600 people from across Sydney met to discuss Muslims and Christians – An open look at what brings us together.
“What sort of ancestors do we want to be?” This question was asked by the Premier’s representative and Member for Canterbury, Linda Burney, the first Aboriginal Member of the NSW Parliament. It came at the close of a lively, at times tempestuous, evening when 600 people from across Sydney met to discuss Muslims and Christians – An open look at what brings us together. Chaired by Stepan Kerkyasharian, AM, Chairman of the NSW Community Relations Commission, and welcomed by Councillor Robert Furolo, Mayor of Canterbury, the evening began with delicious finger food provided by the Muslim community and drinks provided by Canterbury Council.
A local committee, meeting regularly since January, had arranged this occasion, representing the local Muslim and Christian communities, Canterbury Council, community workers and MRA-Initiatives of Change. Melkite Archbishop Issam John Darwich urged people to come with openness, not with the desire to change others. “When we go home,” he said, “do not forget to enter into dialogue with your own community of faith and share the fruits of this dialogue.” He then led the meeting with the Lord’s Prayer.
Rev. Prof. James Haire, the President of the National Council of Churches of Australia, said: “A gathering like this is important because the initiative comes from the heart of the community. Theologically there are major differences between Christianity and Islam. They can be embodied in two words – Trinity and Incarnation.” He then outlined five major areas of important commonality: 1. In respect and belief, we relate to ‘the One who is beyond’. We are created, not for ourselves, but for the Other, from whom comes consolation, hope, strength, faith and joy. 2. We are both faiths ‘in community’ – we are not to be controlled by rampant individualism which is the scourge of Western society. 3. Both faiths hold family to be central. You cannot destroy that unit. It needs to be supported and expanded, not attacked or destroyed. 4. We share beliefs about the way in which ethical life is created. You cannot have private wellbeing and public squalor. There is concern for the common good. 5. There is belief in the gradual improvement of society by selflessness, self-sacrifice and the provision of hope which is essential for us all.
Amina Elshafei, a nursing student of Egyptian and Korean parents spoke of being the only Muslim family in their cul-de-sac of 84 houses: “Most of our neighbours are Christians. We love our neighbours – they always seem to have a minute to talk and see how the family is doing. Islam and Christianity acknowledge the importance of good neighbourly relations. Faith and the books of God provide me with the perfect roadmap. Islam, the way of peace, does not leave me guessing about any of life’s important issues.”
Sr. Giovanni Farquer RSJ is Executive Director of the Ecumenical and Interfaith Commission of the Catholic Archdiocese in Sydney. Having studied Islam extensively, she believes that Judaism, Christianity and Islam have far more in common than everything which separates them – they are religions of faith believing in God, they are religions with a historical stamp, and all three have set down their message in holy scripture. She quoted the eminent theologian Dr. Hans Kung: “ A clash of civilizations and of religions can be avoided and will be avoided if sufficient people devote themselves to it, for there will be no survival of humankind without peace among the nations, but there will be no peace among the nations without dialogue between the religions.”
Keysar Trad is an Australian of Lebanese Muslim background and founder of the Islamic Friendship Association of Australia. A tireless worker for his community, he is the most interviewed Sydney Muslim since the events of 9/11. He is one of the ‘motors’ behind these dialogues. He spoke of the prophet Muhammad as a man who walked in the footsteps of Christ, Moses and Abraham. “All the men of God are brothers,” he said. “Their mothers are different, but they are the children of the same faith.”
Special guest, Sheikh Khalid Yasin, an Afro-American who is a well-known charismatic speaker in the Muslim world, said: “Tonight we have a great opportunity and a great challenge,” he said. “History will record what we say here tonight. We have the opportunity to be pioneers of a different thinking and architects of a new mentality where the treasures of our faiths can be shared and used to promote God-consciousness.”
The Federal Attorney-General Philip Ruddock reminded the gathering that we do not have an established church in Australia. He said: “We need to move beyond tolerance to love and respect and learn from each other.”
The local Federal Member Tony Burke spoke passionately of the importance of the evening: “We don’t need to have a go at each other to protect the integrity of our own faith. Tolerance isn’t good enough – it is about being in community in every sense of the word.”
The following week on Channel 9’s show Mornings with Kerri Ann, Keysar Trad and James Haire joined journalist George Negus and an invited studio audience to discuss whether Christians and Muslims are compatible. Negus reminded people that Muslims comprise a quarter of the world’s population and 99.9% are not terrorists. “The best thing we can do,” he said, “is to work with the ones who are not.” A student in the audience from a Christian high school on Sydney’s North Shore spoke of his school establishing a relationship with a small Muslim school in Lakemba. “It was a bit awkward to begin with,” he said, “but as we get to know each other, we find how much we have in common. We are all Australians.” Building on this thought, James Haire concluded the debate with the words: “If we can’t get it right in this country, I doubt we will get it right anywhere in the world.”
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