Monday, June 25, 2012
Danish – Arab Dialogue Conference 2012
Danish – Arab Dialogue Conference was held from April 30 until May 3, 2012 in Beirut.
The Conference was organized by the "Arab Group" a joint initiative of the National Council of Churches of Denmark and the Muslim Council of Denmark in cooperation with the "Arab Group For Muslim-Christian Dialogue" with the participation of fifty Muslim – Christian representatives from Denmark, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan. Rev. Haroutune Selimian, president of the Armenian Protestant Churches in Syria, representrd UAECNE and the Armenia Protestant Community in Syria.
During the conference the attendees discussed, "What can be said together about matters of faith and ethics, religious freedom and co-existence and dialogue between the Muslim - Christian."
The meetings reinforced the understanding between Muslims and Christians through emphasis on shared values that transcend religious and cultural differences. As well as underlined the importance of dialogue to strengthen the cooperation and to make mutual recognition which has served as a platform to exchange experiences of living together in peace at the local, national and international level.
The conference focused on the following subject “In order to better understanding between Muslims and Christians".
The participants agreed on a common message based on the following principles:
1 - Christians and Muslims declare their faith in God the Creator the one that brings us together, and that this faith establishes a common space for dialogue in the future.
2 - Muslims and Christians declare that our concepts about God are different and should not be a source of a lack of confidence.
3 - Agree that the deep love of God calls us to love everyone and respect for the views and rights regardless of religious or political beliefs.
4 - Bind to Christian values and Islamic principles of human rights, for example, issue of human dignity and freedom of expression and religious freedom, equality and the right to life and women's rights and justice for all.
5 - Christians and Muslims share the moral values such as compassion and attention to the weak and mutual respect.
6 - We consider that the core values of Islam and Christianity are the source of the enrichment of our societies.
7 - Individuals and religious groups are an essential part of and active in the community, religious differences must be a source of enrichment for the rights of cultural, political, and religious of all.
8 - We commit ourselves to promoting a culture of equality and a better understanding and value of citizenship in the community through awareness and the use of the media and educational curricula.
During the conference, on behalf of the Armenian Evangelical Community, Rev. H. Selimian stressed that the dialogue is a way of life in Syria and other Arab states, and the dialogue of life is more important than the theological dialogue.
Rev.H. Selimian said. "We have agreed that the theological dialogue must emerge from a dialogue of life today." Also added, "Religious extremism hurts all Islamic and Christian societies because of extremism in stray away rationality and love and life that appeals to equality between the members of the community on their differences."
At the end, Selimian concluded: "We have agreed that the themes that unite us are more themes that divide us, and we must invest axes to create a positive, constructive life safe and sound, especially in Europe and the Arab countries."
A New Book by Dr. Yervant Kassouni: «ՔՆՆԱԿԱՆ ԱԿՆԱՐԿ, «ՄԻՇԸՆԵՐԻ ՀԵՐԼԸՏ »ի 1915-1918 թթ. ՀԱՅ ԺՈՂՈՎՈՒՐԴԻ ՑԵՂԱՍՊԱՆՈՒԹԵԱՆ ԵՒ ՎԵՐԱԾՆՈՒՆԴԻ ՄԱՍԻՆ ԱՐՁԱՆԱԳՐՈՒԱԾ ՎԿԱՅԱԳՐՈՒԹԻՒՆՆԵՐՈՒՆ»
A Critique of the Genocide of the Armenian People And Their Survival As Attested By the Testimonies Published in the "Missionary Herald" (1915-1918)
The reports and testimonies published by American Missionary Board's monthly "Missionary Herald" (1915-1918) on the Armenian Genocide perpertuated by the Turkish during Word War I, constitute a unique importance among the thousands of diplomatic documents, foreign eyewitness and personal memories written on the subject. The authors of these reports and testimonies were the American and European missionaries who were then serving within the boundaries of the Ottoman Empire in the occupied Western Armenia and Armenian Cilicia. These missionaries, not only witnessed the perpetuated Genocide and the forced deportation of the Armenians, but often they themselves were personally threatened by this great crime.
The first part of the present volume consists of the Armenian translations (translated by Yevnige Dokouzlian-Yacoubian) of these missionaries' reports and testimonies on the Armenian Genocide and the deportations as published in the "Missionary Herald" (1915-1918).
The second part of this work is a critical study of the personalities, the geographical places, the events and the dates mentioned in these reports and testimonies. The study is not a mere annotation of the afore-mentioned subjects but, in addition to the relevant information provided, it tends to weave these elements into the broader context and history of the period. Furthermore, to remain true to the historical evolutionary process, the study had taken into consideration the larger historical framework extending from 1894 to 1923.
This study also underlines the fact that, despite the plans designed by the Turks against the Armenians people, this people succeeded to survive and rise, thansk to its will to life and to the generous assistance and hospitality of the Arab World, especially Syria, who welcomed the Armenian people with open arms and contributed generously to their survvial process.
The appendix of this volume contains additional testimonies and memoirs which support the presented documents and the conclusions of this study.
Tertig 10, May 2012
Below, is the 10th issue of the newsletter of the Armenian Evangelical Cultural Association (Հայ Աւետարանական Մշակութային Միութիւն) of the First Armenian Evangelical Church, Beirut.
You can read it, by clicking on the following link: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/document-preview.aspx?doc_id=122592674
Sunday, June 03, 2012
ՀԱՅ ԳՐԱՏՊԱԳՐՈՒԹԵԱՆ 500 ԱՄԵԱԿԻ ՆՈՒԻՐՈՒԱԾ ՀԱՅԿԱԿԱՆ ՄՇԱԿՈՅԹԻ ԵՒ ԳԻՐՔԻ «ՑՈՒՑԱՀԱՆԴԷՍ-ՎԱՃԱՌՔ»
Click on the image to read the article
ՀԱՅ ԱՒԵՏԱՐԱՆԱԿԱՆ ԵԿԵՂԵՑԻՆԵՐՈՒ ՄԻԱՑԵԱԼ ՈԳԵԿՈՉՄԱՆ ՀԱՆԴԻՍՈՒԹԻՒՆ
Click on the image to read the article
Read More......
The Word that cannot be hidden
“Jesus answered, ‘I tell you that if they keep quiet, the stones themselves will start shouting’” Luke 19:40
As Jesus was entering Jerusalem people spread their clothes on the road so that the King of Glory could pass. It was a moment of great joy. Everyone was shouting and singing, “God bless the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory to God!” (Luke 19:38).
The Pharisees, though, were disturbed by this. But why?
One could say maybe because they were jealous. People were turning to Christ because of the miracles and healings he was performing. Jesus despised praise from the proud. He accepted praise from the humble. Also, the Pharisees were angry at him because they could see how He had attracted the people to him and they couldn’t silence Him, for it is written, “If they keep quiet, the stones themselves will start shouting” Luke 19:40.
This verse unleashes extreme power!
- It states that the world and all its components, even non-living things like stones which don’t have a soul, are amazed and overwhelmed by God’s glory! God’s glory doesn’t just affect humankind. It has cosmic radiance, a universal impact. His glory is felt by the entire world and all its beings. It’s a message that even rocks cannot hide it anymore. It needs to be proclaimed from mountain tops to the ends of the seas. In this verse we see a deep and profound correlation between Christ’s message, the Word and the Universe.
- There is no way to keep quiet. The word “quiet” is very quickly replaced by the word “shouting”. God’s message provides so much joy and happiness that keeping quiet is not an option. Even more than that, it is impossible! The Word can’t have boundaries. It doesn’t have any limits. It isn’t confined in a cage! It’s a free Word, free from chains humanity has set and free from social and cultural chains. God’s message of love, hope and salvation is a message that surpasses all human understanding and that cannot be drowned by any power in the Universe.
- Even stones can’t keep the Word from being proclaimed! How about us, living creatures? In this 21st century, it so happens that the responsibility of spreading the Word has been entrusted to us. It is our duty, with Christ’s help, to spread the Word as far and as wide as possible. Don’t keep quiet. Shout the name of the Lord! Remember, if Christ can raise up children of Abraham out of rocks just imagine what He can do for you and for others.
Vahé Jébéjian
Read More......
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
