Finnish Archbishop Jukka Paarma Signs Muslim-Christian Accord Archbishop Jukka Paarma from the Lutheran Church of Finland added his name to the document issued by Christian and Muslim leaders promoting coexistence at the Coexistence and Peace Making Conference hosted by the Jordanian Interfaith Coexistence Research Center (JICRC) in Amman, Jordan, in January of this year. Thirty- five Christian and Muslim leaders from the Middle East signed then, and since then more international faith leaders have added their signature and support. The signing followed a dialogue between Archbishop Paarma, his delegation, Bishop Younan and his delegation, JICRC Executive Director the Very Rev. Nabil Haddad (far right, standing), HE Mr. Sami Gammoh, Deputy Chair (far left), and HE Minister of Islamic Affairs, the Awqaf and the Endowment for Jordan Mr. Abd AlFatah Salah.

We, as people who believe in the One God, and as people who own the legacy of coexistence in this region, Muslim and Christian, seek in this difficult era to build together our present and future society, in a spirit of mutual responsibility so that comprehensive peace and real justice prevail in our region and in the world as a whole. To achieve this, we undertake the commitment and pledge to call for the following to be implemented, not in our region only, but in the world as a whole: * Respect of religious freedom and belief. * Respect of all messengers, prophets, holy books, and religious texts and prohibition of their desecration. * All holy places should be respected and made freely accessible to believers. * All religious symbols must be respected and any desecration should be prohibited and prevented. * Respect for responsible freedom of expression which does not harm the belief and feelings of others. * To continue dialogue and human cooperation so that justice, peace, development and decent living, called for by the human and religious teachings of the heavenly religions, can be achieved.

Mr. Gammoh and Mr. Salah talked about their experience of growing up and working together as Christians and Muslims. “Jordan represents real coexistence, real Islam. Extremists pervert Islam with violence and fanaticism,” said Mr. Salah. “Terrorism has no religion, no one state.”

ELCJHL Bishop Younan said that Jordan’s actions show the Kingdom respects all people’s civil and religious rights. Earlier that day, HRH Prince Ghazi had presented the ELCJHL with 5 dunums of land at Jordan’s baptismal site to build a pilgrimage center. Bishop Younan and Archbishop Paarma of Finland received and blessed the land with Prince Ghazi.

ELCJHL Pastor Samer Azar of Good Shepherd Lutheran in Amman pointed out that the symbol of the JICRC is an actual drawing of a church and mosque near one another in Amman. “Coexistence is not just an ideal or dream in Jordan, it is reality,” he said.

JICRC Executive Director Father Nabil Haddad said that the organization was formed in 2003 to publicize Jordan’s long history of Muslim- Christian coexistence and to develop programs to promote tolerance and mutual understanding. The Amman Message of 2004 was an initiative from the Kingdom of Jordan and other Islamic leaders to reclaim Islam as a moderate religion of peace. For more information see: