Benedict XVI to visit a Middle East seething unrest
by Fady Noun
The pope is coming to Lebanon with the Apostolic Exhortation that follows the 2010 Synod. Since then however, the region has changed radically with Syria's turmoil, Israel-Iran tensions, economic crisis and anti-Christian violence. The pontiff and the Holy See are working on these issues but Christian unity and witness in the Arab world are also paramount. The Arab spring can help Christians in their mission. Although some thought the visit would be postponed, fear does not stop Peter's boat.
Beirut(AsiaNews) - In a few days, Benedict XVI will be in Lebanon (14-16 September). Inview of the current situation, the pope is coming as a man of peace, but also asa man of justice because without justice there is no peace, especially inrelations between nations. As John Paul II well realised, tensions in the worldare ethical in nature and today's situation makes it even clearer.
BenedictXVI will be a man of peace wielding the "weapons" the Church. The Church isneither a state, nor an international organisation. He will bring a point ofview built on what the Church knows of mankind, backed by a spiritual authoritythat comes from Jesus Christ himself. He will also come as someone with some standingin the international community.
The firstobservation we can make is that the pope is coming to a Middle East that haschanged since the Special Synod of the Churches of the Middle East of October2010. Indeed, in two years, popular uprisings have reshaped the Middle East,completely changed the political relations, geopolitics and the Christianpresence in Arab countries (especially Egypt and Syria). In two years, thecrisis caused by Iran's nuclear programme has deepened, Turkey has emerged asan 'Islamic democracy,' and the US-Russia confrontation has hardened. From theCaspian Sea to Egypt, the region is seething unrest.
As weknow, Christians are very sensitive to political tensions, not mention economiccrisis. The Church is thus faced with an ever-changing situation and makes itswork that more difficult.
In theheartland of the region, there is also an issue called Israel and the Churchknows that this crisis must solved before the region can reach lasting peacefor the greater good of its Christian communities.
The Lebanese exception
In thiscontext, the pope, or rather the Holy See, since the pope is travelling withhis entourage, will speak to the Catholic Churches of the Middle East fromLebanon because that country is an exception for it is the only Arab countrywhere Christian and Muslims share the same culture and are equal before thelaw, embodied in an original political system defined by power-sharing betweenChristians and Muslims at the top.
Lebanon isalso an exception at the religious level. Annie Laurent, a Synod expert, wrotethat the country "is a concentration of believers from all Near East Christiandenominations: Catholics (Maronites, Melkites, Armenians, Chaldeans, Syriacs,Copts and Latins), and those who are not in full communion with Rome (GreekOrthodox, Apostolic Armenians, Assyrians, Syro-Orthodox, and a number ofProtestant denominations). In particular, it is a place favourable toecumenical dialogue."
Reassure first, put right later
What willthe pope say? Certainly he will not say what he has not said before. But hewill say what he said before with new words and emphasis. The special charismof Benedict XVI's doctrinal clarity will leave a mark on what he will say.
The problems the Christian minority faces today, such as relations with Islam,freedom of religion, conscience and worship as well as dialogue, will be amongthe main topics.
TheChurch's internal problems will also be discussed at a time when each communityturns to defending its narrow interests, Christians become contaminated bysecularisation, elites are de-Christianised, corruption affects the clergy, thegap between youth and the hierarchy widens, people are tempted by emigration,the new evangelisation becomes urgent. . . .
BenedictXVI will probably try to reassure everyone first. Aware of the politicalaspects of the papal visit, the media have already highlighted the cloud offear hovering over Eastern Christians, the fear of becoming an ever decliningminority after the bloodbath in Iraq; fear of emerging Islamist regimes; fearof a cold war that could lead to a new holocaust; fear of jihadism; fear theHoly Sites in Jerusalem might be lost.
Yet, howeverjustified these fears may be, the Church has a duty to dispel them. As fear seekscompany, it leads to behaviour that might cause what one wants to avoid.
Moreimportantly, that is not the issue. If something can be done to dispel thisfear, we can be certain the Church is already doing it or will do it. However, theHoly See carries out this kind of diplomatic or international action with theutmost of discretion.
With themuch anticipated Apostolic Exhortation and through other channels, the Holy Seewill urge the governments of Israel and the Arab world to show respect fortheir minorities, for religious freedom and for the Holy Sites. It will addressMuslim religious authorities in Arab and non-Arab nations, directly or viainterfaith dialogue. This will be done by promoting understanding and keepingone's word.
The challenge of faithfulness to Christ
On theother hand, the pope's challenge to the EasternChurches and the Apostolic Churches of the Middle East is that of faithfulnessto Christand the Church he founded, the challenge of communion and witness.
Followingin the footsteps of John Paul II's Apostolic Exhortation 'A New Hope forLebanon,' which was addressed to the Lebanese people, but also indirectly toall Eastern Catholics, the upcoming Exhortation' 'Communion and Witness' offersguidelines on how to cope with problems due to Lebanon's economic and socialsituation, issues like the weakening of family ties; late marriage;unemployment, emigration; sale of immovable property that favours the"Islamisation of the land," which has been blamed on secret Muslim powers;relations with the media and with non-Christians, involvement in politics, theplace of Christians in the public service and in trade unions, etc. All thisaffects the Christian faith, the presence of Christians and the coherence ofChristian life in the East. For this reason, they are of interest to theCatholic Church.
Besides theseimportant matters, the Holy See should be foremost concerned with the newevangelisation and unity.
By newevangelisation, we mean proclaiming Jesus Christ anew to a mass of faithful whoreceived the Sacraments but who are not evangelised.
By unity,we mean, first, the unity inside the Church, something that raises all sorts of questions like, Why are there five Catholic universities, fourbelonging to the Maronite Church? Isn't this a waste in resources and energies?Isn't there some unproductive rivalries? By unity, we also mean, secondly, cooperationamong Catholic Churches that follow different rites as a way to boost witnessand efficacy. Finally,by unity we mean the unity, amid the diversity of rites, of Catholic andOrthodox Churches with the focal point being the shared date for thecelebration of Easter.
Clearly,these issues will play a minor role. The Exhortation is expected to be a toolfor Eastern Churches, an extra but not superfluous compass to come out of thepolitical, economic and moral jungle in which the Churches are moving in adisoriented fashion.
Finally, itwill all depend on how Catholic Churches of the Middle East respond to BenedictXVI's guidelines.
CitingHenry Kissinger's memoires, an elderly cleric said that the Machiavellian USsecretary of state, when he visited the region, could not understand theLebanese because they were all talking at the same time. He also said Kissingercould not understand the Syrians because they were all silent at the same time,unsure whether they were silent because they knew nothing or knew too much.
TheApostolic Exhortation will only answer questions that were openly discussed atthe 2010 Synod. What was not said or was said obliquely will not be discussed.
The Church and the Arab spring
Will BenedictXVI talk about the Arab spring? No one knows. Still, prudence aside, the CatholicChurch cannot but take into account how the region's peoples view such "springtime"in their national life.
Whatever theimpact this historical process may have, the threats that might affect it orthe dismissive views of its enemies and sceptics, the Arab spring has generateda real aspiration for democracy, human emancipation, dignity and respect forpeople.
In anycase, this aspiration is in line with the "flow of history," backed byunquestionable demographic data reported by anthropologist Emmanuel Todd anddemographer Youssef Courbage.
In astudy that predates current events, the two scholars identified a number offactors that led to political changes: a declining birth-rate; high illiteracy,especially among women; and the decline of endogamy, i.e. marrying cousins, sotypical of Arab countries. This shows that Western and Arab Muslim lifestylesare converging, not diverging.
It isimportant for the Church to realise that, notwithstanding regressions andvarying periods of transitions from country to country, we are witnessing agroundswell in the Arab world that is leading to the secularisation of Islam.
Walking on water
Lastlyand unfortunately, many media have viewed Benedict XVI's much anticipated trip againsta backdrop of fear. Since July in fact, every time Lebanon experienced somepolitical hiccup, many expected the visit to be postponed. But Christianity is not that at all.
When in 1993John Paul II decided to visit Nicaragua, it was suggested that all the membersof the pontifical delegation wear bullet-proof vests. The pope refused. He toldthe head of his mission that in 1981 he was struck in one of the safest placesfor a pope, St Peter's Square.
John PaulII's argument still applies today. Benedict XVI cannot stir Peter's boat by hidingin his papal apartments; he must instead face the storms and when necessarywalk on water.
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