THE Methodist Church’s offering of Eid ul-Fitr good wishes to the Muslim community is a welcome inter-faith move towards nation building, says the Pacific Conference of Churches. And it has called on Christian churches in Fiji – and the region – to recognize the relevance of other religious celebrations as a way towards building tolerance in communities. “This is not a matter of conversion, rather it is recognition of the message of peace, love and good will which exists in all faiths,” PCC General Secretary Reverend Francois Pihaatae (Broadcast editors PEE-AH-TIE) said. “The Ramadan fasting period is a time when our Muslim brothers and sisters make sacrifices, give alms and reflect on the tenets of their faith. “We can all learn from this example. Indeed, all faiths recognize the need for sacrifice such as fasting, helping the poor and making time for self-reflection and penitence.” Re Pihaatae said that in a multicultural community it was important for all faiths to recognize the significant contributions made by others and to draw inspiration from them. His statement came after Methodist Church in Fiji General Secretary Reverend Tevita Bainivanua congratulated the Muslim community at the end of its fasting period. In the statement – seen as a departure from traditional Methodism in Fiji, Rev Bainivanua said the church recognised fundamental differences in faith on issues such as salvation but acknowledged its inherent connection of the so-called Abrahamic faiths of Judaism and Islam with Christianity. “The deep spiritual significance of Ramadan as a month of prayer, fasting and alms-giving as part of spiritual renewal for the Muslim community echoes the Christian’s spiritual journey during Lent, the 40-day period leading up to Holy Week and Easter,” Rev Bainivanua said. “As fellow citizens of Fiji and as God’s children we wish our Muslim brothers and sisters a joyful time of celebrations for Eid.” The PCC congratulated the Methodist Church leadership on its continued humility and persistence despite the constraints it faced in terms of funding and the challenges from various sections of the community. For further details: Reverend Francois Pihaatae, 4 Thurston Street, Suva, Fiji T 679-3311277 Or Netani Rika, PCC Communications, 4 Thurston Street, Suva, Fiji T 679-3311277 M 679-9990439 e [email protected] or netrika66@gmail Skype: JournoFJ
Posted on: Fri, 09 Aug 2013 02:29:10 +0000
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