ESTREMISM SHAPES OUR INTERELIGIOUS RELATIONS AND DIALOGUE
The second issue that now shapes our relationship is
EXTREMISM in our religious traditions and communities. This has become a
compelling urgency as war and new militant extremism confront nation states,
faith-communities and all peoples of goodwill.
There are several slogans and names that try to capture the dangerous
realities we live in. There is the
famous slogan, “Clash of Civilizations” that Prof. Samuel Huntington coined in
the mid 1990’s.It is an attempt that describes the political, ethnic and religious
conflicts that have intensified in the post-Cold War era.
By whatever names they go by, they invoke the NAME of
God as their rallying/battle cry in complex and many violent struggles and
conflicts within that “Arc of Crisis”.
On the other hand, there is the UN initiative that
speaks of Alliance of Civilizations where nations, communities and religions
forge unity and partnership and new ethical norms to respond to the ills of the
present and to prepare and equip the youth or the next generation for new world
emerging.
From our own Mindanao experience, we have seen the
ugly and violent and virulent face of fanaticism and extremism in the killing
of Bishop Benjamin de Jesus, OMI – Bishop of the Vicariate of Jolo. His witness
of peace and reconciliation and dialogue was a threat to then emerging Islamic
Extremism and the fanatics murdered him in public and in broad daylight at the
Jolo Plaza in front of his Cathedral in Jolo on February 4, 1997.
Following the martyrdom of Bishop Benjamin, another Benjamin
fell victim to the virulent extremism in Sulu. Fr. Benjamin Inocencio, OMI was
shot at the back of the Cathedral with his driver on December 28, 2000. His
driver survived, but Fr. Inocenio was killed instantly.
Like Bishop Benjamin, Fr. Benjamin was a Missionary to
an island in the middle of nowhere, somewhere in the Sulu Sea – Cagayan de
Mapun. There he managed Notre Dame of
Cagayan with passion and moving all resources to give quality high school
education to the Jama Mapuns “physical marooned” in that remote island.
Then bullet struck again on January 15, 2008, this
time in a remote island of Tabawan in the Municipality of South Ubian. Fr.
Jesus Reynaldo Roda, OMI who spent his life in serving the poor people of
Tabawan both in Notre Dame School and in the public schools was brutally
martyred by ‘Extremists’ who came to his residence. Fr. Rey was yet another
witness of faith, friendship, and service to the least fortunate.
Other religious congregations have their own share of
martyrs as well. The Abu Sayyaf group kidnapped the Claretian priest, Fr. Roel,
with other co-workers in Basilan and they were killed brutally. The same is true with the PIME Fathers with
the martyrdom of Fr. Carzeda who was involved in interreligious dialogue in
Zamboanga City. The Columbans have Fr. Rufus Halley who gave his all to the
people of Malabang and Balabagan - learning the language and befriending all
yet he ended up murdered.
And today, there is the raging battle (on the 46th
day) of Marawi City in the Southern Philippines that has turned into a
nightmare. The extremists belonging to
Dawla Islamiyya or Islamic State attacked and killed Christians and burnt
Christian institutions and destroyed the Christian icons while shouting “Allahu
Akbar”.
They are holding Christian hostages – Fr. Teresito
Suganob and his parishioners of the Prelature of Marawi and threaten to kill
them all if the terrorists are not given “safe passage”. While the extremists are a tiny minority,
believers wishing to engage in interreligious dialogue need to draw the line
between tolerance and intolerance; between exclusivism and inclusivism; between
life and death; and between fellowship or EXTREMISM.
There, you have witnesses who paid dearly for what
they believed in and what they stood for.
And the price was martyrdom! The witnesses stand tall and their blood
albeit spilled continues to give inspiration and life to the people of the
place.
And as we reflect and discuss on interreligious
dialogue and dialogue between and among peoples of living faiths and peoples of
good will, we need to take a clear stance vis-a-vis EXTREMISM both violent and
non violent, as well. Extremism in whatever form is a menace to humanity and
the planet. Our stance on this issue shapes the relations and dialogue between
and among religions and peoples of goodwill!
Jun Mercado, OMI
Badaliyya - Philippines
July 6, 2017
(A part of my presentation at Concilium 2017)
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