(WCC) - In a meeting organized by the World Council of Churches in Dar Sayedat Al Jabal, Fatka, Lebanon, between 10 and 11 February 2009, twelve church leaders from all over Iraq discussed the current situation of its Christians community. Representatives from different Iraqi churches participated in the meeting together with bishops from the Syrian and Armenian Orthodox Churches and the Chaldean Church in Lebanon, and the General Secretary of the Middle East Council of Churches.
Participants agreed on the following points:
- Christians have belonged to Iraq since the nation’s birth; they are not merely a minority but an essential part of Iraqi society and deeply rooted in its history and civilization. As authentic children of this land, they have the right to live freely in it and enjoy equal rights and responsibilities along with all other citizens.
- The participants called upon Iraqi Christians not to leave the country, but to stay in their homeland and participate actively in its rebuilding and its development.
- They also called on the churches in the West not to encourage migration and resettlement programs for refugees outside Iraq, rather to focus their efforts on bringing back security and stability inside Iraq for all Iraqis. The solution to current conditions lies not in emptying Iraq of its human resources, but in providing a peaceful and safe environment, infrastructures, job opportunities, and in protecting all citizens. The goal is to enable Iraqis to work together, healing wounds and building a better future for themselves.
- It is essential that dialogue continue among Christians and their Muslim brothers and sisters in order to promote a constructive and peaceful co-existence based on mutual respect and good citizenship.
- Participants pledged to work together on establishing an ecumenical forum for all Iraqi church leaders that allows them to speak with a common voice to religious and political authorities inside and outside of Iraq.
Complete article here.
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