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Title: Call for a UN of Religion, World religious leaders kick off peace summit Post by: Shammu on October 22, 2007, 03:34:10 PM World religious leaders kick off peace summit
1 day ago NAPLES, Italy (AFP) — Leaders of the world's main religions kicked off an annual inter-faith peace summit here Sunday with calls for a global organisation uniting their faiths. Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, Israel's chief rabbi Yona Metzger and the imam of the United Arab Emirates, Ibrahim Ezzedin, were among those attending the gathering. "Civilisations don't dialogue directly, but through those who carry their traditions and cultural values. So we should not speak of a dialogue of civilisations, but a culture of dialogue," Bartholomew told the opening. In a similar vein, Metzger proposed a "United Nations of Religions" that would "embrace the heads of religious communities that have a profound influence on their congregations." "If we sit down together around one table... surely we could arrive at effective solutions," he said. Ezzedin, too, advocated a formal structure linking world religions, saying: "This important grouping of God-fearing people cannot and should not limit itself to processions, conferences and seminars." "We need to form a permanent and authorised executive machinery for ... executing any decisions we may make," he added. The Muslim leader however spoke harshly of "unjustified provocations in places such as Iraq and Afghanistan and ... unfair dealings in Palestine" that have prompted "some Muslim individuals and groups (to go) astray and wrong themselves by violent actions." He added: "We are dismayed by the behaviour of some great powers who continue to act aggressively against other countries, by means of military occupation under fabricated pretexts... forced regime changes and blunt interference in other countries' affairs." The Sant'Egidio summits are meant to carry on the "spirit of Assisi" and were launched 21 years ago by John Paul II in the birthplace of Saint Francis. The first summit, dubbed a World Day of Prayer for Peace, was attended by the Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa and other religious leaders. The pope, then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, stayed away, reportedly out of concern that it put all religions on an equal footing. Thus the timing of his pastoral visit to Naples has been billed as a "happy coincidence" by Sant'Egidio, a lay Catholic organisation that has mediated in several world conflicts. The theme of this year's peace summit is "A World Without Violence: Faiths and Cultures in Dialogue," with topics to include AIDS, immigration, the plight of Africa and the quest for peace in the Middle East. The Sant'Egidio community is the "bridge in this search for common points and continues to work for dialogue in all parts of the world to build peace," said the Reverend Gijun Sugitani, the supreme advisor of Tendai Buddhism in Japan. Earlier Sunday, Benedict celebrated an open-air mass as rain fell on pilgrims huddled under umbrellas in Naples' main square. Lamenting "the sad phenomenon of violence" in the impoverished city, the pontiff said: "It's not only a matter of the deplorable number of crimes of the Camorra (mafia), but also the fact that violence tends unfortunately to become a widespread mentality, insinuating itself into the fabric of society." World religious leaders kick off peace summit (http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5h1WoOHAe8LSw0Hrvho70qDRK5EpA) Title: Re: Call for a UN of Religion, World religious leaders kick off peace summit Post by: Shammu on October 22, 2007, 03:35:41 PM Pope, evoking September 11, urges 'reconciliation among peoples'
by Gina Doggett Sun Oct 21, 11:30 AM ET NAPLES, Italy (AFP) - Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday evoked the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, as he urged "reconciliation among peoples" ahead of an inter-faith summit in Naples. "With respect for the differences between the various religions, we are all called to work for peace and ... reconciliation among peoples," Benedict said as he met with Muslim, Jewish, Orthodox and other Christian leaders. The some 200 participants at the annual Sant'Egidio community peace meeting include Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I, the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, Israel's chief rabbi Yona Metzger and the imam of the United Arab Emirates, Ibrahim Ezzeddin. Recalling the 2002 Sant'Egidio summit following the September 11 attacks, the pope said his predecessor John Paul II called religious leaders together to "ask God to stop serious threats to humanity, notably through terrorism." Meeting for the first time as pope with such a large gathering of world religious leaders, Benedict said: "In the face of a world torn by conflicts where violence is sometimes justified in the name of God, it is important to reiterate that religions can never become vehicles of hate." The 80-year-old Benedict has stressed his commitment to "open and sincere dialogue" with followers of other religions. The Sant'Egidio encounter follows an open letter sent to the pope and other Christian figures by 138 Muslim leaders, both Sunni and Shiite, which urged greater efforts to bring the two religions together. Benedict set Muslim opinion aflame last year in a speech in which he seemed to link Islam with violence, but sought to win hearts and minds during his November 2006 trip to mainly Muslim Turkey. In a dramatic gesture, the pontiff assumed an attitude of Muslim prayer while standing beside Istanbul's Grand Mufti Mustafa Cagrici in Istanbul's Blue Mosque. While there, the pope also met Barthomew I, spiritual leader of the world's 250 million Orthodox Christians. Healing the nearly 10-century-old rift between the Eastern and Western Rites was one of the priorities -- along with reaching out to Muslims and Jews -- that Benedict set out for himself when he took up the papacy in April 2005. The Sant'Egidio summits are meant to carry on the "spirit of Assisi" launched 21 years ago by John Paul II in the birthplace of Saint Francis. A World Day of Prayer for Peace was attended by the Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa and other religious leaders, but Benedict, then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, stayed away, reportedly out of concern that it put all religions on an equal footing. Thus the timing of his pastoral visit to Naples has been billed as a "happy coincidence" by Sant'Egidio, a lay Catholic organisation that has mediated in several world conflicts. The theme of this year's peace summit is "A World Without Violence: Faiths and Cultures in Dialogue," with topics to include AIDS, immigration, the plight of Africa and the quest for peace in the Middle East. The pope lunched with Sant'Egidio participants as well as Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi. Sunday morning, Benedict celebrated an open-air mass as rain fell on pilgrims huddled under umbrellas in Naples' main square. Lamenting "the sad phenomenon of violence" in the impoverished city, the pontiff said: "It's not only a matter of the deplorable number of crimes of the Camorra (mafia), but also the fact that violence tends unfortunately to become a widespread mentality, insinuating itself into the fabric of society." The pope underscored "the importance of intensifying efforts for a serious strategy of prevention centring on schools, work and helping young people to manage their free time. "Intervention is needed that involves everyone in the struggle against all forms of violence," he said. Pope, evoking September 11, urges 'reconciliation among peoples' (http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071021/wl_afp/vaticanpopereligionsantegidio_071021153055) Title: Re: Call for a UN of Religion, World religious leaders kick off peace summit Post by: Shammu on October 22, 2007, 04:25:30 PM Cardinal signals firm Vatican stance with Muslims
October 20, 2007; 3:51 By Tom Heneghan, Religion Editor PARIS (Reuters) - The top Vatican official for Islam has praised a novel Muslim call for dialogue but said real theological debate with them was difficult as they saw the Koran as the literal word of God and would not discuss it in depth. Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, in an interview on Friday with the French Catholic daily La Croix, also said Christians would have to discuss curbs on building churches in the Islamic world in the dialogue advocated by 138 Muslim scholars in the appeal. His interview, coming after mostly positive comments by other Catholic Islam experts, signaled the world's largest Christian church wanted a serious dialogue with Muslims that did not avoid some fundamental issues dividing the religions. "Muslims do not accept that one can discuss the Koran in depth, because they say it was written by dictation from God," Tauran said. "With such an absolute interpretation, it is difficult to discuss the contents of faith." The fact that Muslims can build mosques in Europe while many Islamic states limit or ban church building cannot be ignored, he said. "In a dialogue among believers, it is fundamental to say what is good for one is good for the other," he said. The appeal last week by 138 scholars representing a large majority of Islamic views invited Christian leaders to a dialogue based on their common belief that love of God and neighbor is the cornerstone of their religions. It was unprecedented because Islam has no central authority to speak for all believers, especially not the silent majority that does not agree with radicals whose preaching of jihad and rejection of other faiths often dominates the headlines. CATHOLIC RESPONSE IS KEY The appeal was addressed to all leading Christian churches. Anglican, Lutheran and evangelical leaders and the World Council of Churches have all welcomed it. But the reaction of the Roman Catholic Church, which makes up more than half of the world's two billion Christians, is key to any coordinated Christian response to the Muslim appeal. Tauran praised the appeal as "an eloquent example of a dialogue of spiritualities" that showed good will by quoting not the Koran only -- as Muslims usually do -- but also the Bible. The appeal avoided major differences such as the roles of Jesus and Mohammad, but Tauran brought up one about the Koran. Muslims revere the Koran as the literal word of God while most Christian theologians -- and some Muslim intellectuals -- say sacred scriptures are the work of divinely inspired humans and can be challenged and reinterpreted. Pope Benedict is a key figure because his Regensburg speech last year implying Islam was violent and irrational sparked bloody protests in the Muslim world and prompted the Muslim scholars to unite to seek better inter-faith understanding. Tauran hinted Benedict might use a major inter-faith meeting in Naples on Sunday to respond to the appeal. "The pope will be there at the start and will certainly say something," he told La Croix without elaborating. Father Samir Khalil Samir, an Egyptian Jesuit and leading Catholic expert on Islam, welcomed the appeal as reflecting a broad consensus among Sunnis and Shi'ites and showing a real understanding of Christianity by its signatories. "With time, this document could create an opening and a greater convergence," he wrote on the AsiaNews website. Cardinal signals firm Vatican stance with Muslims (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/20/AR2007102000273.html) Title: Re: Call for a UN of Religion, World religious leaders kick off peace summit Post by: Shammu on October 22, 2007, 04:28:25 PM Quote The fact that Muslims can build mosques in Europe while many Islamic states limit or ban church building cannot be ignored, he said. "In a dialogue among believers, it is fundamental to say what is good for one is good for the other," he said. Dialog is useless, when the barn door is locked and the horses are out. Title: Re: Call for a UN of Religion, World religious leaders kick off peace summit Post by: Shammu on October 22, 2007, 04:38:56 PM Quote World religious leaders kick off peace summit Here is a list of events happening. October 21, Sunday 10.00 Piazza del Plebiscito Solemn Eucharistic Celebration Chairperson S.S. BENEDETTO XVI 17:30 Teatro S.Carlo e collegamento con la Piazza Plenary Assembly Chairperson Lorella Cuccarini Trenta Ore per la Vita, Italy Opening Address Crescenzio Sepe Cardinal, Archbishop of Naples Rosa Russo Jervolino Mayor of Naples Riccardo Di Palma President of Provincia di Napoli Antonio Bassolino President of Regione Campania Romano Prodi President of the Council of Ministers Introductory speech Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete President of the United Republic of Tanzania Andrea Riccardi Founder of the Community of Sant’Egidio U Uttara Buddhist monk, Burma Ines Zimba Physician, Mozambico Music MUSICAL INTERLUDE Panelists Bartholomaios I Ecumenical Patriarch, Archbishop of Constantinople Nea Roma Yona Metzger Chief Rabbi of Israel Ezzeddin Ibrahim Founder of the University of the United Arab Emirates Gijun Sugitani Supreme Advisor to the Tendai Buddhist Denomination, Japan Rafael Correa Delgado President of the Republic of Ecuador Kassym-Jomart Tokayev President of the Senate, Kazakhstan October 22, Monday 09:30 Auditorium - Hotel Royal Continental A Soul for Europe Chairperson Michel Camdessus Panelists Jean-Arnold de Clermont Presidente della Conferenza delle Chiese d'Europa (KEK) Adriano Giannola Heinrich Mussinghoff Bogdan Tataru-Cazaban Mario Soares Vladimir Ivanovich Yakunin 09:30 Sala Galatea, Stazione Marittima Religions in Dialogue, a World without Violence Chairperson Jean-Louis Tauran Panelists Jean Dominique Durand Ishmael Noko Mehmet Paçaci Gijun Sugitani Supreme Advisor to the Tendai Buddhist Denomination, Japan Din Syamsuddin Oded Wiener 09:30 Aula Magna - Università Federico II The Urban Environment: Conflict or Coexistence? Chairperson Françoise Rivière Panelists Christine Boutin Arrigo Levi Mario Marazziti Mario Orfeo Isaia Sales Marc Stenger 09:30 Sala Italia - Castel dell’Ovo Europe, Immigration, and the Future Chairperson Lucio Caracciolo Panelists Edgar Busuttil Antonio Golini Jörn-Erik Gutheil Agostino Marchetto Jean Claude Petit Daniela Pompei 09:30 Sala Dione - Stazione Marittima Faiths and Reason Chairperson Massimo Franco Panelists Enzo Bianchi Hasan Hanafi Amos Luzzatto Aldo Masullo Ignazio Sanna Silvio Suppa 09:30 Sala Perseide - Stazione Marittima The Scriptures in Monotheistic Faiths Chairperson Walter Kasper Panelists Mahmud Ghazi Joachim Gnilka Berl Lazar Jean-Pierre Ricard Rowan D. Williams 09:30 Sala Agave - Stazione Marittima Prayer, the Strength of Believers Chairperson Ignace Moussa Daoud Panelists Mohammed Esslimani Itzhak Haleva Salvatore Martinez Andon Merdani Serafim 16:30 Auditorium - Hotel Royal Continental Europe and Africa: Two Continents, One Future Chairperson Jean-Pierre Kutwa Panelists Michel Camdessus Maria da Luz Dai Guebuza Kpakilé Felemou Comunità di Sant’Egidio, Guinea Conakry Jean-François Leguil-Bayart Renato Raffaele Martino Sami Tchak 16:30 Sala Galatea - Stazione Marittima Chairperson Marco Impagliazzo Panelists Massimo D’Alema Nabil Shaat Meir gotcha2rit Discussant Oded Ben-Hur Wlodek Goldkorn Pierbattista Pizzaballa Bernard Sabella 16:30 Aula Magna - Università Federico II Faith and Science an Issue for Our Time Chairperson Guido Trombetti Panelists Athanasios Sayed Mohammed Mousavi Boujnourdi Francesco Paolo Casavola Riccardo Di Segni Emma Fattorini 16:30 Sala Italia - Castel dell’Ovo Latin America a Future Without Violence Chairperson Roger Etchegaray Key-note Speakers Rafael Correa Delgado President of the Republic of Ecuador Adolfo Pérez Esquivel Discussant Jaime Aguilar Donato Di Santo Pierre Dumas 16:30 Sala Dione - Stazione Marittima A Space for God in the City Chairperson Vittorio Ianari Panelists Mahdi Al-Khalissi David Albert Beetge Theodore Edgar Mc Carrick Lluis Martinez Sistach Netanel Teitelbaum Gérard Testard President of Fondacio, France 16:30 Sala Perseide - Stazione Marittima Asia and Europe: Clash or Cooperation Chairperson Franco Mazzei Key-note Speakers Kassym-Jomart Tokayev President of the Senate, Kazakhstan Panelists Rajiv Dogra Patrick C.P. Ho Pierre Morel Raj K. Srivastava Gianni Vernetti 16:30 Sala Calipso - Stazione Marittima The Mediterranean Sea, Faiths and Coexistence Chairperson Antonio Ferrari Columnist, Italy Panelists Elias Chacour Pasquale Ciriello Shear-Yashuv Cohen Stanislav Hocevar Jacques Huntzinger Arben Xhaferri 16:30 Sala Agave - Stazione Marittima Earth and Humankind: Faiths and Cultures in Dialogue Chairperson Katherine Marshall Panelists Jean-Arnold de Clermont Presidente della Conferenza delle Chiese d'Europa (KEK) Emmanuel Giuseppe Laras Serge Latouche Franco Pasquali Wolfgang Sachs 17:30 Ponticelli - Chiesa dei SS. Pietro e Paolo Chairperson Antonio Serra Panelists Alexander Ogorodnikov 17:30 Scampìa - Auditorium Islam and Peace Chairperson Paolo Battimiello Panelists Kone Idriss Koudouss Ishaq Idriss Sakouta 18:00 Pozzuoli - Auditorium del Seminario Maggiore The Apostle Paul and the Cultures of the Mediterranean Sea Chairperson Gennaro Pascarella Panelists Chrysostomos II Armand Puig 18:00 Nola - Interporto Campano The spirit of Assisi Chairperson Gennaro Ferrara Panelists Homi Dhalla Jean Dominique Durand Jürgen Johannesdotter Leone Paserman Mohammad Sammak 17:30 Ercolano - Villa Campolieto Christians and Peace Chairperson Nino Daniele Panelists Paul Grossrieder Voitto Huotari Seraphim cont'd next post Title: Re: Call for a UN of Religion, World religious leaders kick off peace summit Post by: Shammu on October 22, 2007, 04:39:37 PM 18:00
Torre Annunziata - Parrocchia Santa Teresa di Gesù Women: Faith versus Violence Chairperson Rosanna Russo Panelists Marguerite Barankitse Sylvie Bukhari de Pontual Tamara Chikunova 17:30 Benevento - Villa dei Papi Religions in Dialogue Chairperson Filippo Bencardino Panelists Mohammed Amine Smaili Vsevolod Chaplin George H. Freeman Amos Luzzatto Tritan Shehu 18:00 Aversa - Cattedrale The Orthodox Church and the Future of Ecumenism Chairperson Mario Milano Key-note speeches Kirill di Smolensk 18:00 Avellino - Sala Camera di Commercio Jerusalem, Everyone’s Tragedy and a Hope for All Chairperson Francesco Marino Greetings Francesco Alfano Giovanni D'Alise Panelists Sami Michael Emile Shoufani 18:00 Capua - Sede dell’Università Chairperson Raffaele Martone Greetings Bruno Schettino Panelists Jesus Delgado Aldo Giordano Joseph Levi Yahya Sergio Yahe Pallavicini 17:00 Amalfi - Palazzo Municipale e Cattedrale Honorary Citizenship of Amalfi and delivery of the relic of St. Andrew to His Holiness Bartholomaios I, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople October 23, Tuesday 09:30 Auditorium - Hotel Royal Continental Hiv/AIDS: a Challenge We Can Win Chairperson Theodore Edgar Mc Carrick Panelists Mark Dybul Paola Germano Magid Noorjehan Abdul Israel Singer 09:30 Sala Galatea - Stazione Marittima The Word of God in Christians’ Life Chairperson Oscar Luigi Scalfaro Panelists Aram I Enzo Bianchi Chrysostomos II Ole Chr. M. Kvarme Gregorios III Laham Telesphore Placidus Toppo 09:30 Aula Magna - Università Federico II “Widespread Violence”: a Disquieting Question Chairperson John J. DeGioia Panelists Sylvie Bukhari de Pontual Luigi Fusco Girard Ezzeddin Ibrahim Founder of the University of the United Arab Emirates Adolfo Pérez Esquivel Ceija Stojka Celestin Twizere 09:30 Sala Italia - Castel dell’Ovo The Civilization of Coexistence Chairperson Arrigo Levi Panelists Aisha Al-Menn'ai Marguerite Barankitse Mar Gregorios Yohanna Ibrahim Mario Giro Comunità di Sant’Egidio Sami Michael Françoise Rivière 09:30 Sala Dione - Stazione Marittima Faiths, War and Peace Chairperson Renato Raffaele Martino Panelists Asma Benkada Jonas Jonson Samuel Kobia Arthur Schneier Mohammed Ahmed Sherif 09:30 Sala Perseide - Stazione Marittima Family, a Resource for Everyone Chairperson Angelo Scelzo Panelists Jakov Ebert Siti Musdah Mulia Filipp Osacenko Savino Pezzotta Presidente della Fondazione per il Sud, Italia 09:30 Sala Calipso - Stazione Marittima A World Without Violence: the Task of Japanese Religions Chairperson Agostino Giovagnoli Panelists Korei Hamanaka President of Tendai Buddhist Denomination, Giappone Gensho Hozumi Takao Ina Moriyasu Ito Eiju Matsuda Keishi Miyamoto Nobuo Nagao Masamichi Tanaka Yautaka Watanabe 09:30 Università degli Studi di Napoli “L’Orientale” Aula del Rettorato, Via Chiatamone Conferment of the Honoris Causa Degree to His Holiness Bartholomaios I, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople 17:30 in luoghi diversi, per confessione religiosa, intorno a Piazza del Plebiscito Prayer for Peace 19:00 dai differenti luoghi di preghiera, in corteo, verso il palco di Piazza del Plebiscito Procession of Peace 19:30 Piazza del Plebiscito Final Ceremony Key-note speeches Panelists ~~~~~~~~ This as I see it, is still yet another sign of prophecy fulfillment. An establishment of a One World Religion that will occur after we've been raptured. |