Text of Joint Document signed by Archbishop Aymond and the Muslim Imams of New Orleans pledging interfaith dialogue and condemning violence:
Draft Statement for... the Public Forum on Islam from the Catholic and Islamic Communities of New Orleans September 10, 2015
Draft Statement for... the Public Forum on Islam from the Catholic and Islamic Communities of New Orleans September 10, 2015
In the spirit of openness that prompted the Second Vatican Council of the Catholic Church to declare:
The Church, therefore, exhorts her children, that through dialogue and collaboration with the followers of other religions, carried out with prudence and love and in witness to the Christian faith and life, they recognize, preserve and promote the good things, spiritual and moral, as well as the socio-cultural values found among these men and women.
...
The Church regards with esteem the Muslims. They adore the one God, living and subsisting in Himself; merciful and all- powerful, the Creator of heaven and earth, who has spoken to men; they take pains to submit wholeheartedly to even His inscrutable decrees, just as Abraham, with whom the faith of Islam takes pleasure in linking itself, submitted to God. Though they do not acknowledge Jesus as God, they revere Him as a prophet. They also honor Mary, his virgin Mother; at times they even call on her with devotion. In addition, they await the day of judgment when God will render their deserts to all those who have been raised up from the dead. Finally, they value the moral life and worship God especially through prayer, almsgiving and fasting. (Nostra Aetate, 2.)
In the spirit of dialogue which moved Muslims to state:
Muslims and Christians together make up well over half of the world’s population. Without peace and justice between these two religious communities, there can be no meaningful peace in the world. The future of the world depends on peace between Muslims and Christians.
The basis for this peace and understanding already exists. It is part of the very foundational principles of both faiths: love of the One God, and love of the neighbor. These principles are found over and over again in the sacred texts of Islam and Christianity. The Unity of God, the necessity of love for Him, and the necessity of love of the neighbor is thus the common ground between Islam and Christianity.
...
In the Holy Qur'an, God Most High enjoins Muslims to issue the following call to Christians (and Jews - the People of the Scripture):
Say: O People of the Scripture! Come to a common word between us and you: that we shall worship none but God, and that we shall ascribe no partner unto Him, and that none us shall take others for lords beside God. And if they turn away, then say: Bear witness that we are they who have surrendered unto Him (-Al 'Imran 3:64) ... Thus in obedience to the Holy Qur'an, we as Muslims invite Christians to come together with us on the basis of what is common to us, which is also what is most essential to our faith and practice: the Two Commandments of love. (A Common Word Between Us and You)
We, therefore, the undersigned, members of the Catholic and Islamic communities of the New Orleans area, pledge this day;
-To respect and celebrate the rich traditions that we represent in this city and throughout the world,
-To learn from each other and to engage in regular dialogue in the spirit of fraternity and mutual care for one another as brothers and sister, fellow people of faith in the one God.
-To work together to raise our suffering brothers and sisters from poverty, to denounce violence, murder, and racism, and to bring peace and goodwill to all.
The Church, therefore, exhorts her children, that through dialogue and collaboration with the followers of other religions, carried out with prudence and love and in witness to the Christian faith and life, they recognize, preserve and promote the good things, spiritual and moral, as well as the socio-cultural values found among these men and women.
...
The Church regards with esteem the Muslims. They adore the one God, living and subsisting in Himself; merciful and all- powerful, the Creator of heaven and earth, who has spoken to men; they take pains to submit wholeheartedly to even His inscrutable decrees, just as Abraham, with whom the faith of Islam takes pleasure in linking itself, submitted to God. Though they do not acknowledge Jesus as God, they revere Him as a prophet. They also honor Mary, his virgin Mother; at times they even call on her with devotion. In addition, they await the day of judgment when God will render their deserts to all those who have been raised up from the dead. Finally, they value the moral life and worship God especially through prayer, almsgiving and fasting. (Nostra Aetate, 2.)
In the spirit of dialogue which moved Muslims to state:
Muslims and Christians together make up well over half of the world’s population. Without peace and justice between these two religious communities, there can be no meaningful peace in the world. The future of the world depends on peace between Muslims and Christians.
The basis for this peace and understanding already exists. It is part of the very foundational principles of both faiths: love of the One God, and love of the neighbor. These principles are found over and over again in the sacred texts of Islam and Christianity. The Unity of God, the necessity of love for Him, and the necessity of love of the neighbor is thus the common ground between Islam and Christianity.
...
In the Holy Qur'an, God Most High enjoins Muslims to issue the following call to Christians (and Jews - the People of the Scripture):
Say: O People of the Scripture! Come to a common word between us and you: that we shall worship none but God, and that we shall ascribe no partner unto Him, and that none us shall take others for lords beside God. And if they turn away, then say: Bear witness that we are they who have surrendered unto Him (-Al 'Imran 3:64) ... Thus in obedience to the Holy Qur'an, we as Muslims invite Christians to come together with us on the basis of what is common to us, which is also what is most essential to our faith and practice: the Two Commandments of love. (A Common Word Between Us and You)
We, therefore, the undersigned, members of the Catholic and Islamic communities of the New Orleans area, pledge this day;
-To respect and celebrate the rich traditions that we represent in this city and throughout the world,
-To learn from each other and to engage in regular dialogue in the spirit of fraternity and mutual care for one another as brothers and sister, fellow people of faith in the one God.
-To work together to raise our suffering brothers and sisters from poverty, to denounce violence, murder, and racism, and to bring peace and goodwill to all.
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