Title: Finnish Archbishop Jukka Paarma Signs Muslim-Christian Accord
1Finnish Archbishop Jukka PaarmaSigns
Muslim-Christian Accord
Archbishop Jukka Paarma from the Lutheran Church
of Finland added his name to the document issued
by Christian and Muslim leaders promoting
coexistence at the Coexistence and Peace Making
Conference hosted by the Jordanian Interfaith
Coexistence Research Center (JICRC) in Amman,
Jordan, in January of this year. Thirty-five
Christian and Muslim leaders from the Middle East
signed then, and since then more international
faith leaders have added their signature and
support. The signing followed a dialogue between
Archbishop Paarma, his delegation, Bishop Younan
and his delegation, JICRC Executive Director the
Very Rev. Nabil Haddad (far right, standing), HE
Mr. Sami Gammoh, Deputy Chair (far left), and HE
Minister of Islamic Affairs, the Awqaf and the
Endowment for Jordan Mr. Abd AlFatah Salah.
2- We, as people who believe in the One God, and as
people who own the legacy of coexistence in this
region, Muslim and Christian, seek in this
difficult era to build together our present and
future society, in a spirit of mutual
responsibility so that comprehensive peace and
real justice prevail in our region and in the
world as a whole.
- To achieve this, we undertake the commitment and
pledge to call for the following to be
implemented, not in our region only, but in the
world as a whole - Respect of religious freedom and belief.
- Respect of all messengers, prophets, holy
books, and religious texts and prohibition of
their desecration. - All holy places should be respected and made
freely accessible to believers. - All religious symbols must be respected and any
desecration should be prohibited and prevented. - Respect for responsible freedom of expression
which does not harm the belief and feelings of
others. - To continue dialogue and human cooperation so
that justice, peace, development and decent
living, called for by the human and religious
teachings of the heavenly religions, can be
achieved.
3Mr. Gammoh and Mr. Salah talked about their
experience of growing up and working together as
Christians and Muslims. Jordan represents real
coexistence, real Islam. Extremists pervert
Islam with violence and fanaticism, said Mr.
Salah. Terrorism has no religion, no one state.
4ELCJHL Bishop Younan said that Jordans actions
show the Kingdom respects all peoples civil and
religious rights. Earlier that day, HRH Prince
Ghazi had presented the ELCJHL with 5 dunums of
land at Jordans baptismal site to build a
pilgrimage center. Bishop Younan and Archbishop
Paarma of Finland received and blessed the land
with Prince Ghazi.
5ELCJHL Pastor Samer Azar of Good Shepherd
Lutheran in Amman pointed out that the symbol of
the JICRC is an actual drawing of a church and
mosque near one another in Amman. Coexistence
is not just an ideal or dream in Jordan, it is
reality, he said.
6JICRC Executive Director Father Nabil Haddad said
that the organization was formed in 2003 to
publicize Jordans long history of
Muslim-Christian coexistence and to develop
programs to promote tolerance and mutual
understanding. The Amman Message of 2004 was an
initiative from the Kingdom of Jordan and other
Islamic leaders to reclaim Islam as a moderate
religion of peace. For more information
see www.coexistencejordan.org