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Two
years ago, 138 Muslim scholars took an initiative that opened a new chapter in
the history of Christian-Muslim relations. They sent an Open Letter to Pope
Benedict XVI and to other Christian leaders outlining the basis for good
relations between Muslims and Christians.
They called their letter A Common Word Between Us and You. Last month, about 60 people, both Christians and Muslims, came together in Parramatta to discuss the issues raised in this document.
In their letter, the Muslim scholars say that there is a firm basis for good relations between Christians and Muslims because of the "common word" that they both accept, namely, the commandment to love God above all things and to love one's neighbor as oneself.
A reader of the Open Letter will notice that those who wrote it had made a serious study of the Bible and respect it as a genuine revelation from God.
Imam Afroz Ali, founder and director of the Al-Ghazzali Centre in Lakemba, addressed the gathering regarding the genesis and background of A Common Word Between Us and You.
He explained that the document pointed to a basis for good relations between Christians and Muslims in the commandment to love God and one's neighbor to be found in both the Bible and the Qur'an.
For instance, the Qur'an describes the care God has for all His creation: "It is God who has made the earth a resting-place for you and the sky a canopy, and has formed you - and formed you so well - and provided for you sustenance out of the good things of life" (Qur'an 40.64).
In response, man should love God above all things: "Yet there are men who take rivals unto God: they love them as they should love God. But those of faith are more intense in their love for God" (Q. 2.165).
The New Testament is also clear: "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment" (Matt. 22.37). In addition, both the Qur'an and the Bible contain many verses about the importance of love of neighbor.
The next speaker, Fr Patrick McInerney SSC, said that the Muslim authors of the document gave evidence of profound scholarship and respect for the Bible as a genuine revelation from God.
Jeena Joyan spoke about the love she had already experienced between Muslims and Christians.
Questions from those present concerned the precise meaning of the "love of God" in Islam and in Christianity. There were also questions about the deeper causes for tensions between Christians and Muslims, such as had occurred recently at Camden.
Discussions between the Vatican and some representatives of the 138 Muslim leaders who signed the Open Letter led to the establishment of the Catholic-Muslim Forum in 2008. The Holy Father attended the closing session of the first seminar of this forum and supported the resolutions it made.
The full text of the Holy Father's speech and many other responses to A Common Word Between Us and You can be found at: www.acommonword.com
A Jewish storyteller, a Muslim Imam and a Catholic priest spoke at the launch of a new association called Companions in Dialogue in St Patrick's Cathedral Hall on 28 May 2009.
In his introductory speech, Fr Herman Roborgh SJ said that Companions in Dialogue (CID) was a group of women and men, based in Sydney, committed to principles of respect and compassion, and seeking to support one another in activities that promote cultural and interreligious dialogue.
The association had a two-fold purpose. The first was to foster trust among its members in the hope that they could move to a deeper level of dialogue.
The second was to organise creative programs that promote understanding and harmony in society. Fr Herman said that the open nature of Australian society provided the opportunity for different forms of dialogue. This would happen only among companions who trusted one another.
CID was launched at the start of the conference on A Common Word Between Us and You, which is an Open Letter written by 138 Muslim scholars, sent to the Pope and other Christian leaders in 2007.
Peter Kirkwood, a former announcer for the ABC program Compass and a member of CID, launched the new association by pointing out that its members consisted of Muslims, Jews and Christians both from the Uniting Church and the Catholic Church. As companions, they will meet regularly and launch a website in the near future.
Although the initial inspiration to form CID arose from a small group of believers in the Abrahamic faiths, the association will include members from other faiths. CID will also welcome people as companions in dialogue even though they do not belong to any of the main religions or faiths.
Other members of CID include: Imam Afroz Ali, the founder and director of the Al-Ghazzali Centre in Lakemba; David Mills, who has been actively involved in Initiatives For Change for many years; Ros Bradley, author of Mosaic, a book of favourite prayers and reflections from inspiring Australians; Donna Sife, a leading storyteller at interfaith gatherings; and Jeena Joyan, a mother and business woman.
You can obtain further information about Companions in Dialogue by writing to companionsindialogue@gmail.com