Al-Liqa’ Center for Religious and Heritage Studies in the Holy Land
Celebrates the Silver Jubilee 1982-2007
Dr. Uwe Grabe
The Propst of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8, 28)
Dear Members of the Al-Liqa’-Family, dear Friends,
On the occasion of the Silver Jubilee of the founding of the Al-Liqa’-Center I would like to transmit our best wishes and blessings.
It has always been a special pleasure and honor for me to be allowed to take part as a guest in some parts of your work throughout the history of Al-Liqa’. With how much commitment and sincerity, for example, did we discuss together in 1996 in Bethlehem “Theologies of the Land” – and how attentively did we listen to each other as Muslims, Christians and Jews! And how impressed was I exactly ten years later, in the summer of 2006, when I was able to experience with you, how you as Christians and Muslims struggled to reach a common Palestinian position about the war in Lebanon!
The work of the Al-Liqa’ Center was always stamped through great continuity – also what concerns persons: Many of those, who in 1983 established the conference about “The Arab Christian-Muslim Heritage in the Holy Land” or who in 1987 worked on the basic document about “Theology and Local Church in the Holy Land”, are still involved today. They have invested a quarter of a century of their lives in this project! The young, tempestuous academics, who back then started the new enterprise, have now perhaps in the meantime become gray-haired and wise. But Al-Liqa’ has not lost its vitality and necessity.
Different from many dialogue-initiatives, which sprung up from the ground of Palestine and Israel like mushrooms during the years of the Oslo Process (supported by much foreign money), and which soon succumbed, the work of Al-Liqa’ is deeply rooted in its Palestinian environment. Those who participate in the work of Al-Liqa’ have built up trust into each other, a trust that is bridging denominational and religious borders. Such trust cannot be simply “made” – it can only grow over many years. And such trust is the best way to oppose those, who want to make the theory of the “Clash of Civilizations” (Huntington) a “self fulfilling prophecy”.
The relationship between the religions has become more and more difficult in the entire world during the past years. In some circles, even a kind of “desire for conflict” is cultivated. Even though this is a worldwide phenomenon – it is not possible to combat it with universal theories. A local “dialogue of life” is probably the only means to build a humanity, which does not consider diversity a threat, but a wonderful enrichment.
May our great God bless the Al-Liqa’ Family and give her the grace to grow and to continue for many decades to lead such a “dialogue of Life”.
Sincerely yours,
Dr. Uwe Gräbe, Propst