The Great Power of Religion
(Jordan Times Editorial)
With Pope Benedict XVI on a tour of the region, it is good to remember what is so important about the visit.
The Pope is first and foremost on a religious pilgrimage, a visit through the history of Christianity. But he is also a statesman, and his message is one of peace and coexistence.
These are important messages today - they are always important messages, but in today’s Middle East they are critical - and must be heeded.
Only, peace and coexistence are more than concepts, they are actions. Peace cannot come about because we wish for it. Peace must be sought and worked for.
Without peace, there is no coexistence. But peace, too, cannot arise without justice.
Many in this region have suffered from injustice, whether from the tyranny of the powerful or the greed of others. In some cases, there has been no recourse to law. In other cases, laws were set aside and ignored. In all cases, the weak have suffered and the innocent have been dispossessed, exiled, killed or simply silenced.
Monday, Pope Benedict will go to Israel and Palestine. This Holy Land, so central to the three monotheistic religions, is also critical for peace in this region. But only justice will secure peace there.
That message needs to be repeated over and over. Justice demands action, consistency and the ability to transcend political obstacles. Justice demands freedom and rule of law. Peace demands justice. Coexistence is the prize at the end of a long road.
Religion has for long been an excuse here to preach hatred rather than tolerance, assert exceptionality rather than commonality, set apart rather than unite. But the great power of religion, surely, is the ability to inspire hope, for a better world and a fairer future.
To that end, we can hope that the visit of Pope Benedict to our neighbours will focus minds on what is necessary in order to achieve peace. An understanding of and tolerance for the other, and that justice cannot be exclusive nor can it be avoided if we are to see peace.
(The editorial challenges us to ponder religious circumstances in our midst.)
(Jordan Times Editorial)
With Pope Benedict XVI on a tour of the region, it is good to remember what is so important about the visit.
The Pope is first and foremost on a religious pilgrimage, a visit through the history of Christianity. But he is also a statesman, and his message is one of peace and coexistence.
These are important messages today - they are always important messages, but in today’s Middle East they are critical - and must be heeded.
Only, peace and coexistence are more than concepts, they are actions. Peace cannot come about because we wish for it. Peace must be sought and worked for.
Without peace, there is no coexistence. But peace, too, cannot arise without justice.
Many in this region have suffered from injustice, whether from the tyranny of the powerful or the greed of others. In some cases, there has been no recourse to law. In other cases, laws were set aside and ignored. In all cases, the weak have suffered and the innocent have been dispossessed, exiled, killed or simply silenced.
Monday, Pope Benedict will go to Israel and Palestine. This Holy Land, so central to the three monotheistic religions, is also critical for peace in this region. But only justice will secure peace there.
That message needs to be repeated over and over. Justice demands action, consistency and the ability to transcend political obstacles. Justice demands freedom and rule of law. Peace demands justice. Coexistence is the prize at the end of a long road.
Religion has for long been an excuse here to preach hatred rather than tolerance, assert exceptionality rather than commonality, set apart rather than unite. But the great power of religion, surely, is the ability to inspire hope, for a better world and a fairer future.
To that end, we can hope that the visit of Pope Benedict to our neighbours will focus minds on what is necessary in order to achieve peace. An understanding of and tolerance for the other, and that justice cannot be exclusive nor can it be avoided if we are to see peace.
(The editorial challenges us to ponder religious circumstances in our midst.)
No comments:
Post a Comment