Monday, 26th of September 2016
As we got a chance to interchange with priests from Aichi prefecture’s western area, which belongs to United Church of Christ in Japan, here we report about it.
In the morning, we visited Nakamura Church in Nagoya. The church which was built with domestic lumber was a very cozy place with its pleasant scent of the pure wood, its beautiful stained glass, and also its gathering friendly priests. We were kindly granted some time and allowed to give a speech titled “Common points and different points between Christianity and Islam”. We gave that speech while quoting frequent Biblical citations which are most familiar to the priests.
In the afternoon, the priests kindly visited Masjid Nagoya. We led them in a patrol through the mosque, let them listen to Imam’s recitation of Holy Qur’an, and they even watched Asser prayer. After the prayer, it was possible to hold a time, although short, for a meaningful interchange between Islam and Christianity by means of answering questions of the priests by Imam and mosque representative and such a like.
Believing in the God who is the creator of heavens and earth, and the president of the judgment day is common between Muslims and Christians. The conflicts that seem to have originated from religious reasons in the world will not finish, but they are in fact political conflicts. Primarily, we never have opposing relations. It was a precious chance to emphasize the fellowship of the people of the same (source of) revelation, who can mostly have a mutual understanding.
“……and you will find the nearest of them in affection to the believers those who say, “We are Christians…”
Holy Qur’an, Surah Al-Ma’idah, verse number (82).
