MONASTIC events
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John W. Kiser, The Monks of Tibhirine.
Faith, Love and Terror
in In March 1996 seven Trappist
monks where abducted from their monastery in the Each one of these seven
monks was a fascinating personality.
Kiser describes in great details the spiritual journey
of each one, situating it against their family and cultural background
and in the historical context of The events of those years
in Kiser avoids trying to
show that the monks were martyrs for being killed in hate of their
faith. In fact they were authentic witnesses to faith,
and therefore authentic martyrs, by the way in which they lived,
and by the manner in which they practiced friendship and love
with their Muslim brothers. They
died -- whoever killed them -- because that brotherhood between
Christians and Muslims was a nuisance to some. Few books about the Monks
of Tibhirine have been written in English, while a large number
were published in French. Of
all these books, in whatever language, Kiser's is one of the best,
precisely because, while being a carefully researched presentation
of the facts and their historical and political background, it
attaches itself to presenting the spiritual and human journey
of each one of the protagonists with a great deal of empathy and
respect. In this time when some
people try to create and deepen a rift between cultures, civilizations
and religions, and when Islam is often known in the West only
through the manifestations of some of its extremist marginal elements,
Kiser helps us to know another Islam, the real one, the one of
the ordinary people of a small village like Tibhirine were Contemplative
Christian monks and devout local Muslims could live in brotherhood
and friendship. Armand VEILLEUX Scourmont Abbey Retour à la page de Armand
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