Bishops and Reformed Church Council shocked
Published: Wednesday, Mar 6th 2024, 17:11
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The Council of the Swiss Protestant Reformed Church (ECS) and the Swiss Bishops' Conference (SBC) are shocked by the knife attack on an Orthodox Jew in Zurich. They condemn the attack in the strongest possible terms.
"Deeply saddened", they expressed their sympathy to the victim and his relatives, as the EHL Council and the SBC announced in a joint communiqué on Wednesday. As Christians, they would stand in solidarity with the Jewish community.
The attack is an anti-Semitic hate crime and a new escalation in the anti-Jewish trend of recent months. The two church leaders expressly welcome the distancing of the Association of Islamic Organizations in Zurich (Vioz).
There is no religious justification for hate crimes, the two church leaders stated. As Christians and citizens, the ECSC Council and the Bishops' Conference distanced themselves from extremist, fundamentalist and violent movements that threaten religious peace and the tolerant treatment of those with different opinions.
They expect the investigation to reveal the social weaknesses that make such a crime possible. According to them, they are concerned that young people are being incited to engage in hate speech and hate crimes.
The EHL Council and the SBC reaffirmed their commitment to dialog between religious communities and religious peace. They called on everyone to stand up against hatred and exclusion.
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