Middle East Modernity

In a new document, Jesuits involved in the Middle East call on the international community to take on a “sense of responsibility” for conflicts in the region and to abandon “the Machiavellian behaviors, passive attitudes and ideological battles” that for too long have stood in the way of lasting peace. The text, “Middle East: Searching for the Word,” which was produced at the request of the superior general of the Society of Jesus, Adolfo Nicolás, S.J., highlights the plight of Christians, who are often persecuted because of their perceived identification with the West and existing regimes or because their faith. The authors note that while the Arab Spring of 2011 failed to translate into successful political and economic programs, Christians and all Arabs should see signs of hope in the widespread desire for a system of government “based on the values of modernity, democracy, human rights, social justice, and cultural openness.” In countries that lack democratic traditions, they say, there must be “education for citizenship,” which “requires genuine familiarity with human rights” and “respects cultural and religious plurality.”