ID :
134577
Sun, 07/25/2010 - 13:59
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Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/134577
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Russia, Ukraine doesn't have conflicts with Islam - Kirill
DNEPROPETROVSK, Ukraine, July 25 (Itar-Tass) - The Patriarch of Moscow
and All Russia Kirill said on Saturday that neither Russia nor Ukraine or
any other country in the post-Soviet space has tense conflicts with Islam.
The patriarch, who is paying a pastoral visit to Ukraine, believes that
the reason for that is that Muslims and Christians in post-Soviet space
"have common subjects for discussion and common concerns," such as the
preservation of a religious factor and in human life, moral issues, the
protection of human habitat and many other problems.
"That is why we are building a dialogue. But we are not trying to
create a kind of super church," the patriarch went on to say. "God wished
that we were born in the Orthodox faith and we should remain Orthodox
without creating any super churches," Patriarch Kirill explained.
"Our task is to be loyal to our faith and perfect in it. Then our
voice will be clear to honest and devout representatives of other
religions," the head of the Russian Orthodox Church said.
He added that a dialogue with Islam doesn't consist in doctrinal
rapprochement but in the creation of a common platform to express mutual
concern over what's going on in contemporary world," Kirill said, adding
that this dialogue is making big progress.
"Many people in Western countries are alarmed over the spread of Islam
not only as the result of migration but through adoption of this religion
by the citizens of west European countries. This is a reaction to a deep
crisis of Western Christianity, especially Protestantism" Patriarch Kirill
emphasized.
"If religion and the Church stop telling people clearly what is good
and what is evil, if theology becomes a servant to secular philosophy and
political fashion, this kind of theology doesn't touch the hearts of
millions," Kirill said.
"An interest in Islam in western Europe is often caused by concrete
and compromising ethics that has been preserved in the Islamic tradition,"
the patriarch emphasized. However, he also noted that the number of
Orthodox Christians in the world was also growing.
-0-fil/
and All Russia Kirill said on Saturday that neither Russia nor Ukraine or
any other country in the post-Soviet space has tense conflicts with Islam.
The patriarch, who is paying a pastoral visit to Ukraine, believes that
the reason for that is that Muslims and Christians in post-Soviet space
"have common subjects for discussion and common concerns," such as the
preservation of a religious factor and in human life, moral issues, the
protection of human habitat and many other problems.
"That is why we are building a dialogue. But we are not trying to
create a kind of super church," the patriarch went on to say. "God wished
that we were born in the Orthodox faith and we should remain Orthodox
without creating any super churches," Patriarch Kirill explained.
"Our task is to be loyal to our faith and perfect in it. Then our
voice will be clear to honest and devout representatives of other
religions," the head of the Russian Orthodox Church said.
He added that a dialogue with Islam doesn't consist in doctrinal
rapprochement but in the creation of a common platform to express mutual
concern over what's going on in contemporary world," Kirill said, adding
that this dialogue is making big progress.
"Many people in Western countries are alarmed over the spread of Islam
not only as the result of migration but through adoption of this religion
by the citizens of west European countries. This is a reaction to a deep
crisis of Western Christianity, especially Protestantism" Patriarch Kirill
emphasized.
"If religion and the Church stop telling people clearly what is good
and what is evil, if theology becomes a servant to secular philosophy and
political fashion, this kind of theology doesn't touch the hearts of
millions," Kirill said.
"An interest in Islam in western Europe is often caused by concrete
and compromising ethics that has been preserved in the Islamic tradition,"
the patriarch emphasized. However, he also noted that the number of
Orthodox Christians in the world was also growing.
-0-fil/
