Pave the Way Foundation and Muslim Partners Urge Turkish President to Open Halki Seminary and Release Pastor Andrew Brunson
Open Letter Addressed to President Erdogan, Originally Issued in 2012, Points Out Important Religious Basis for This Action, Directly from the Prophet Muhammad
NEW YORK, Aug. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Pave the Way Foundation (PTWF) together with 17 Muslim partners, requested that the government of Turkey recognize and follow "The Covenant of Protection to Those Who Adopt Christianity" sealed by the Prophet Muhammad in 628 AD. This law commands his followers (Muslims) to protect the people of the book (Jews and Christians) until the end of days. The authenticity of this Islamic law has been sustained throughout the ages by Islamic scholars yet has been largely ignored by the media and purposely hidden by those who seek to illegally use religion to justify violence.
Specifically, in a joint letter addressed to Prime Minster Erdogan (now president) originally issued in 2012, the group specifically asked that the government of Turkey reopen the Greek Orthodox seminary in Halki, closed since 1971.
In July 2012, Dr. Mehmet Gormez, President of the Islamic authority in Turkey, visited His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, in support of reopening the seminary in the name of Islam. Dr. Gormez embraced the patriarch and stated, "A religious community's dependence on other countries to raise their own theologians does not befit Turkey as a major country. I would like to note that its [the Greek seminary's] continuation in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations just as it did throughout history will befit the greatness of this country."
"We wish to further highlight, based on the covenants of the prophet, that the government of Turkey should release Pastor Andrew Brunson, jailed since 2016. We join our prayers with others of all faiths and persons of good will that Pastor Brunson be permitted to return home and rejoin his family and that the Halki seminary will soon be reopened," says PTWF Founder, Gary Krupp.
About Pave the Way Foundation
PTWF, known as "the most important organization in the world that no one has ever heard of" operates in 21 countries quietly from behind the scenes, and is based in Wantagh, New York. PTWF is a nonsectarian public foundation whose mission is to identify and work to resolve obstacles between religions. We achieve our goals by establishing foundations of trust through cultural, educational and technological gestures between the faiths. Please visit our website www.ptwf.org
Contact:
Gary Krupp
212-629-0046
SOURCE Pave the Way Foundation
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