Bonner Querschnitte 31/2018 Ausgabe 548 (eng)

(Bonn, 07.09.2018) Rev. Dr. Richard Howell, General Secretary of the Asia Evangelical Alliance and Thomas Schirrmacher, Assiociate Secretary General for Theological Concerns of the World Evangelical Alliance, both also committee members of the Global Christian Forum, have handed over to Pope Francis four books and reports, giving a short explanation for each one. The four books and reports were:

1. The Annual Report on Hate Crimes against Christians in India in 2017 by the Evangelical Fellowship of India as well as reports by the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of India (BCI). The bound copy also includes a statement by Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas, SFX, the Secretary General of CBCI and an article by Fr. Cedric Prakash published in Indian Currents.

The National United Christian Forum (NUCF) comprises the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) and the Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI). At the Asia level, the Asia Evangelical Alliance takes part in Asian Movement for Christian Unity (AMCU) which comprises FABC (Catholic) CCA (Ecumenical) and AEA.

2. and 3. The two new books by the Global Christian Forum, “Discrimination, Persecution, Martyrdom: Following Christ Together: Report on the international consultation Tirana, Albania, 2-4 November 2015” (published by Thomas Schirrmacher) and “Sharing of Faith Stories: A Methodology for Promoting Unity” (edited by Richard Howell), published recently in Bonn and Dehli.

4. The April 42 (2018) edition of the Evangelical Review of Theology, that presents the texts and commentaries on: “‘Scripture and Tradition’ and ‘the Church in Salvation’: Catholics and Evangelicals Explore Challenges and Opportunities: A Report of the International Consultation between the Catholic Church and the World Evangelical Alliance (2009–2016)”.

Pope Francis also discussed the recent encounter with Thomas Schirrmacher some days earlier in Geneva, when the Pope visited the World Council of Churches for its 70th anniversary. He underlined his comment he made their in his speech, that unity is only possible, if evangelism is put first.

Datas on the books and reports received by Pope Francis

Annual Report on Hate Crimes against Christians in India in 2017:

• http://www.efionline.org/press-releases/666-hate-and-targeted-violence-against-christians-in-india-report-2017-

Global Christian Forum (ed. By Hubert van Beek, Larry Miller). Discrimination, Persecution, Martyrdom: Following Christ Together: Report on the international consultation Tirana, Albania, 2–4 November 2015. VKW Schirrmacher: Bonn, 2018. 257 pp. 40 illustrations, thereof 24 in color. Pb. 19.80 €. ISBN 9-378-86269-155-5; US-edition with Wipf & Stock:

• https://wipfandstock.com/discrimination-persecution-martyrdom.html

Richard Howell (Ed.). Sharing of Faith Stories: A Methodology for Promoting Unity. Caleb: New Dehli, 2018. ISBN 978-81-932475-4-9

Evangelical Review of Theology April 42 (2018), including pp. 100–130: “‘Scripture and Tradition’ and ‘the Church in Salvation’: Catholics and Evangelicals Explore Challenges and Opportunities: A Report of the International Consultation between the Catholic Church and the World Evangelical Alliance (2009–2016)”:

• http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/information_service/pdf/information_service_149_en.pdf, pp. 26–46

“Schrift und Tradition” und “Die Rolle der Kirche für das Heil”: Katholiken und Evangelikale erkunden Herausforderungen und Möglichkeiten: Ein Bericht der internationalen Konsultation der katholischen Kirche und der Weltweiten Evangelischen Allianz (2009–2016):

• https://www.idea.de/fileadmin/ideade/pdf/Oekumenisches_Dialogpapier_WEA-PCPCU_dt_28022018.pdf

Articles by Thomas Schirrmacher in those books and reports:

• “Interpreting Eccumenical Events”, pp. 323–344 in: Richard Howell (Ed.). Sharing of Faith Stories: A Methodology for Promoting Unity. Caleb: New Dehli, 2018. ISBN 978-81-932475-4-9
• “Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious World”, pp. 345–370 in: Richard Howell (Ed.). Sharing of Faith Stories: A Methodology for Promoting Unity. Caleb: New Dehli, 2018. ISBN 978-81-932475-4-9
• (with Thomas K. Johnsone) “Collaboration without Compromise: The World Evangelical Alliance and Roman Catholic Leaders”. Evangelical Review of Theology 42 (2018) 1: 65–68

Downloads and Links:

• Photo 1: The Bishops Howell and Schirrmacher handing over the two books by the Global Christian Forum to Pope Francis © Osservatore Romano 242459_27062018.jpg
• Photo 2: The Bishops Howell and Schirrmacher handing over the report on persecution in India to Pope Francis © Osservatore Romano 242471_27062018.jpg
• Photo 3: The Bishops Howell and Schirrmacher handing over the PCPCU/WEA report to Pope Francis © Osservatore Romano 242473_27062018.jpg
• Photo 4: Pope Francis and Bishop Thomas Schirrmacher 1 © Osservatore Romano 242429_27062018.jpg
• Photo 5: Pope Francis and Bishop Thomas Schirrmacher 2 © Osservatore Romano 242435_27062018.jpg
• National United Christian Forum (NUCF) raises serious concerns: http://almayasabdam.com/national-united-christian-forum-raises-serious-concerns/
• NUCF – Our Journey Together With Christ: http://www.worldea.org/news/2503/India-National-United-Christian-Forum-–-Our-Journey-Together-With-Christ

Photos © Osservatore Romano. If you would like to publish the picture, please ask at pubblicazioni.photo@spc.va for the picture with the given number (e.g. 224537_22062016.jpg), which is also available at http://www.photovat.com.