AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Sunday underlined Jordan’s commitment to remain a model of tolerance and coexistence between Muslims and Christians and continue to encourage dialogue and understanding among them to serve global stability and peace.
The King made his remarks at a meeting with leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, who are on a visit to Jordan to inaugurate the Lutheran Church at the Baptism Site on Monday under Royal patronage, a Royal Court statement said.
During the meeting, attended by HRH Crown Prince Hussein, King Abdullah underlined the historical and religious significance of the Baptism Site, where Jesus Christ was baptised by John the Baptist according to Christian belief.
The site includes churches for different Christian denominations and receives pilgrims from all around the globe.
King Abdullah stressed that Arab Christians are an integral part of the Arab-Islamic civilisation, citing “A Common Word” initiative and a conference held in Jordan last year on challenges facing Christians in the Arab world and its recommendations to preserve the existence of Christians in the region.
He reiterated Jordan’s dedication to safeguarding holy sites in Jerusalem and ending any violations and attempts to alter the Arab identity of the city.
The Monarch also voiced the Kingdom’s rejection of ongoing Israeli actions that seek to Judaise the city of Jerusalem, thus threatening the region’s stability and security, calling for unifying churches’ efforts to stand against Israel’s unilateral measures.
For their part, the delegates thanked Jordan for donating a piece of land to establish the Lutheran Church, noting that they are working to promote religious tourism to the Kingdom.
They said the King represented the voice of moderation and rationalism in the region, and also commended Jordan’s efforts in hosting Syrian refugees.
In a statement, the Evangelical Lutheran Church thanked King Abdullah and HRH Prince Ghazi, the King’s chief adviser for religious and cultural affairs and personal envoy, for their efforts to establish the Lutheran Church at the Baptism Site.
Representatives of 17 American and European countries, in addition to 130 religious figures from around the world are scheduled to attend Monday’s inauguration ceremony.
By: The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan & the Holy Land
