The Testament of Christian de Cherge.
He and six fellow monks were kidnapped on 21st May 1996 and later killed in Algeria. In this document Fr Christian not only forgave his killers, but wanted to stress his love for the people of Algeria, and his refusal to blame them or the followers of Islam.
It is a complicated and profound document, the fruit of many years of living in a place of political as well as religious conflict. I am posting this not only to honour Fr Christian and his comrades, but in the hope of learning from them.
2 comments:
The film about this man has had a profound effect on secular France. I think that people felt the Catholic church was outdated, irrelvant and weak. To see this man's powerful, active faith has really challenged some people. Thanks for the link to his document, which I hadn't read before. It's incredible. I really need to spend some time reflecting on it.
It is incredible isn't it. Sometimes I think we have to live with so much hostility, and then I remember Algeria and that puts it into proportion. And then I look at us, daring to judge Moslems, or wanting everyone else to conform to our way of thinking and living, and I think of Chretien imagining God 'delighting in the differences' and hoping to see the face of God in his murderer.
Post a Comment