After a January attack on a Protestant church, Algerian religious dignitaries and ministries met to discuss how religious freedom can be best protected.
By Walid Ramzi for Magharebia in Algiers – 12/02/10
Algeria is a religiously tolerant nation that will never encroach on the rights of non-Muslims to worship, Religious Affairs Minister Bouabdellah Ghlamallah told participants at an Algiers seminar on Wednesday (February 10th).
Under the banner of "Religious Worship: A Right Ensured by Religion and by the Law", the February 10th-11th conference convened representatives of several religions and government officials to ease relations after a Christian church was attacked and desecrated in Tizi-Ouzou in December 2009.
Emphasizing Algeria's long history of religious acceptance, Ghlamallah declared that the country is "receptive to all religions" and pointed to a February 2006 law that protects the right of Christians and Jews to practice their faith.
Algeria has "never closed down a single church", the minister told participants. "Rather, Christians were ensured the right to practice their religious rights freely and peacefully in the designated places, and in accordance with the act regulating the practice of religious rites issued in 2006."
The defiled Protestant church had defied orders by the government to shut down, as it was not registered properly.
Christians, both Catholic and Protestant, account for less than 1% of the Algerian population, according to recent statistics. The Ministry of Religious Affairs officially recognized Judaism in July 2009, and allowed 25 synagogues to open their doors.
Catholic Archbishop Dr. Ghaleb Bader, also at the symposium, affirmed that religious tolerance does exist in Algeria, but urged Algerian legislators to revisit the details of the February 2006 Act on religious freedom.
"It is difficult to provide a minister or an archbishop in every place," Dr. Bader told seminar participants, as he pointed out the problems in current legislation requiring registration for every religious community and barring religious meetings in halls and houses.
"Therefore, it's not easy for Christians to find places of worship in Algeria that meet the conditions stipulated by the Algerian government in the act."
He urged the Algerian community to recognize churches as a "neutral place" that "will never be a spot for opposing Algerian interests". He added: "The act regarding non-Muslim worship practices is a constriction on the Church in Algeria."
Catholic Archbishop Emeritus of Algiers Henri Teissier implored religious leaders at the conference to embrace inter-faith dialogue. "Establishing peace in the world hinges on representatives of the religious sects, be they Christians, Muslims or Jews."
Teissier also joined other Catholic bishops last month in denouncing the attack on the Tizi-Ouzou church and urging Algerians to follow the principles of "coexistence" and "respect".
A December 26th statement from Catholic bishops denounced the attack, while calling attention to "the obstacles hindering the practice of Christian worship" in Algeria.
In the statement, the bishops said they were "appalled by the desecration of the Christian icons, just as much as they are when they hear that Muslim icons are desecrated in any part of the world".
Other religious dignitaries also highlighted the need for religious understanding. "Islam calls for the co-existence among religions," said Emir Abdelkader University scholar Abdellah Boukhelkhal.
Reverend Claude Baty, who heads the French federation of Protestant churches, extolled the efforts to reach across religions.
"Dialogue between religions will only prosper with mutual admiration, friendship and exchange, and I am not opposed to the supervision of this dialogue by laws," he said.
Source: Magharebia.com
Link: http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2010/02/12/feature-01.
By Walid Ramzi for Magharebia in Algiers – 12/02/10
Algeria is a religiously tolerant nation that will never encroach on the rights of non-Muslims to worship, Religious Affairs Minister Bouabdellah Ghlamallah told participants at an Algiers seminar on Wednesday (February 10th).
Under the banner of "Religious Worship: A Right Ensured by Religion and by the Law", the February 10th-11th conference convened representatives of several religions and government officials to ease relations after a Christian church was attacked and desecrated in Tizi-Ouzou in December 2009.
Emphasizing Algeria's long history of religious acceptance, Ghlamallah declared that the country is "receptive to all religions" and pointed to a February 2006 law that protects the right of Christians and Jews to practice their faith.
Algeria has "never closed down a single church", the minister told participants. "Rather, Christians were ensured the right to practice their religious rights freely and peacefully in the designated places, and in accordance with the act regulating the practice of religious rites issued in 2006."
The defiled Protestant church had defied orders by the government to shut down, as it was not registered properly.
Christians, both Catholic and Protestant, account for less than 1% of the Algerian population, according to recent statistics. The Ministry of Religious Affairs officially recognized Judaism in July 2009, and allowed 25 synagogues to open their doors.
Catholic Archbishop Dr. Ghaleb Bader, also at the symposium, affirmed that religious tolerance does exist in Algeria, but urged Algerian legislators to revisit the details of the February 2006 Act on religious freedom.
"It is difficult to provide a minister or an archbishop in every place," Dr. Bader told seminar participants, as he pointed out the problems in current legislation requiring registration for every religious community and barring religious meetings in halls and houses.
"Therefore, it's not easy for Christians to find places of worship in Algeria that meet the conditions stipulated by the Algerian government in the act."
He urged the Algerian community to recognize churches as a "neutral place" that "will never be a spot for opposing Algerian interests". He added: "The act regarding non-Muslim worship practices is a constriction on the Church in Algeria."
Catholic Archbishop Emeritus of Algiers Henri Teissier implored religious leaders at the conference to embrace inter-faith dialogue. "Establishing peace in the world hinges on representatives of the religious sects, be they Christians, Muslims or Jews."
Teissier also joined other Catholic bishops last month in denouncing the attack on the Tizi-Ouzou church and urging Algerians to follow the principles of "coexistence" and "respect".
A December 26th statement from Catholic bishops denounced the attack, while calling attention to "the obstacles hindering the practice of Christian worship" in Algeria.
In the statement, the bishops said they were "appalled by the desecration of the Christian icons, just as much as they are when they hear that Muslim icons are desecrated in any part of the world".
Other religious dignitaries also highlighted the need for religious understanding. "Islam calls for the co-existence among religions," said Emir Abdelkader University scholar Abdellah Boukhelkhal.
Reverend Claude Baty, who heads the French federation of Protestant churches, extolled the efforts to reach across religions.
"Dialogue between religions will only prosper with mutual admiration, friendship and exchange, and I am not opposed to the supervision of this dialogue by laws," he said.
Source: Magharebia.com
Link: http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2010/02/12/feature-01.
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