by Pave The Way Foundation | Nov 26, 2019 | Obstacles, Peace
PTWF has been working through our Director for Africa, David Otto, along with PTWF director Bennett Solberg to attempt to move the government of Cameroon to negotiate with the opposing forces to end the bloodshed. David Otto, an internationally respected expert on terrorism, obtained signed agreements from the opposing forces that they are all willing to negotiate a settlement.
To date the government refuses to sit down with these groups.
We sent these documents to the Vatican prior to the meeting of President Biya and Pope Francis and with Cardinal Parolin Secretary of State
Feature Image: Ongoing Zoom Meetings.
More images:
David Otto and Bennett Solberg
Gary Krupp with ABP paul Richard Gallagher, Foreigh Minister of the Vatican.
President Biya with Cardinal Parolin, Secretary of State
Video of Cameroon’s President and first lady meeting with Pope Francis.
by Pave The Way Foundation | May 15, 2019 | Obstacles
Pave the Way Foundation Acts When Other Organizations Remain Silent
Recently, The Vatican lifted the ban of excommunication to the Society of Pius X, an ultra right wing group, and to its four illicitly ordained Bishops. The Bishops were ordained by the breakaway Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. Archbishop Lefebvre split from the Vatican for a number of reasons, one of which was the action of the Second Vatican Council in adapting and passing Nostra Aetate.
This is a document of tolerance of other religious beliefs. On the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council, Pope Benedict XVI used this occasion to lift the ban of excommunication, which was generated when Archbishop Lefebvre ordained four Bishops in direct violation of a papal order not to, issued by Pope John Paul II. It was this act of defiance against the Papal order that generated the excommunication. After the announcement of the lifting of the ban was made on January 21, 2009, a video interview with one of the Bishops, Richard Williamson, surfaced where he quite plainly denied the holocaust impact on the Jewish people and stated that not one Jew had perished in any gas chamber. This Holocaust denial set off a firestorm of protests and negative remarks, which created a temporary rift in Jewish Catholic relations.
Unlike many other inter-religious organizations, Pave the Way did not immediately release a statement condemning the Church for lifting the ban. Instead we launched an investigation to discover the facts behind this alleged action.
In furtherance of our mission to identify and eliminate obstacles between the faiths, we issued the following statement of our findings and the role the media played in exacerbating this highly explosive and sensitive issue.
Further Readings
by Pave The Way Foundation | Jul 27, 2016 | Obstacles
In 1971, the Turkish government closed the Halki seminary (Heybeliada), the oldest and most important religious educational institution in the Christian Orthodox Church, creating a grave crisis.
This followed earlier Turkish Government decrees affecting the Patriarchate, including a requirement that the Patriarch must be a Turkish citizen and that the Turkish Government can veto the election of a new Patriarch. Previous Turkish Governments had objected to the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople exercising his rights as the spiritual leader of more than 300 million Christian Orthodox faithful (the second largest Christian denomination in the world.) The government tried to restrict his leadership to only the tiny Orthodox community that exists in Turkey and confiscated Church properties in Turkey. This was a reversal of several centuries of much greater tolerance.
Although Turkey is an Islamic country, the government closed all Muslim schools as well, in an effort to secularize the school system. As the only Christian Orthodox seminary in Turkey Halki, was closed as “collateral damage.”
In May 2012, Pave the Way Foundation sent 5 letters to the Turkish government advancing a Muslim request for Halki’ s reopening, along with its religious justification. The request was based on a Covenant of Protection for the “people of the book” (a term used to describe Jews and Christians) guaranteed by the hand-printed signature of the Prophet Muhammad in 628 AD. The Prophet Muhammed, through his covenant, guarantees Islamic protection of Christians and their churches from all of his followers until the end of time.
Our letters were received by the Prime Minister, the President, the Ambassadors to the United Nations, the United States and the European Union in May, 2012. We were told that our request was being looked upon very favorable. On July 5, 2012, Professor Mehmet Gormez, the highest Muslim authority in Turkey, made an unprecedented, historical visit to Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I. On that day, he embraced the Patriarch and called for the reopening of the Halki seminary in the name of Islam and stated:
“As the Religious Affairs Directorate, we see non-Muslim citizens living in Turkey as an integral part of this country. Regarding religious freedoms — freedom of religion, freedom to receive an education and the sacredness of places of worship — we demand for them the same rights that we demand for ourselves. We think it is a fundamental right for people from every ethnicity and religion not only in our country but also in every part of the world to practice their religion freely, educate their children in accordance with their beliefs and raise their own theologians,”
Letter to Prime Minister of Turkey, Tayyip Erogan (PDF)
Religious Affairs Directorate President Mehmet Gormez and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I hug each other in front of the İstanbul-based Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarchate on Thursday.
Pave the Way Foundation is proud of the role we played in this advance towards religious tolerance “paving the way” to improved relations. We are honored that our Muslim partners have trusted us and have participated in this initiative. We all collectively look forward to the opening of the Greek Orthodox Halki (Heybeliada) Seminary, which will show the world that the Turkish government is truly interested in religious tolerance.
Below is the charter of rights granted to the Christians, on which we based our letter requesting the reopening of the seminary, signed with the hand print of the Prophet Muhammed Ibn Abdullah.
In 628 CE, a delegation from St. Catherine’s Monastery came to Prophet Muhammed and requested his protection.
He responded by granting them a charter of rights, which are reproduced below in their entirety. St. Catherine’s Monastery is located at the foot of Mt. Sinai and is the world’s oldest monastery.
Translation:
“This is a message from Muhammad ibn Abdullah, as a covenant to those who adopt Christianity, near and far, we are with them.
Verily I, the servants, the helpers, and my followers defend them, because Christians are my citizens; and by God! I hold out against anything that displeases them.
No compulsion is to be on them. Neither are their judges to be removed from their jobs nor their monks from their monasteries. No one is to destroy a house of their religion, to damage it, or to carry anything from it to the Muslims’ houses.
Should anyone take any of these, he would spoil God’s covenant and disobey His Prophet. Verily, they are my allies and have my secure charter against all that they hate.
No one is to force them to travel or to oblige them to fight. The Muslims are to fight for them. If a female Christian is married to a Muslim, it is not to take place without her approval. She is not to be prevented from visiting her church to pray. Their churches are to be respected. They are neither to be prevented from repairing them nor the sacredness of their covenants.
No one of the nation (Muslims) is to disobey the covenant till the Last Day (end of the world).”
Below, Gary Krupp updates His Beatitude Theophilos III, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, of our effort to reopen Halki. It was Theophilos who first alerted us to this obstacle between the Greek Patriarchate of Constantinople and the Turkish government.
With the intercession of His Beatitude, Theophilos III, PTWF was able to obtain two more manuscripts reaffirming Muhammad’s order to protect the Christians and their Churches until the end of days. Special gratitude to Dr. Nicholas Fyssas, Supervisor of the Sinaitic Archive of Monuments, Mount Sinai Foundation.
Copyright St. Catherine’s Monastery Mt. Sinai.
Αντίγραφο αχτναμέ
Χρονολογία:
Επικύρωση Seyyid Süleyman (1285/1868-69)
Βιβλιογραφία-φωτογραφία:
Σαρηγιάννης –Σπυρόπουλος, «Το Οθωμανικό Αρχείο» (ανάλυση της βραχυγραφίας κατωτέρω), Έγγραφο υπ.αρ. 34, σσ. 95 και 348 (πιν. 118).
Date: Early November 26/981 Saban-5 December 1573 bibliography-photo: Sariyannis – Spyropoulos, “Ottoman archive» (analysis of brachygrafias below), document No. 2. 1, pp. 87 and 344 (Pini. 109
Copyright St. Catherine’s Monastery Mt. Sinai
Ανάλυση βραχυγραφίας:
Μαρίνος Σαρηγιάννης – Γιάννης Σπυρόπουλος, «Το Οθωμανικό Αρχείο του Σιναϊτικού Μετοχιού του Αγίου Ματθαίου στο Ηράκλειο Κρήτης (1573-1849», στο Σιναϊτικά Μετόχια σε Κρήτη και Κύπρο, εκδ. Ίδρυμα Όρους Σινά / Σιναϊτικό Αρχείο Μνημείων, Αθήνα, χ.χ., σσ. 71-95, 344-348 (πιν. 109-118).
“Ottoman Archive of Sinai Monastery of St. Matthew in Heraklion Crete (1573-1849”, in Sinai dependencies in Crete and Cyprus, ed. Institute Mount Sinai/Sinai archive of monuments, Athens, ch.ch., pp. 71-95, 344-348 (Pini. 109-118).
by Pave The Way Foundation | Nov 5, 2012 | Obstacles, Peace
Throughout the history of the modern State of Israel, peace has eluded all of the people of the region. PTWF is working with prominent Palestinians who wish to give the Palestinian people another choice. Contrary to media coverage of this region, both the Palestinians and the Israelis desperately want peace. The media seems to only report on the exceptional few extremists. The truth is, people from both sides have the same message. For three generations we have been at war and we don’t want our children to have to continue this. It is the special interest of an elite few, which has driven this region to constant conflict.
Left – Gary Krupp brings the Manual of Wasatia to the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem. Center – Gary Krupp delivers the book of the Covenants of the Prophet Muhammad by Dr. John Andrew Morrow (Right). Here, the Prophet ordered his followers to protect the people of the book, Jews and Christians, until the end of days. Very Muslims know these fifty sustained covenants even exist. They carry the legal authority of the Holy Q’uran.
The Dajani family is beginning a movement towards starting a third electoral party in Palestine, called Wasatia. PTWF is committed to help make this a reality.
In Dr. Dajani’s own words, the essence of the Wasatia Party:
“wasatia is a concept extracted from the Arabic word “wasat” which means “middle of the road”, and “center of the circle.” It is used in Arabic to mean also “balance” “moderation”. In the Holy Quran, it is used to mean “goodness”, “righteousness”, “justice”, and “straightforwardness.” Wasat is said to be that which is in the midst of extremes such as hot and cold, rich and poor, empty and full, generosity and stinginess, courage and cowardice.
It is time for wasatia creed to emerge and rise in the Moslem world that it may draw the best and the brightest from among the Moslem community. The new initiative adopts the wasatiah Islamic tradition and the shura Islamic concept as its’ main pillars. Al-Wasatiah calls for Muslims to take mid-ground that stands between those who sanctify strict tradition and those who opt for rational thinking in reading and explaining the Holy Quran in compliance with the Surah in the Holy Quran: {And so we have created you a midway nation.}
The wasatia concept is reflected also in many other verses in the Quran such as: {Be neither miserly nor prodigal, for then you should either earn reproach or be reduced to penury.} Al-shurah Islamic tradition advocates collective and consultative decision-making.
The goal will remain to seek peace and move to the center away from radicalism. The wasatia road taken in conflict resolution is negotiation, not confrontation. It is not win-lose situation but the win-win situation” – Dr Munther S. Dajani, Professor, Dean, Faculty of Arts Al Quds University, Jerusalem
Professors Munther and Mohammad Dajani meeting in Jerusalem with Aleksandar Simic, Gary Krupp and Meredith Krupp of PTWF.
Wasatia Office
Holy books of all religions are displayed at the Wasatia office with the teachings of tolerance and understanding of other faiths:
Donate to the Wasatia Forum – Anyone wishing to donate to the Wasatia forum and help to achieve its’ success, may do so through PTWF. Tax deductible checks may be made out to Pave the Way Foundation noted for the Wasatia Forum.
The Dome of the Rock and the Al Aqsa Mosque
Often a location and source of friction, PTWF has reached out to the Religious authority of the Jordanian government to seek a common ground of interest, founded in the concept of peaceful co-existence.
Israeli Military
Through the sponsorship and work of PTWF Director Richard Kandel and PTWF Representative in Israel Sam Philipe, we have sponsored numerous projects with the Israeli military. These meaningful gestures and projects have resulted in a unique level of trust, which we use in searching for peaceful common ground.
Below, Gary Krupp, President of PTWF, is presented to over 600 soldiers by Jerusalem Projects partner, Benny Katz.
Gestures of Peace
PTWF Director Dan Buttafuoco donates three 40 year-old olives trees that he planted on the Mount of Olives. The trees planted were dedicated to the three faiths of Abraham – Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Directors, Gary Meredith Krupp, Sam Philipe and Dan and Cindy Buttafuoco join in the planting effort.
by Pave The Way Foundation | Mar 15, 2007 | Obstacles
PTWF is Responding to Disproportionate Educational Funding in Israel
Pave the Way Foundation has partnered with the Center for Jewish-Christian Understanding & Cooperation in order to respond to the recent disproportionate funding of Christian schools, declared by the Israel ministry of Education. Bear in mind, that only in Israel are Christians fully protected and free to practice their faith in the Middle East. The problem of disproportionate educational funding will only become more acute.
- Since the beginning of September 2015, Christian schools have been on strike, protesting the severe budget cuts by Ministry of Education. Prior to 2008, Christian schools received 75% of state funding, but now, they receive just 29%. The Center for Jewish-Christian Understanding and Cooperation (CJCUC) and the Galilee Center for Studies in Jewish-Christian Relations (CSJCR) at Yezreel Valley College, in cooperation with Pave the Way Foundation believe it is time for both Jews and Christian around the world to join forces and advocate for 100% funding for Christian schools in Israel.
- We have created a campaign letter (efcs.cjcuc.com) asking both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of Education Naftali Bennett to find a quick and just solution to the budget crisis of Christian school education. Please review the letter, fill in the details and hit “submit.” It will be emailed to both the Prime Minister and the Minister of Education. I kindly ask you to promote this email to your networks of influence.
- Next month, the official celebrations for the 50th anniversary of Nostra Aetate will be occurring around the world. Part of the festivities will be honoring the unprecedented dialogue between Jews and Christians in the last half century, which has created long lasting friendships and brought millions of Christian visitors to Israel. Particularly at this time, it is important that both Jews and Christians around the world make this issue of funding Christian education in Israel a number one priority.
Improving Tourism in Israel and the Holy Land.
Continuous violence and conflict has had an enormous adverse financial impact on the regional tourism industry. Both sides of the conflict suffer profound loss, not just in terms of life and human dignity, but in terms of economic and financial losses as well. During the Intifada, Israeli unemployment hit 11%. The rate in the territories has been as high as 30-60%. Everyone is suffering. Pave the Way is trying to change the course of this harsh reality, by encouraging special visits to the Holy Land, by Christian leaders. Some of these prelates have been charged with the pastoral care and diocesan responsibility of millions of faithful Christians.
It is our belief that, as economies improve, the seeds of violence and radicalism will fail to take root. Pave the Way is working with the Israeli Ministry of Tourism to encourage these most important pilgrimages.
Partnering with Israeli government officials, Pave the Way has been successful in facilitating the removal of several protocol and procedural barriers that have long been problematic to an already decimated tourism industry.
Above left, Pave the Way meets with Senior Deputy of the minister of Tourism to plan projects to increase and enhance tourisism from Christian communities. Above right, meeting with the Armenian Archbishop Nourhan to discuss Armenian pilgrimages. We have worked to encourage Catholic and other Christian pilgrims to come to Israel.
Planning projects that benefit the tourism industry of Israel with Raphael Ben-Hur First Deputy General Minister of tourism in Israel. The Ministry of Tourism is trying to encourage Christian tourists to stay longer at the holy sites in Bethlehem, in order to help the local Palestinian population. This is an on-going effort of both the Israeli and Palestinian ministries of tourism. More tourism means a boost to the local economies, and (hopefully) less violence.
May 2007, PTWF was asked to help the security personnel at Ben Gurion airport and prepared a manual of information on addressing and dealing with religious leaders of every faith. The manual was prepared and the airport personnel were very grateful for this information.
by Pave The Way Foundation | Mar 1, 2007 | Obstacles, Peace
The Greek Orthodox Church has duly elected a new Patriarch of Jerusalem. This process was legally conducted and the newly elected Patriarch, His Beatitude Theophilos III, immediately enjoyed full endorsements by all other Christian Churches, by the Jordanian Government and by the Palestinian Authority. These are the required approvals. The Israeli government must also affirm the legal status of the Patriarch. The Israeli’s process is taking additional time and consequently the new Patriarch cannot discharge his duties or take possession of the residence or business affairs of his Church.
In the interest of inter-religious harmony and positive, improved relations, Pave the Way Foundation has requested that the Prime Minister of Israel and the King of Jordan give this problem their attention. We have requested that the required affirmation be granted as soon as possible, in the interest of religious freedom, harmonious relations, and the separation of politics from religious practice.
October 2006, the Israeli Inter-ministerial Director advised the government of Israeli that he recommended Theophilos III be affirmed. We are now waiting for the conclusion of this process. PTWF urges the government of Israel to complete this process quickly, in the interest of positive interreligious relations.
PTWF intervenes by Fedexing a letter to the high Court of Israel. After receipt of our letter, this endless 6 month trial postponements ended, and Theophilos III was named Patriarch
WE ARE HAPPY TO REPORT THAT ON SUNDAY DECEMBER 16, 2007, THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT OFFICIALLY CONFIRMED THEOPHILOS III AS GREEK ORTHODOX PATRIARCH OF JERUSALEM.
PTWF meets with H.B. Theophilos III
