the sole issue of Muslim-Christian relations, but it contains the basic principles and orientations in this field. A subsequent letter, published by the same Patriarchs in 1994, is entirely devoted to this topic, under the title: "Together before God for the good of the Person and the Society: Coexistence between Muslims and Christians in the Arab World". Let me quote a few lines from the first letter, in order to see the underlying spirit: "In spite of all difficulties, our coexistence over many centuries is the solid ground on which we must base our common action, now and in the future, to serve an egalitarian and harmonious society where no one, whoever he or she may be, will feel out of place or rejected. We draw on a single heritage of civilisation. Each of us has contributed to its formation according to his or her own genius. Our kinship of civilisation is our historical patrimony. We must preserve it, develop it, reinforce it and revive it, so that it may be the foundation of our coexistence and mutual respect as brothers and sisters. Christians in the Middle East are an inseparable part of the cultural identity of Muslims. In the same way, Muslims of the East are an inseparable part of the cultural identity of Christians. For this reason, we are responsible for one another in the sight of God and history... We are convinced that our authentic spiritual and religious values can help us to overcome the problems that hinder our coexistence. This obliges us to look upon one another in a spirit of mutual openness with a desire to get to know each other [...]" (n. 48). Dialogue of life At this point, one could ask whether any dialogue is going on between Palestinian Christians and Muslims. It all depends on what one means by dialogue. The religious or theological dialogue in the strict sense of the word remains difficult and limited, both for religious and cultural reasons. However, the dialogue of life is meant the conscious search for better mutual understanding, acceptance and collaboration, in the common endeavour to build an open and just society. In this perspective meetings and discussions are organised between Muslims and Christians on issues of common interests: human rights, religious freedom, education, social justice, etc.. Each participant studies the issues from the point of view of his or her religious beliefs, in order to come to a better mutual understanding and to find a mutually accepted basis for common action. In the present circumstances, such a dialogue of life seems far more important than theological discussions. By looking forward together towards a common future and by working together for the same aim, mutual relations are not only strengthened by better insights but also by common commitment and responsibility. (To be continued).
Ref.: PETIT ECHO (English Edition), n. 929, 2002/3.
|