20091211



The recent vote in Switzerland banning the construction of new minarets has already become notorious. This is sad of itself and casts an unnecessary shadow on the remarkable history of tolerance, hospitality and integration that is the true story of Switzerland It is important to remember however that this vote in no way changes the fundamental affirmation in the Swiss constitution that "The freedom of religion and philosophy is guaranteed. All persons have the right to choose their religion or philosophical convictions freely, and to profess them alone or in community with others." It is important to note also that the Swiss government, the leaders of the Christian community and most of the media in Switzerland have all expressed their opposition to this amendment and their disappointment that it was approved.

Nonetheless, much as the minaret seems somehow to have stood as a proxy for far wider concerns, the vote itself now stands as a dangerous symbol of the curtailment of the freedom to practice religion and does so in a way that may have ramifications across Europe and beyond, where this freedom needs to be enhanced and safeguarded not diminished.

While the vote on minarets can be seen as a moment of risk it should also be seen as a moment of opportunity. It is not enough to deplore the vote and pass on. What is needed now is a serious engagement with the underlying issues. What were they? What information or distortions led to the opinions and beliefs that entailed the vote? What needs to be done about the fears that were evidently at work?

We write as a mufti from Egypt where Christians and Muslims have lived side by side over the centuries and as a bishop of one of the world's largest and most diverse cities, namely London. As Co-chairs of the C-1 World Dialogue we are joined by a distinguished group including Theofilos the Greek patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal McCarrick, Mustafa Ceric the grand mufti of Bosnia and many other leaders from business, academia and the media. We are united by our commitment to the better understanding of issues causing tension so that we can promote practical work that will bring about real improvement. In that spirit we invite governments and religious leaders in Europe and around the Mediterranean especially, but not exclusively, to join us for a serious reflection upon the issues now raised. We suggest that we do this in Sarajevo, a city painfully redolent of the hard realities of what can happen when interreligious and social tensions are allowed to grow until open conflict is the result. We are inviting the UN's Alliance of Civilisations to join us in sponsoring and organising this event. The conference will not be about Switzerland but rather about the wider if parallel issues faced by many different countries. How are religiously defined minorities and immigrant communities best provided for in ways that respect their needs and those of the wider communities around them? How is integration to be managed without threatening assimilation? Are there general principles of good practice we can all adopt in regard to what it means in practical terms to uphold the freedom of religion and the freedom to practice one's religion as well? How can the religiously informed conscience find its place in our various societies?

It will take courage for each religious tradition truly to hear the criticisms and fears of others, yet we must find ways to facilitate serious engagement with the fears that exist. Each faith must resist the temptation to imagine only the best about itself whilst comparing this with the worst that can be imagined of others. Instead each tradition must model the generosity it desires for itself from others: we must each reciprocate the freedoms we seek for ourselves. But governments need courage too as they cannot be allowed ignore religion or to be party to the denial of the rights which the free practice of faith requires.

Minarets are no more essential to Islam than church spires are to Christianity, yet each is unquestionably evocative of their respective faiths. Perhaps we do well to remember that spires and minarets both have at least one deep symbolism in common: they both seem to point us to heaven and remind us that beside each there is a place of prayer. Let us hope there is a moral here too. While we differ on important matters of theology, every place of prayer and worship, whether it is a mosque a church or a synagogue, speaks to a shared and fundamental aspect of human experience, namely that we are all spiritual beings able to respond to the call of the holy and the call of God. Moreover, authentic religion calls us not only to love God but our neighbour as well. This is a highly practical obligation in which all persons of good will can share. We call upon leaders from religion, government and civil society to gather with us to find the ways that will best allow us all to recognise our differences while uniting in the peaceful pursuit of the common good.


guardian