ECUMENISM
France: solidarity to Christian minorities”Carry each other’s burdens” was the title of the message which the Council of Christian Churches in France (CECEF) addressed believers just before the Passion celebrations. The document, bearing the signatures of the president and the two vice presidents of CECEF, the Greek Orthodox metropolitan and president of the Assembly of Orthodox Bishops of France, Emmanuel, respectively, Cardinal André Vingt-Trois, archbishop of Paris and president of the French Bishops’ Conference, and Pastor Claude Baty, president of the Protestant Federation of France, includes the hope that “though celebrating Lent and Easter in different times, our Churches will remain together in prayer as well as local and universal brotherhood, to show the reality of Christ’s solidarity in adversities”. The thought of CECEF, in particular, was meant for “the minorities in the Middle East and Africa”, often “threatened, sometimes persecuted or forced to exile in unbearable conditions”. Thus, there was the invitation “to the Churches of France to strengthen their support through prayer”, in particular, “for peace and freedom of conscience and worship”, and “through these concrete gestures of solidarity, which may encourage those who suffer because of their faith”.Wcc: Kobia meets Ban Ki-MoonOn March 4 Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia, Secretary General of the World Council of Churches (Wcc), received in Geneva’s Wcc offices the Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-Moon. The two general secretaries discussed “a wide range of topics” and – states a communiqué issued by the Wcc – “and agreed that these two world organizations must step up cooperation especially in the field of climate changes”. Referring directly to Rev.Kobia, the UN secretary general declared: “The problem of global warming won’t be solved unless we implement common world action. For this purpose we need your help”. Rev. Kobia had opened the meeting describing Wcc’s initiatives to mobilize Churches in acknowledging the gravity of climate changes and the need to implement the Kyoto Protocol. Ban Ki-Moon underlined the United Nations’ intention to remain in close contact with the Wcc. “Your moral authority is very important and your action is based on Christian faith”, he affirmed. The two interlocutors addressed also the issue of democratic elections. Rev. Kobia referred to Kenya, and to the more recent problems of Armenia while the Un Secretary, referring to post-electoral acts of violence, declared: “This is a field which can benefit from the contribution of the World Council of Churches”. At the end of the meeting, they both prayed for peace in the chapel of the Wcc. Algeria: the concern of French Protestants France’s Protestant Federation issued a communiqué expressing its concern for the situation of Christians in Algeria and in particular of Algerian Protestants defined as “victims of a denigration campaign”. The Federation recalled that on past February 25, the representatives of the Protestant Church in Algeria (Epa) were received by the Minister for Religious Affairs M. Ghlamallah, to whom “they expressed their difficulties, especially those triggered by a denigrating media campaign”. Protestants are unjustly accused of using despicable evangelizing methods and are often compared to missionary movements from the United States. This is why the French Federation pointed out that EPA “is a federation of local Churches representing Algerian Christians and directed by Algerians who have no contact abroad”. “France’s Protestant Federation – continues the communiqué – has been entertaining fraternal relations with the sister Churches in Algeria for a long time. It is concerned with the situation of Christians of all denominations living in this Country. The Federation is worried that freedom of religion and worship are not being respected. The rigid application of legislation regarding places of worship puts a large part of this community in a very difficult – if not impossible – situation. A large number of trials issued severe sentences (penalties and imprisonment) against Algerian Protestant faithful”. The Federation declared its support to each step in the direction of fruitful dialogue accomplished by Epa on these issues with the public authorities and confirmed its commitment “to pray for peace in this Country”.
