A round table on the theme of
Our Father Abraham.
In the month of November an ecumenical meeting was held in Verona with the
following objectives: - to continue on the line of the previous days of Christian-Muslim
dialogue; to learn about religions from the very religions themselves; to
suggest cultural contents and spiritual values; to disarm ideologies; to suggest
a journey that starts from sharing contents and aims at experiencing together
the faiths; to create a positive meeting climate; to knock down the walls
of ignorance and diffidence.
The theme of the meeting was the figure of Abraham as father in the faith,
shared by they monotheistic religions.
The
Imam of Verona, Guerfi, gave a brief description of the story of Abraham as
appears from the Koran, stressing some episodes that are particularly meaningful
for the journey of faith. Abraham, that is, as the faithful man who preaches
the truth he has discovered, but for the glory of God and not for himself.
He was the man who challenged the wrath and the revenge of his father, trusting
the God who saved him by transforming the fire into a garden. He is the man
that trusted in the protection and benevolence of God and because of this
he saw God intervening in the history of his own life and of that of his family.
The Pastor of the Christian community of the Valdese confession, Letitia
Tommassone, described the figure of Abraham as is presented by the Bible.
He left his town, Ur, trusting on the word of God. The journey he took was
the same as the one the people of Israel took when leaving the Babylonian
captivity: a journey of liberation to which we are called by God by leaving
idolatry behind and going towards fidelity. The two characteristics of Abraham
were trust and hope: his faith was moulded in humanity.
Abraham is the father of universalism. He is the first believer who received
a calling, and he is the figure who represents the relationship between all
the families of the world and God. Also in the New Testament the person of
Abraham is presented as example of faith and universalism.
Fr Valentino Cottini concluded by presenting some challenges on the theme
of sharing the names of faith as happens with Abraham's name among the great
religions. To share a name means to share something, if it is not possible
to share everything: there is a core that remains in common. How can we then
agree? We could look for a common denominator. Conversely we could agree on
a big principle. We accept the diversity but we want to share something. For
example, that common traits of Abraham outlined by the great religions, teach
us to separate ourselves form idols, and to live the tension toward God, and
the confidence that God's promise is awaiting us. There is no need to want
to arrive at agreements, but to walk some sections of the road together, as
Abraham did with all humanity.
Abraham has taught respect and love for each person. Similarly the dialogue
between religions can become authentic and concrete, if it is a dialogue between
persons.
Eugenia Sturiale
