Young Orthodox: Rediscovering the Christian identity in the Arab and Islamic civilisation
Amman (AsiaNews) The First International Meeting of Young Orthodox ended on Monday, August 22, in Jordan's capital. The event was sponsored by the Central Committee of the Young Orthodox Apostolic Movements and took place at the headquarters of the Orthodox Association Institute for Catechesis Training.
Hundreds of young people, mostly university students, took part in the four-day gathering that included debates and lectures on "Christ at the centre of Arabs' wounds".
Young people tackled various issues concerning pastoral care for youth with priests and bishops from the entire region. The main topic was the situation of young people in the Middle East and the threats posed by the region's ongoing social and political crises.
Following the working sessions, participants laid down some guidelines:
1. To call on Muslims to recognise Arab Christians as full citizens and guarantee them complete freedom in their activities, not as a concession, but as an acknowledgement that they, too, have an equal right to dignity as part of the region's shared historic mission. Freedom for Christians is said to be something good for Islam, a condition for the development of a tolerant and more humane Islam. At the same time, the young participants expect greater courage from Christians themselves. "Our Muslim fellow citizens," they said, "will recognise the importance of a Christian renaissance when we Middle East Christians are able to come out of the catacombs which they indirectly imposed on us."
2. To rediscover our Christian roots through the honest and committed study of the Holy Scriptures. Likewise, we must rediscover the contributions Christians made to the Arab and Islamic civilisation and "participate without fear in [our society's] journey towards implementing the reign of justice, freedom and dignity for man who was created in the image and resemblance of God".
3. To make a greater commitment to today's society, "because the earth is where we can taste God's and our brothers' love."
4. To tackle the nationality issue of the Orthodox clergy, many of whom are Greek and not Arab. This is especially important in Jerusalem, the "Mother of all Churches".
5. To review the relationship with religious authorities who, according to Christian tradition, are the "icons of the Lord" even when they betray Evangelical teachings.
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