Following last week’s attack on a church in Jordan, an expert has said that Christians belong in the country and that interreligious dialogue is “under pressure” in the Middle East.
Speaking to Crux Now, Waseem Haddad, an expert on interreligious work in the region, said that despite the Oct. 23 attack on a Greek Orthodox church in the Karak governorate that killed nine and injured tens of others, Christians belong in Jordan.
“Christians have deep roots in Jordan. This is their country, and they take part in its public and political life, in business, education and across economic life. Christian Churches, schools and charitable institutions have a longstanding role, with many services reaching both Christians and Muslims alike,” Haddad said.
He went onto to underline the importance of Christians to the region as a whole.
“Christians belong to the region. This is their homeland, and we should speak about them as citizens and partners in its future, a shared future by all. That belonging must be reflected in how people are treated,” he said.
“Speaking kind words about coexistence is not enough if families remain uncertain about their rights or of their children’s future. Their circumstances differ considerably across the region,” he added.
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Haddad is the Senior Program Manager for the Arab region at the International Dialogue Center (KAICIID). The Holy See is a founding observer of KAICIID, which was launched in 2012 by Saudi Arabia, Austria, and Spain, in the wake of a 2007 meeting between Pope Benedict XVI and King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.
Haddad told Crux Now that while there was an appetite for a greater understanding between the religions of the Middle East, the work needed to include as many people as possible.
“There is genuine commitment in the region and we see it from religious leaders and partners we work with very closely. Yet dialogue can remain within circles of people who already have a firm belief in it and can feel its benefit,” he said.
He explained the challenge was to “widen those circles and bring in people who may not yet see the value of dialogue.”
“I would say right now, it’s under pressure, which means that it’s presence and efforts are more relevant than ever,” he added.
RELATED: Jordanian security forces arrest 3 men over last week’s deadly church attack
“However, there is still a path that we need to follow so people speak openly about fear, discrimination and common citizenship. Otherwise, meetings and declarations will mean little in their daily lives,” Haddad said.
The Jordan security forces have arrested three men this Monday for the attack on the church after a shootout that saw all three suspects injured.
Haddad said the Jordan government’s response was a positive sign for the country.
“The security and dignity of Christians were treated as part of the security and dignity of Jordan,” he said.
“The Christian response also deserves attention. Despite their pain, church and community voices reaffirmed their belonging to Jordan and rejected blaming Muslims or Islam for the crime,” he added.
The full interview between Haddad and Crux Now is below.
The following interview has been lightly edited for clarity.
Crux Now: How would you describe the situation for interreligious dialogue in the Middle East as a whole?
Haddad: There is genuine commitment in the region and we see it from religious leaders and partners we work with very closely. Yet dialogue can remain within circles of people who already have a firm belief in it and can feel its benefit.
The challenge for us is to widen those circles and bring in people who may not yet see the value of dialogue. That’s what we work on every day in the region.
I would say right now, it’s under pressure, which means that its presence and efforts are more relevant than ever. However, there is still a path that we need to follow so people speak openly about fear, discrimination and common citizenship. Otherwise, meetings and declarations will mean little in their daily lives.
I also believe we should be careful not to treat every difficulty as a religious conflict. War, displacement and economic hardship affect relationships between communities and those can be attributed to a number of social factors.
For example, in order to address these issues we require political responsibility and functioning institutions, religious leaders can play an important supporting role, but they cannot resolve them alone. Their role is essential as they can challenge prejudice within their own communities and speak up when others are threatened.
That is a great effort that KAICIID tries to reiterate across the region. By bringing this religious leader together with civil society, or even community leaders, we are giving both sides a space to find common solutions and most of all, solutions informed by what people need.
Following situations where violence occurs, religious leaders can play a great role that goes far beyond condemning in these situations. They can remain beside affected families, help rebuild trust and prevent collective blame, without asking people to set aside their right to justice.
They know their communities better than anyone and can act as a compass for times of trouble, by putting in the work daily to really be part of their lives, the good and the bad, the past, the present and also the future.
That is why we, at KAICIID, bring people of different faiths and beliefs together and continue to connect religious leaders with policymakers and community actors. We want to continuously work to sustain those relationships beyond a meeting or a crisis.
For me, the test is whether people feel heard and whether that cooperation helps address their concerns. We need dialogue alongside political responsibility, not in place of it.
And how do Christians fit into that bigger picture? How are things for them in the region?
Christians belong to the region. This is their homeland, and we should speak about them as citizens and partners in its future, a shared future by all. That belonging must be reflected in how people are treated.
Speaking kind words about coexistence is not enough if families remain uncertain about their rights or of their children’s future. Their circumstances differ considerably across the region. Insecurity, economic hardship and lack of trust in institutions affects whole societies.
Christians and other religious minorities may face additional threats or discrimination because of their faith. Those must be addressed directly, without losing sight of the difficulties they share with their Muslim brothers and sisters.
Christian leaders and institutions are also active partners in dialogue and peacebuilding processes. Within KAICIID we aim to find ways to work with bringing these relationships to the forefront.
One great example is our work developed with the Interreligious Platform for Dialogue and Cooperation in the Arab World (IPDC). The platform was born out of a KAICIID initiative back in 2018 when we brought together senior Muslim and Christian religious leaders and institutions from across the Arab region to find ways to promote peaceful coexistence, common citizenship and social cohesion by fostering interreligious dialogue and collaboration.
The platform grew to close to 25 senior members and is part of a great level of response in the region and now looks to combat hatred and sectarianism and support collective efforts to prevent conflict and strengthen mutual understanding, which is made up of different initiatives in the region developed in collaboration with KAICIID.
Many organizations have raised the alarm about the dwindling number of Christians in countries such as Syria. What needs to happen to help Christians stay in the Middle East?
For me, it starts with promoting citizenship and building trust. Christians, like everyone else, need to feel that this is their country and that their families have a future there. Rights should not depend on their numbers or on who is in power.
In Iraq, particularly in Mosul, where I was last week with KAICIID in projects and interventions that look back at our intervention in the country over the last 10 years, I heard painful accounts from Christians and other communities.
What stayed with me was their sense of home and their determination to remain in Iraq. We need to listen to what would make that possible, rather than simply encouraging them to stay. Christians share a homeland and a future with their Muslim brothers and sisters. Families need security, work, freedom and institutions they can trust.
This is why it is so important to build that trust. We cannot secure one community’s future while the wider society remains insecure. Trust depends on what people experience: whether the law protects them, whether their concerns are taken seriously and whether they have a say in decisions affecting their lives.
That is why reconciliation, common citizenship and democratic participation matter. We cannot ask families to stay simply to preserve the region’s diversity. They need to feel that staying offers them and their children a decent life, without fear.
Actually, we are planning another consultation to Syria in November in a similar format to what we did in Iraq. We had a project that covered the country this year and look forward to seeing the great projects we are developing there and the feedback we receive from our partners as it will help us, KAICIID, further support bridges of interreligious and intracultural dialogue in the country and the region.
Why do you think the attack in Jordan took place? What is your opinion on the Jordanian government’s response to the attack?
I believe it is not our position at KAICIID to comment on those details as there is still an investigation in place. The only thing we can say is that our thoughts are with those injured and all those affected by this act of violence.
At KAICIID we have a firm believe that places of worship must remain spaces of prayer, reflection and peace.
I arrived in Amman from Iraq around the time of the attack. That Friday evening, I saw shock and pain on the faces of Christians and Muslims alike. The grief was clearly not confined to the Christian community.
I believe the Jordanian response internally deserves recognition. The three days of national mourning, the King’s visit to the injured, the royal family’s condolences and the Prime Minister’s participation in the funeral on behalf of the King mattered.
The state was beside the families, sharing their loss and respecting their religious traditions. What mattered to me was how the government and the public stood beside the families. It showed that their suffering concerned the whole country.
The security and dignity of Christians were treated as part of the security and dignity of Jordan. The Christian response also deserves attention. Despite their pain, church and community voices reaffirmed their belonging to Jordan and rejected blaming Muslims or Islam for the crime.
They called for justice without allowing the attack to turn them against their neighbours. We should respect that commitment without assuming that their fears have disappeared.
I would also stress the need to protect civilians throughout any subsequent response, within Jordan or beyond its borders. The state must protect its citizens and pursue those responsible, while taking every precaution to avoid further suffering for families who had no part in the crime.
Any reports of civilian harm should be examined carefully and transparently, with support for those affected.
What sort of lives do Christians in Jordan lead?
Christians have deep roots in Jordan. This is their country, and they take part in its public and political life, in business, education and across economic life. Christian Churches, schools and charitable institutions have a longstanding role, with many services reaching both Christians and Muslims alike.
For me, the everyday relationships matter – and this is a fundamental pillar of KAICIID’s work, the local approach. Christians grow up, study and work alongside their Muslim brothers and sisters. They know one another as neighbors and friends.
We should keep that shared life in mind when discussing relations between religious communities.
The Jordanian government has responded strongly to the attack. The Saudi Arabian government recently overturned the death penalty for a Sri Lankan migrant accused of blasphemy. Is this a sign that governments in the region are softening their approach to religious freedom?
I believe the most important point is that we need to stay in conversation with governments, religious leaders and communities, understand their circumstances and work together where progress is possible, this is also how we approach our work at KAICIID. Recognising a positive step helps that conversation.
I hope these steps lead to further progress. Our commitment remains freedom of religion or belief for everyone.
