Christians and Muslims Must Speak With Each Other and Not About Each Other
Christians and Muslims Must Speak With Each Other and Not About Each Other
Amsterdam - Christians and Muslims should speak with each other rather
than about each other. That was suggested by the General-Secretary of the
European Baptist Federation (EBF), Tony Peck (Prague). At a press
conference prior to the beginning of the "Amsterdam 400" conference, which
will be celebrating from 24 to 26 July the 400th anniversary of their
global founding, Peck expressed the conviction that such discussions would
awaken greater understanding for each other. The founding fathers of the
Baptist movement had already struggled for religious liberty - not only
for themselves, but also for Muslims. Nothing has changed on that question
since the founding of the first Baptist congregation in 1609 in the
backroom of an Amsterdam bakery by British religious refugees. That group
had included Thomas Helwys (1550-1616), who published the paper "A Short
Declaration of the Mystery of Iniquity" calling for complete religious
freedom for all. Tony Peck gave the journalists present a photocopy of
that document. He stated that Christians and Muslims could discover that
they indeed have many joint concerns - for ex. in providing a good
education for their children. Yet it is not helpful to criticise the
Prophet in such joint discussions. Peck criticised in this context
political parties on the far right who are resisting the social
integration of Muslims in Europe: "We must learn to live together with
Muslims and are also capable of doing so."
Peck spoke positively about an initiative of 138 Muslim scholars and
intellectuals stemming from October 2007. In a paper addressed to various
churches, the group had appealed for peaceful relations between Muslims
and Christians. The Muslims had pointed out that global survival is also
dependent on peace between our two faiths. Both the Baptist World Alliance
(BWA) and the EBF have officially greeted the writing as a "hopeful sign".
Official discussions between leading Baptists and representatives from the
Muslim side have already taken place.
Dr. Lauran Bethell (Amsterdam), a US-American missionary and active
opponent of forced prostitution and human trafficking, thanked European
Baptists. They have to date been the sole denomination struggling on a
Europe-wide level to combat human trafficking and forced prostitution.
Eighty-percent of Europe's 52 Baptist unions have sent delegates to
information sessions sponsored by a four-year-old-network on the problem.
Its objective is that each Union have a person delegated to work in this
realm. Especially in Eastern Europe from whence many non-voluntary
prostitutes come, Baptist organisations are striving to keep as many
female orphans as possible from ending up in prostitution. These
organisations are attempting to provide such girls with educational and
job-training options.
Albrecht Boerrigter (Barneveld/Gelderland), General-Secretary of the Dutch
Baptist Union, noted that Baptists in the Netherlands consist of 82
congregations with approximately 12.000 members and play only a minor role
in their society. He expressed the hope that the anniversary conference
might help make his church better-known nationally. The Union has recently
been involved in church-planting. Two workers are involved in increasing
awareness in congregations for the planting of churches directed at new
social groups. Two new congregations have already been founded in the
socially-troubled regions of Utrecht and Amersfoort.
EBF is made up of 52 Baptist Unions consisting of 13.000 congregations
with 800.000 members located in nearly all European countries as well as
the Middle East.
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than about each other. That was suggested by the General-Secretary of the
European Baptist Federation (EBF), Tony Peck (Prague). At a press
conference prior to the beginning of the "Amsterdam 400" conference, which
will be celebrating from 24 to 26 July the 400th anniversary of their
global founding, Peck expressed the conviction that such discussions would
awaken greater understanding for each other. The founding fathers of the
Baptist movement had already struggled for religious liberty - not only
for themselves, but also for Muslims. Nothing has changed on that question
since the founding of the first Baptist congregation in 1609 in the
backroom of an Amsterdam bakery by British religious refugees. That group
had included Thomas Helwys (1550-1616), who published the paper "A Short
Declaration of the Mystery of Iniquity" calling for complete religious
freedom for all. Tony Peck gave the journalists present a photocopy of
that document. He stated that Christians and Muslims could discover that
they indeed have many joint concerns - for ex. in providing a good
education for their children. Yet it is not helpful to criticise the
Prophet in such joint discussions. Peck criticised in this context
political parties on the far right who are resisting the social
integration of Muslims in Europe: "We must learn to live together with
Muslims and are also capable of doing so."
Peck spoke positively about an initiative of 138 Muslim scholars and
intellectuals stemming from October 2007. In a paper addressed to various
churches, the group had appealed for peaceful relations between Muslims
and Christians. The Muslims had pointed out that global survival is also
dependent on peace between our two faiths. Both the Baptist World Alliance
(BWA) and the EBF have officially greeted the writing as a "hopeful sign".
Official discussions between leading Baptists and representatives from the
Muslim side have already taken place.
Dr. Lauran Bethell (Amsterdam), a US-American missionary and active
opponent of forced prostitution and human trafficking, thanked European
Baptists. They have to date been the sole denomination struggling on a
Europe-wide level to combat human trafficking and forced prostitution.
Eighty-percent of Europe's 52 Baptist unions have sent delegates to
information sessions sponsored by a four-year-old-network on the problem.
Its objective is that each Union have a person delegated to work in this
realm. Especially in Eastern Europe from whence many non-voluntary
prostitutes come, Baptist organisations are striving to keep as many
female orphans as possible from ending up in prostitution. These
organisations are attempting to provide such girls with educational and
job-training options.
Albrecht Boerrigter (Barneveld/Gelderland), General-Secretary of the Dutch
Baptist Union, noted that Baptists in the Netherlands consist of 82
congregations with approximately 12.000 members and play only a minor role
in their society. He expressed the hope that the anniversary conference
might help make his church better-known nationally. The Union has recently
been involved in church-planting. Two workers are involved in increasing
awareness in congregations for the planting of churches directed at new
social groups. Two new congregations have already been founded in the
socially-troubled regions of Utrecht and Amersfoort.
EBF is made up of 52 Baptist Unions consisting of 13.000 congregations
with 800.000 members located in nearly all European countries as well as
the Middle East.