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Special
note
This is the last issue
of A.C.Press News until September. Thank you for your support
over the past year, and we look forward to renewing contact
after the summer break.
Religious equality does
not mean treating everyone the same
Madrid,
July 15th, 2005 (ACPress.net).
The Catholic Bishop of
Sigüenza-Guadalajara, José Sánchez, says it is a mistake to
believe that the principle of equality means treating all religions
in the same way, as this “can lead to really unjust situations.”
Sánchez, who is also the Chairman of the Episcopal Committee
on Immigration, expressed his thoughts in a speech entitled
‘The basis of relations between the Church and the Spanish
State.’ He says the
State should evaluate religious groups on the basis of their
historical and current presence in society, which reflects their
true position in the eyes of the nation’s citizens. In this
context, he suggests that it is a mistake to treat every religion
the same, simply because they are not the same, and to treat
them thus would be unjust.
“Nobody defends a privileged position for the Catholic Church
but one cannot give the same to all religions because they do
not represent the same number of citizens in society as Catholicism.”
He believes that Church-State relations in Spain
at present are based on general agreement on the basic principles,
and though obvious discrepancies exist, “there is also a spirit
of mutual understanding.”
Sánchez enumerates three main principles which determine Church-State
relations: religious freedom, which “must be respected by everyone
so as not to discriminate against them on the ground of their
beliefs”, mutual independence, which signifies respect, and
cooperation, given that each works for the common good. He does
not want to describe the current situation as a ‘crisis’, but
recognises that relations between the Catholic Church and the
Spanish government are not enjoying one of their better periods.
Source: Agencias. Editing:
ACPress.net
Spanish evangelicals send
condolences and support to London
Madrid, July 15th, 2005 (ACPress.net).
The Spanish Evangelical
Alliance (AEE) and the Spanish Baptist Union (UEBE) have both
made statements condemning the London
terrorist attacks, and offering their prayers and condolences
to those who have suffered. Sensitivity in Spain
to such attacks is particularly acute after last year’s atrocity
in Madrid.
Jaume Llenas, AEE General Secretary, said “as European citizens
we defend peace, dialogue and democracy. As Christians we believe
the world is tempted to use violence as a means of power and
argument, which we condemn and oppose utterly, (and we offer)
the message of Jesus on the Cross as a response to all aggression
and injustice.” He said the Alliance
“called on God and mankind” not to enter “a greater spiral of
violence”, but to separate in their minds the men of peace from
those who only want to use war to impose their ideas, from whatever
religion they happen to come.
UEBE General Secretary, Manuel Sarrias, and Chairman, Pablo
Simarro, said in a letter to their English counterparts, that
the attack was “a massacre perpetrated by hearts distorted by
fanaticism and hate, whose result was death and suffering.”
They offered their “love, prayers and solidarity (to those affected),
calling on God to guide and give wisdom and strength to politicians
and government so that we may live in a true spirit of democracy
and tolerance.”
Sources: AEE, UEBE. Editing: ACPress.net
Islamic Commission condemns
London bombings
Madrid,
July 21st, 2005 (ACPress.net).
The General Secretary
of the Islamic Commission in Spain,
Mansur Escudero, said “if the perpetrators of the attacks in
London are Muslims,
they are outside Islam, because they try and make something
acceptable which God deems unacceptable, because they kill innocent
people and increase the suffering of Muslims by casting suspicion
on all of them.”
Escudero made his remarks after hearing that ‘Al Qaeda in Europe’
had claimed responsibility for the four bombs which killed over
50 people in London.
He said the Islamic Commission “utterly condemns the attacks
and offers our solidarity to the victims, and prays so that
the suffering of their relatives will be softened.” He reminded
his hearers that the Commission passed a ‘fatwa’ (religious
dictate) last year “against Bin Laden, Al Qaeda and all those
who justify terrorism, basing it on the Koran or the Sunna of
the prophet Muhammed.” The fatwa still holds and covers such
atrocities as the London
bombings, as they were committed by Muslims.
“Such attacks not only take the lives of many Muslims, but they
also damage the image of Islam, increase feelings of Islamophobia
and serve the interests of Islam’s enemies.” The Commission
believes these terrorist groups “try and cover their actions
by false and manipulated interpretations of the holy texts in
an attempt to gain Muslim followers. This deception should be
denounced strongly by wise Islamic leaders all over the world.”
Finally, Escudero added that Muslims are bound to fight terrorism
in agreement with the teaching of the Koran on preventing the
spread of corruption on Earth.
Source: E.Press. Editing:
ACPress.net
Spanish denomination approves
law on homosexual marriage
Málaga, July
21st, 2005 (ACPress.net).
The Spanish Evangelical
Church (IEE), a rather confusing name for a denomination at
the liberal end of the spectrum, has put out a statement in
which it expresses its agreement with the new government law
allowing homosexual marriage. The wider evangelical world in
Spain
is up in arms.
The IEE statement reads as follows:
1. we recognise the right and the duty of the State to uphold
independently the equality and freedom of all citizens
2. we value positively the granting of freedoms and rights to
a marginalised group. We also see value in the legalisation
of new forms of cohabitation based on relationships of love
and faithfulness
3. the plurality of viewpoints within Protestantism and within
our own IEE is a value which demands comprehension and dialogue
so as to maintain a testimony of unity and solidarity, and to
have the capacity for reconciliation.
The IEE’s Central Committee, in the statement’s conclusion,
says it wants to “promote a process of reflection which allows
the Gospel message to be interpreted deeply, and to be able
to respond to the challenges posed by a new social reality.”
What is also a ‘new reality’ is that people claiming to be evangelicals
put their names to statements like this one. The Spanish Evangelical
Alliance is so concerned at the possible consequences of an
‘evangelical’ statement of this nature, that it is putting out
its own communiqué in a call to evangelicals all over Spain
to stand firm on Biblical truth, and not water it down to suit
the social mores of the day.
Source: IEE. Editing: ACPress.netCatholic
R.E. drops to level of the rest
Madrid,
July 21st, 2005 (ACPress.net).
The on-going soap opera
which the debate over Religious Education in state schools has
become, has taken a new twist. A draft copy of the forthcoming
(latest) Education Law removes the stipulation that Catholic
R.E. must be offered, even though pupils are free to opt out
if they wish.
The wording in the draft, obtained by the ABC newspaper, suggests
Catholic R.E. will ‘drop’ to the same level as the other three
recognised religious groups, Protestants, Jews and Muslims,
who can also offer R.E. classes in their religions if there
are enough pupils and trained staff. All four options will now
be offered in the same way, and pupils may opt for one or none
of them.
Some people are calling the decision one of ‘Solomonic proportions’,
as it puts Catholicism, the majority religion, on a par with
the others, just as the Constitution envisages but in practice
has never been done. An Ethics-style alternative remains, but
with a fancier name. 11-14-year-olds will be able to choose
‘Civic Ethics’, while sixth-formers can go for ‘Philosophy and
Citizenship.’ That makes even Catholic R.E. sound quite appetising.
Source: Agencias. Editing:
ACPress.net
A.C.Press:
The News Agency of the AEE (Spanish Evangelical Alliance)
Digital magazine at the website: www.ACPress.net
Telephone: 91 747 14 89; Fax: 91 747 59 24; E-mail: noticias@ACPress.net.
Postal address: Apartado 59198, 28080 Madrid, Spain.
Co-ordinator of A.C.Press News: Jonathan Dawson, E-mail: jdawson@acpress.net
A.C.Press is part of the Spanish Evangelical Alliance, whose
E-mail is: oficina@AEEsp.net (www.AEEsp.net)
The Alliance is a forum for fellowship, reflection and the
development of Christian thought, produces various publications,
and is involved in the struggle for religious liberty. It
is also part of the European and World Evangelical Alliances.
A.C.Press news items may be reproduced as long as their source
is mentioned (ACPress News)
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