Religious Extremism & Religious Tolerance
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Vol 7 Issue 1/2 2014 ISSN 2070-5484 Religious Extremism & Religious Tolerance international journal for religious freedom Regnum Edinburgh Centenary Series Vol 28: Freedom of Belief & Christian Mission Edited By: Hans Aage Gravaas, Christof Sauer, Tormod Engelsviken, Maqsood Kamil & Knud Jørgensen ISBN: 978-1-908355-86-7 This volume comes at a time where Christian mission takes place in a world with increasing interreligious tensions, including violence and persecution. Politics, economics, religion, ethnicity and other factors play a role in these tensions. Christians too are involved in such conflicts, sometimes as those who are persecuted and sometimes as those participating in violence. ‘Freedom of religion and belief’ is a core value in the UN Human Rights Declaration. At the same time it is a core biblical value. Obstacles to and attacks on freedom of belief are therefore a central concern for witnessing to Christ. The purpose of this volume on Freedom of Belief and Christian Mission is to bring to public attention a broad overview on the history, develop- ment and perspectives on the role of mission and freedom of belief and to reflect on these issues within a context of authentic Timely, enlightening and encouraging. This volume comes at time when the Churches are faced with new challenges to religious freedom. Their response however needs to be grounded in an objective study of what is at stake, as well as of why and where these difficulties are arising. The present collection of essays offers a very useful reflection on the entire question. And it does so in a way that invites Christians to courageous witness to the Gospel with respect for the dignity and freedom of all. Bishop Brian Farrell, Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, Vatican City Some of the best minds in the church, including some outstanding grassroots workers, have joined to present not only the challenges facing the church on the religious freedom issue but also guidelines to how respond wisely to it. The challenges are complex and call for serious thought. This book will serve the church well by pointing to informed, wise and bold responses. Ajith Fernando, Teaching Director, Youth for Christ, Sri Lanka To receive a 50% discount (+ Postage & Handling) on the entire Regnum Edinburgh Centenary Series (approximately 36 volumes) please visit: http://www.ocms.ac.uk/regnum/standing_order_form.php and receive all current books now, all future books automatically as and when they become available. For the student, some books in the series are available as free digital downloads. St Philip & St James Church, Woodstock Road, Oxford OX2 6HR, UK Tel: 44 (0) 1865 556071; Fax: 44 (0) 1865 517722; Website: http://www.ocms.ac.uk/regnum/ International Journal for Religious Freedom (IJRF) Journal of the International Institute for Religious Freedom The IJRF is published twice a year and aims to provide a platform for scholarly discourse on religious freedom and persecution. It is an interdisciplinary, international, peer reviewed journal, serving the dis- semination of new research on religious freedom and contains research articles, documentation, book reviews, academic news and other relevant items. The editors welcome the submission of any contribution to the journal. Manuscripts submitted for publication are assessed by a panel of referees and the decision to publish is dependent on their reports. The IJRF is listed on the DoHET “Approved list of South African journals” and subscribes to the National Code of Best Practice in Editorial Discretion and Peer Review for South African Scholarly Journals. The IJRF is freely available online: www.iirf.eu, as a paid print subscription, and via SABINET. Editorial Committee Editors Prof Dr Christof Sauer, Cape Town, South Africa [email protected] Prof Dr Thomas Schirrmacher, Bonn, Germany Assistant Editor Michael Borowski [email protected] Editorial Assistants Interns from Patrick Henry College Book Reviews Dr Byeong Jun, Cape Town, South Africa [email protected] Noteworthy vacant [email protected] Editorial Board Prof Dr J Epp Buckingham, Ottawa, Canada Dr P Marshall, Washington DC, USA Prof Dr P Coertzen, Stellenbosch, South Africa Prof Dr Dr J W Montgomery, Straßbourg, France Prof Dr R Velosso Ewell, Londrina, Brazil Rev P Netha, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe Prof S A de Freitas, Bloemfontein, South Africa Prof Dr A Ojacor, Kampala, Uganda Prof Dr L Fernandez, Cape Town, South Africa Prof Dr B J G Reitsma, Amsterdam, Netherlands Prof Dr K Gnanakan, Shillong/Bangalore, India Prof Dr R Rothfuss, Tübingen, Germany Dr B Intan, Jakarta, Indonesia Prof Dr C Schirrmacher, Bonn, Germany Prof Dr T K Johnson, Prague, Czech Republic Prof Dr D L Stults, Oklahoma, USA Drs B Konutgan, Istanbul, Turkey Prof Dr J P J Theron, Pretoria, South Africa Subscriptions 2015 Annual subscription fee for 2 issues: Bank details SA Rand 280 (approx. €25/US$35) Beneficiary: International Institute for Religious Freedom, VAT and postage included. Cape Town · Bank: Standard Bank · Branch: Sea Point See subscription form in the back. Branch Code: 02 41 09 · Account Number: 071 117 431 For international payments use: SWIFT Code: SBZAZAJJ http://iirfct.givengain.org IJRF · P.O. Box 1336 · Sun Valley 7985 · Rep South Africa (pay in Rand!) Tel +27-21 783 0823 · Fax +27-86 551 6432 · [email protected] International Institute for Religious Freedom (IIRF) of the World Evangelical Alliance Friedrichstr. 38 PO Box 1336 Galle Road 2nd Floor Sun Valley 7985 Dehiwela, 01 10350 53111 Bonn Cape Town (Colombo) Germany South Africa Sri Lanka www.iirf.eu [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] International Journal for Religious Freedom Volume 7, Issue 1/2, 2014 ISSN 2070-5484 Articles and opinions published in IJRF do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors, of IIRF or of the sponsors. © Copyright 2014 is with the individual authors or bodies mentioned in the respective items. Printed with permission. Acknowledgement of Sponsors · Gebende Hände (Giving Hands) We would like to thank the sponsors who sup- www.gebende-haende.de ported the editing, printing and distribution of this issue of IJRF. Their views and opinions are not Please note advertising publishers necessarily those of IIRF and vice versa. · Regnum Books International · Evangelical Lutheran Church in Württemberg, Germany www.elk-wue.de/landeskirche/ international-information-en/ Subscribe to get IJRF via email (time delayed – 1 March; 1 September) ¾ To receive new issues of IJRF electronically on release, send an email to: [email protected] ¾ To receive an email notice about a new issue of IJRF available online, send an email to: [email protected] Note to librarians: IJRF is also available as an ePublication from Sabinet (www.sabinet.co.za). The first full volume of IJRF appeared in 2009. There was only one pilot issue in 2008. Graphic Design and Layout: Solid Ground, www.solid-ground-ministry.org Cover art: Jørn Henrik Olsen, www.jornhenrik.com, www.vitanuovapublisher.com The artwork on the cover is a section from a painting by Jørn Henrik Olsen with the title “The Pilgrimage People in Love and Service”. The full painting is shown on the inside of the back cover. – Countless people are forced on perilous pilgrimages with uncertain outcome by religious extremism. But even on that journey they can be characterized by “love and service” and religious tolerance, which is the other topic of this journal issue. From a Christian perspective, the church father Augustine said: “From Abel until the end of time the pilgrimage of the church proceeds between the persecution of the world and the consolations of God.” Contents International Journal for Religious Freedom Volume 7, Issue 1/2, 2014 ISSN 2070–5484 Editorial ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 5 In my Opinion Why is religious extremism so attractive? Thomas K Johnson ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 9 An innovation in the global fight for religious freedom – The Religious Freedom & Business Foundation Brian J Grim ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������13 Articles Sumud as survival – Arab Christian civil organizations in Israel and the Palestinian Territories Paul Rowe���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 17 Defending the freedom of expression – The danger and failure of the Organization for Islamic Cooperation’s campaign for global anti-blasphemy laws Robert David Onley ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 31 Prosecuting Islamic extremism Werner Nel ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������55 Measuring religious tolerance among final year education students Nico A Broer, Bram de Muynck, Ferdinand J Potgieter, Charste C Wolhuter & Johannes L van der Walt ����������������������������������������������� 77 Religious freedom, reasonable accommodation and the protection of the con- science of learners in South African public schools Georgia Alida du Plessis ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 97 The Church order of De Mist and the advent of religious freedom in South Africa Johan M van der Merwe �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������