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Tasmanian Anglican

May 2003

 

 

 

 


Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams
 
photo courtesy Lambeth Palace

 

Archbishop of Canterbury hosts dialogue of Christian and Muslim Scholars in Qatar

From James Solheim, director of Episcopal News Service

 

 

While the war continued to rage in Iraq Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams brought together 15 Christian theologians and 15 Muslim scholars to explore the use of Scripture in the two faiths in a 'Building Bridges' seminar in Qatar.

In his opening remarks the Archbishop thanked the Amir of Qatar for his 'exemplary commitment to this dialogue,' adding that 'he has shown precisely the kind of enthusiasm for honest exchange and deepened understanding which meetings such as this are designed to assist.'

Listening

Noting that the foundation for the dialogue had been laid by his predecessor, George Carey, in a similar meeting last year at Lambeth Palace in London, he said, 'About the nature of . . . absolute and life-giving truth, Christians and Muslims are not fully in agreement. Yet they are able to find words in which to explain and explore that disagreement because they also share histories and practices - a story reaching back to God's creation of the world and God's call to Abraham.'

The purpose of the dialogue, according to Williams, was 'to discover more about how each community believes it must listen to God, conscious of how very differently we identify and speak of God's revelation.' That listening becomes all the more urgent in times of conflict and anxiety, he said.

Continuing process

'In this dialogue, we are not seeking an empty formula of convergence or trying to deny our otherness; indeed, as we reflect on the holy texts we read, we shall be seeking to make better sense of how we relate to the other, the stranger with whom we can still speak in trust and love,' Rowan Williams said.

The conference was planned well in advance of the military conflict in neighbouring Iraq and is part of a continuing process. 'Christians and Muslims have much to learn from each other,' Rowan Williams said before the meeting.

Worship openly

A confirmation service attended by almost 600 people was held during the seminar at the English-speaking school in Doha. The archbishop preached and confirmed 16 young people of seven nationalities, and Bishop Clive Handford, president-bishop of the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East celebrated the Eucharist.

The archbishop also blessed the first stone of what will be the Church of the Epiphany. Christians are free to worship openly in Qatar, thanks to the tolerant policies of the Amir.