Interfaith event in Jordan opens new conversation with Islamic world
Amman, Jordan—A religious liberty conference held in Jordan, March 2011, represents a historic step forward in dialogue between the Islamic world and advocates for religious freedom, organizers said.
The Teaching Respect for Religions Symposium gathered scholars, political representatives, and legal experts at the Amman College of Al-Balqa Applied University. The event marked just the second time the International Religious Liberty Association (IRLA) has met in the Middle East in its 119-year history.
Organized in 1893 by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the IRLA is the oldest association dedicated to freedom of conscience for people of all faiths and persuasions.
“This conference has opened up an extraordinary opportunity for meaningful conversation with key Islamic leaders and thinkers about what it means to respect different religious traditions, and to live in harmony with one another,” said John Graz, IRLA secretary-general.
The symposium was cosponsored by the Arab Bridge Center for Human Rights, a nongovernmental organization founded by former Jordanian Judge Amjad B. Shammout. This occasion brought together IRLA experts, Islamic scholars and imams, Jordanian law-enforcement leaders, youth leaders, and members of the diplomatic community. Jordan’s prime minister, Marouf Suleiman al-Bakhit, lent his support to the event and was represented by Jiryis Samawy, secretary-general of Jordan’s Ministry of Culture.
Delbert Baker, a vice president of the Adventist world church and vice president of the IRLA, spoke to the group about respect and freedom—principles that he said are mutually valued by both the Islamic and Judeo-Christian worlds. Yet, he said, too often a gap appears between theory and practice. He challenged the audience to analyze whether these principles influence their interactions with people.
IRLA coordinator for Interfaith Relations, Bill Johnsson, defined the difference between respect and tolerance. “Respect“ actively affirms an individual’s right to religious freedom, while “tolerance” can imply a reluctance to grant people their religious views, he said.
According to Johnsson, Jordan provided an ideal location for the symposium, given its track record as “a moderate Islamic nation that models openness, tolerance, and rejection of violence.” [Adapted from Bettina Krause/IRLA/ANN staff]
The One Project
Atlanta, Georgia, United States—Seven leaders in the Seventh-day Adventist Church: Alex Bryan, senior pastor at the Walla Walla University Church; Japhet de Oliveira, director of the Center for Youth Evangelism and chaplain for missions at Andrews University; Dany Hernandez, pastor for collegiate and young adult ministries at Forest Lake Adventist Church; Eddie Hypolite, associate youth director for the South England Conference, UK; Sam Leonor, chaplain for La Sierra University; Tim Gillespie, pastor for young adult ministries at Loma Linda University Church of Seventh-day Adventists; and Terry Swenson, campus chaplain for Loma Linda University, created the One project to bring people back to Jesus.
“We started with a desire to gather people together for prayer, Bible study and reflection on the person of Jesus,” says Leonor.
“Secularism has taken root and the power and presence of Jesus is missing,” says de Oliveira. “We have a generation who are almost- Christian but lack vitality in their faith.”
As their conversations unfolded, their mission began to take shape:
• “What if we gathered together leaders from all over the world to celebrate the supremacy of Jesus in the Seventh-day Adventist Church?”
• “What if we focused on what it would mean for us, on a personal, local, and global level?”
• “What if we had honest conversation about our legacy, heritage, and call for our church today?”
• “What if we brought leaders, pastors, and members together and simply soaked in Jesus again?”
Their movement adopted the moniker, the One project.
They extended personal invitations for others to come to the next One project gathering.
Leonor hopes this movement can turn attention to what matters most. “When William Miller wrote about the soon coming of Jesus, he expressed a deep love and longing for Him. He was less concerned with streets of gold and eternal life, etc. He wanted to be with Him. My desire for our church is that we renew that kind of devotion to Jesus. That our longing be solely for His presence.”
What began with just seven individuals grew to nearly 180 at the February 2011 One project in Atlanta. There, for a day and a half, it was Jesus alone who took the spotlight. Each presenter shared personal testimony and reflections about Jesus: Jesus in our church; Jesus in our history; Jesus in our theology; Jesus in our mission; and Jesus in our experience. A Communion service, the leaders’ heartfelt testimonies, paired with opportunities for dialog, responses, prayer, and worship through music resulted in a transformative experience for those who came to see what the One project was all about.
“I chose to attend the One project because I truly believed that Jesus was working in the lives of its leaders,” said Leah Rodriguez, a student at Andrews University. “I wanted to be a part of that. I saw it as a chance to see Jesus in a new light.”
One project gatherings are planned in Finland (Oct. 31–Nov. 1, 2011), Seattle (Feb. 13, 14, 2012), and Denmark (Oct. 29–30, 2012).
The One project partners with the Center for Youth Evangelism, a training and resource center for claiming, training, and reclaiming youth and young adults for Jesus Christ, located on the campus of Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan, United States, as part of the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary. [Adapted from Keri Suarez, Andrews University Office of Integrated Marketing and Communication]
