07 03 2008 - "THE CHURCHES OF THE MIDDLE EAST MUST ACT TOGETHER"

Executive Committee concludes
SAID HIS HOLINESS ARAM I

ANTELIAS, Lebanon - "More than at any time at this point in history, the Christians of the Middle East must act together. This is the call of our Lord and the imperative of new times", stated His Holiness Aram I.

Meeting in Antelias, Lebanon, the Executive Committee of the Middle East Council of Churches is seeking the best ways and means to serve the growing needs and expectations of the churches. As one of the presidents of the MECC, His Holiness Aram I underlined the vital importance of the Council as the only regional framework for common reflection and action and he said that "in order to give more quality and visibility to our togetherness and make our voice heard, we must restructure the Council and articulate our priorities clearly".

Catholicos Aram I said that the Council exists to challenge the churches to work together: "Unity for the churches of this region is not a theological matter; it is an existential issue. We cannot afford living in isolation. We must be together in the real sense of the world".

In a recent lecture delivered at a conference on Christian-Muslim dialogue, Aram I has considered inter-faith dialogue an important dimension of the Christian presence and witness in the Middle East: "For centuries, Christians and Muslims have lived together in this region. They have shared common values and traditions. In spite of existing differences in many respects, they must build together broader communities undergirded by moral values, common objectives and vision".

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