US bishops and Iranian Ayatollah unite against terrorism, to promote peace and dialogue
In a joint statement catholics e muslims personalities calls for promoting tolerance, respect for others' religious traditions. The leaders of the two great faiths support the fight against terrorism, fundamentalism and the use of weapons of mass destruction. They are "immoral". Continued dialogue between religions united by "common concern" for life and dignity of the human person.
Washington (AsiaNews) - A joint declaration issued today by U.S. Catholic bishops and Iranian religious leaders calls for developing a culture of encounter, tolerance, dialogue, and peace that respects the religious traditions of others. The leaders regard the development and use of weapons of mass destruction and acts of terrorism as "immoral."
The declaration was issued following a moral dialogue, which took place June 5-10, in Rome, Italy. The dialogue sought to build a sustainable channel of effective communication between American and Iranian religious leaders to foster greater mutual understanding and constructive engagement. The interreligious encounter focused on the moral tenets of each faith, especially as they relate to human rights, weapons of mass destruction, and terrorism.
Representatives from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) participating in the dialogue included Bishop Oscar Cantú of Las Cruces, New Mexico, chair of the bishops' Committee on International Justice and Peace; Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, archbishop emeritus of Washington; Bishop Richard Pates of Des Moines, Iowa; and Bishop Denis Madden, auxiliary bishop of Baltimore. The five member Iranian delegation was headed by Ayatollah Mahdi Hadavi Moghaddam Tehrani and Ayatollah Abolghasem Alidoost. This dialogue built on an earlier meeting that was held in Qom in March 2014, which focused on the need for a world free of nuclear weapons.
"Today's joint declaration is the fruit of sincere dialogue between two religions that are united in their concern for the life and dignity of the human person," said Bishop Cantú. "Together, we commit ourselves to continued dialogue on the most pressing issues facing the human family, such as poverty, injustice, intolerance, terrorism, and war."
The declaration is signed by Ayatollah Ali-Reza A'arafi, senior member of the Supreme Council of the Society of Qom Seminary Scholars and president of Al-Mustafa International University; Dr. Abdul-Majid Hakim-Elahi, director of the International Affairs Office of the Society of Qom Seminary Scholars; Bishop Oscar Cantú; and Cardinal Theodore McCarrick.
The orignale text of the joint declaration is available here:
Gathered in the name of God
We met in Rome this year, which Pope Francis designated a Year of Mercy, to continue our moral and religious dialogue that began in Qom in 2014.
The belief in One God unifies Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Serving God requires working for the welfare of all His creatures and the common good of humanity. Religious leaders must provide moral guidance and speak out against injustice and anything that is harmful to humankind.
Christianity and Islam share a commitment to love and respect for the life, dignity, and welfare of all members of the human community. Both traditions reject transgressions and injustices as reprehensible, and oppose any actions that endanger the life, health, dignity, or welfare of others. We hold a common commitment to peaceful coexistence and mutual respect.
We regard the development and use of weapons of mass destruction and acts of terrorism as immoral. Together we are working for a world without weapons of mass destruction. We call on all nations to reject acquiring such weapons and call on those who possess them to rid themselves of these indiscriminate weapons, including chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons.
For similar reasons, we oppose all acts of terrorism, especially those that directly target innocent civilians, whether the perpetrator is a state, a non-state group, or an individual. We also reject indiscriminate sanctions and other policies that impose harm on innocent civilians, especially the most vulnerable.
We support the legitimate right of self-defense and affirm a nation's right to use proportionate and discriminate force to protect its people against transgression and to restore their rights. We condemn the forced expulsion of people from their homelands and affirm their right to return as well as the international community's responsibility to facilitate a restoration of their rights.
We remain gravely concerned by the spread of extremist ideologies, often fueled by superficial and erroneous readings of religious texts, that negate the inherent worth and dignity of every person, regardless of religious belief. We call upon religious and community leaders to confront the spread of such ideologies that induce sectarianism and violence.
Violent extremism and terrorism are global challenges. They are perversions of authentic religious belief. The guilt of terrorist acts should not be assigned to members of an entire religion, nationality, culture, race, or ethnic group. Countering violent extremism requires firm determination and cooperation to address its root causes. The human family must collectively and genuinely confront poverty, unemployment, the worship of money, ignorance, discrimination, armed occupation, military aggression, injustice, and the cultures of intolerance, supremacy, and impunity.
Peaceful coexistence is built on equity and justice. We call upon all to work toward developing a culture of encounter, tolerance, dialogue, and peace that respects the religious traditions of others. We commit ourselves to sustained, active inter-religious dialogue that transcends governments and national boundaries, serves the common good of the whole human family, and reflects our shared values.
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12/06/2023 18:35
