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LAUREATES

Making the World Better for Future Generations

[Munib A. Younan] 이미지

2020 Laureate

Munib A. Younan
Former Chair of the Lutheran World Federation

Bishop Dr. Munib A. Younan is a pioneer who has devoted his life to religious harmony, believing that dialogue and reconciliation between religions are the basis for human peace.

Born in Jerusalem in 1950 as a Palestinian refugee, Bishop Younan has been advancing religious harmony among Islam, Christianity and Judaism in the Middle East for more than four decades since being ordained as a Lutheran priest in 1976. In particular, he promoted religious harmony on a worldwide level while serving as the Chair of the Lutheran World Federation from 2010 to 2017, by bringing together a wide network of religious leaders from different faiths.

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Promoting harmony among Judaism, Christianity and Islam in the Middle East for 40 years

Bishop Munib Younan emphasized that a religion's role is to serve all humans regardless of sex, race, ethnicity, religion and political factions. In addition, as he traveled around the world, he spread the message to achieve consensus in diversity, one must guard against religious extremism, accept the diversity of biblical interpretations, and also accept different religious traditions

Born in 1950 as a Palestinian refugee in Jerusalem, Bishop Younan devoted his life to promoting dialogue among Jews, Christians and Muslims and to advancing reconciliation. In particular, he served as the President of the Fellowship of the Middle East Evangelical Churches from 2004 to 2010, and as a founding member of a coalition movement for Palestine and Israel, he took the lead in resolving the Israel-Palestine conflict. In addition, he was the first to translate the Augsburg Confession (1530), a key doctrinal document of Lutheranism, into Arabic, contributing to furthering an understanding between Christianity and Islam. He also published several books containing messages of religious harmony.

 

 

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Reconciling the Conflict between Catholic and Protestant Churches

Bishop Younan has talked continuously with the Catholic Church for decades to overcome the deep-rooted conflict between the Catholic Church and Protestant Church. As a result, in 2013, the Lutheran World Federation and the Vatican jointly adopted a document called "From Conflict to Sacrifice," unraveling the 500-year-old conflict. This came to be regarded as a historical reconciliation between the two churches where both sides promised to renew their commitment to theological dialogue and continue the journey towards unity, guided by Gods spirit according to the will of Lord Jesus Christ. This was done with the aim to bring together the two churches, accepting that the Lutheran Church and the Catholic Church are from the same roots and should work towards reconciliation.

 

In 2016, Lutheranism and Catholicism celebrated together the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, and Pope Francis and Bishop Younan signed a declaration to go towards a common path." It was the first time in history that a pope took part in the founding anniversary of the Lutheran Church. At the event, the two sides stated together that "Theological distinction entails prejudice and conflict, degenerates into a tool for political purposes," and that they "reject all past and present hatred and violence expressed in the name of religion," sending a strong message of religious harmony to the world.



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In a polarized world, religious leaders can affect our future toward this end by promoting the common values of living together in dignity, working for peace, and combatting fanaticism, fundamentalism, and extremism.

Religious extremists who use religion and manipulate God for their own selfish purposes are an existential threat to humanity nowadays. Extremism is a blatant perversion of religion and is always the antithesis of love. For this reason, it is the role of religious leaders today to boldly and prophetically combat any kind of extremism within their own religion.

It is imperative that we teach our own communities to see and value the image of God in those who are different from us. As it is written: “Those who say, “I love God,” and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen.” (1 John 4:20)

[Munib A. Younan] 이미지

Munib A. Younan

  • Born
    September 18, 1950
  • Country
    Jerusalem
  • Awarded for
    Pioneering religious harmony
    Promoting harmony among Islam, Christianity and Judaism in the Middle East
    Leading the reconciliation between the Catholic and Protestant Churches

Academic background

  • Graduated from Finnish Jürvenpü Luther Theological Seminary (Finland)

  • Master of theology at the University of Helsinki (Finland)

  • Graduated from Chicago Lutheran School (USA)

Honorary Degree

  • Honorary Ph.D., University of Münster (Germany)

  • Honorary Ph.D. of Theology, Wartburg College (USA)

Professional Background

  • 2016-Present Board Member, Yasser Arafat Foundation

  • 2016-Present Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC)

  • 2016-Present Honorary President of the Evangelical Family, MECC

  • 2010-Present Chair, Executive Committee & the Board of Trustees, (Lutheran World Federation (LWF)

  • 2010-Present Member, Executive Committee, Fellowship of the Middle East Evangelical Churches (FMEEC)

  • 2007-Present Chair, Board of Trustees, Al Diyar Consortium in Bethlehem, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL)

  • 2007-Present Chair, Baptismal Site Committee, ELCJHL

  • 2007-Present Chair, Board of Trustees, Severance and Pension Fund, ELCJHL

  • 2007-Present Board Member of the Swedish Theological Institute, Jerusalem

  • 2004-Present Chair, Abraham’s Herberge in Beit Jala, ELCJHL

  • 2004-Present International Grand Chaplain, International Grand Priory of the Sovereign Military Order, Temple of Jerusalem (OSMTH)

  • 2003-Present Member, Board of Managers, Near East School of Theology in Beirut

  • 2002-President Chair, Local Reference Group, and Founding Member of the original church initiative, Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme for Palestine and Israel (EAPPI)

  • 2001-Present Member, Priory of Finland, OSMTH

  • 1998-Present Bishop of The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land, ELCJHL (Consecrated January 5, 1998)

  • 1998-Present Chairperson, Coordination Committee for Cooperation between the ELCJHL and Overseas Partners of the ELCJHL

  • 1998-Present Chair, Evangelical Lutheran School Board, ELCJHL

  • 1998-Present Chair of the Board, Augusta Victoria Hospital, Lutheran World Service in Jerusalem

  • 1995-Present Member, Executive Committee of the Middle East Council of Churches, MECC

  • 2010-2017 President, LWF

  • 2010- 2016 President, Evangelical Family, MECC

  • 2003- 2010 Vice-President & Member of Council, LWF

  • 2003-2010 Member, Executive Committee & the Board of Trustees, LWF

  • 2004-2010 President, Fellowship of the Middle East Evangelical Churches, FMEEC

  • 2001-2004 Member of the Board, Vocational Training Center in Beit Hanina, LWF

  • 1999-2003 Vice-President, Board of Managers, Near East School of Theology, Beirut

  • 1998-2010 Chair, Asian Regional Church Leaders Conference, LWF

  • 1998-2006 Member, World Council of Churches Orthodox Study Group, WCC

  • 1998-2004 Member, Executive Committee, FMEEC

  • 1998-2004 President, Board of Managers, International Christian Committee (ICC), Jerusalem

  • 1997-2010 Member, Committee for the Department for Mission and Development, LWF

  • 1997-2003 Vice-Chair, Program Committee for Mission Development, LWF

  • 1997-2003 Vice-Chair, Board of Trustees, Institute for Ecumenical Research, LWF

  • 1993-1998 Member, Department of Service to Palestinian Refugees, MECC

  • 1993-1998 Member, Theological Committee, FMEEC

  • 1990-1998 President, Synod of the ELCJHL

  • 1990-1995 Member, Life and Service Committee, MECC

  • 1985-1990 Member, Education Committee, MECC

  • 1984-2000 Pastor, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hope in Ramallah, ELCJHL

  • 1979-1984 Pastor, Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Reformation in Beij Jala

  • 1976-1979 Pastor, Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Jerusalem, ELCJHL

  • 1977-1988 Youth Pastor, ELCJHL

  • 1976-1997 Teacher & Coordinator of Christian Education, ELCJHL Schools

Awards

  • 2019 Pacem in Terris Peace and Freedom Award (Roman Catholic Church)

  • 2018 The Building Bridges of Understanding Award (Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.)

  • 2017 Niwano Peace Prize (Niwano Foundation, Japan)

  • 2016 Jerusalem Golden Award (Al Quds University, Palestine)

  • 2014 Civis Mundi Award (Canada)

  • 2013 Al-Hussein Decoration for Distinguished Service, First Class (Jordan)

  • 2008 Mikael Agricola Medallion (Finland)

  • 2007 Templar Peace Prize (Jerusalem)

  • 2005 Bethlehem Star Award (Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas)

  • 2004 Holyland Christian Ecumenical Foundation Prize (Washington, D.C.)

  • 2004 Bethanien Prize (Methodist Church, Oslo, Norway)

  • 2001 Human Rights Award (United Nations Association, Washington, D.C.)

  • 2001 The Finnish Peace Prize (Finnish Christian Peace Movement)

Recognitions

  • 2010 President of the Lutheran World Federation

  • 2004 President of the Fellowship of the Middle East Evangelical Churches

  • 2003 Vice president of the Asian region of the Lutheran World Federation.

  • 1997 - 2003 Council member, vice-chair of the Lutheran World Federation Program Committee for Mission and Development, and vice-chair of the Board of Trustees of the Institute for Ecumenical Research

  • 1990 - 1997 Adviser to the Council of the Lutheran World Federation

  • 1990 Named President of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land

  • 1985 Became an active member of the Middle East Council of Churches

  • 1982 Founded the Al-Liqa' Center for Religious Studies in Jerusalem

  • 1981 Became involved with the Lutheran World Federation

  • 1976 Ordained at the Church of the Redeemer in Jerusalem. This began a long career within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land.

Initiatives

  • 2016 With His Holiness, Pope Francis, signed the Joint Statement commemorating the Lutheran Reformation and Historical Reconciliation between the Lutheran and Roman Catholic Churches

  • 2010-Present Lutheran Patron of the Anglican Lutheran Society

  • 2010-Present Member of the Religious Leader Commission, C-1 World Dialogue Foundation)

  • 2006-Present Founding Member of the Council for Religious Institutions in the Holy Land (CRIHL)

  • 2000-Present Member of the Jordanian Interfaith Coexistence Research Center (Amman, Jordan)

  • 1998-Present Continuing work for the deepening of communion relationships with churches, synods, and diocese around the world

  • 1997-Present Active in local Church-to-Church relationships

  • 1997-Present Evaluator, Palestinian religious curriculum

  • 1991-Present Initiator of the Jonah Group (various informal long-running dialogue groups, serving as forums for joint reflection of local Christians and Jews)

  • 2009 Contributing writer, 2011 Worship Resources, Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

  • 2006 Instrumental in the “Amman Agreement,” a mutual recognition agreement among Middle East evangelical churches, Fellowship of Middle East Evangelical Churches (FMEEC)

  • 1997-2000 Developer of the Palestinian Christian Instruction Curriculum (recognized by the Palestinian Ministry of Education for use in Palestinian schools)

  • 1998 Author of “The Christian Dimension of the Palestinian Curriculum” (adopted in 1998 by the Church leaders in Jerusalem as the main document for negotiations with the Ministry of Education

  • 1993 Translator, Arabic translation of the Augsburg Confession with study guide

  • 1984 Participant in the Jewish-Christian Dialogue Symposium, World Council of Churches

  • 1984 Participant in the Anglican-Lutheran Dialogue (Jerusalem)

  • 1982-2008 Co-founder and member of the Al-Liqa’ Center for Religious Studies(Jerusalem)

Publications - Books

  • Our Shared Witness: A Voice for Justice and Peace. Lutheran University Press, Minneapolis, 2012

  • Witnessing for Peace: In Jerusalem and the World. Augsburg Fortress, Minneapolis, 2003.

  • The Augsburg Confession in Arabic. Emerezian Est., Jerusalem, 1993.

Publications - Chapters

  • “Beyond Luther: Prophetic Interfaith Dialogue for Life,” in The Global Luther: A Theologian for Modern Times. Fortress Press, 2009.

  • “The Future of the Lutheran Reformation Tradition: From the Perspective of Palestinian Christians,” in The Future of Lutheranism in a Global Context. Augsburg Fortress, Minneapolis, 2008.

  • “The Role of the Church in Peacemaking: Raising a Prophetic Voice,” in The Forgotten Faithful. Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center, Jerusalem 2007

  • “Theological Reflection and Theology,” in Theological Reflection on Accompaniment. World Council of Churches, 2005.

Publications - Chapters

  • “Beyond Luther: Prophetic Interfaith Dialogue for Life,” in The Global Luther: A Theologian for Modern Times. Fortress Press, 2009.

  • “The Future of the Lutheran Reformation Tradition: From the Perspective of Palestinian Christians,” in The Future of Lutheranism in a Global Context. Augsburg Fortress, Minneapolis, 2008.

  • “The Role of the Church in Peacemaking: Raising a Prophetic Voice,” in The Forgotten Faithful. Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center, Jerusalem 2007

  • “Theological Reflection and Theology,” in Theological Reflection on Accompaniment. World Council of Churches, 2005.

Notes

  • Born to Palestinian refugee parents

Videos

  • 수상자 연설 썸네일 1
    Acceptance Speech by Munib A. Younan, 2020 Award Ceremony
  • 수상자 연설 썸네일 1
    Awarding of Medal and Plaque to Munib A. Younan
  • 수상자 연설 썸네일 1
    A pioneer in religious harmony - Munib A. Younan
Sunhak Peace Prize

Future generations refer not only to our own physical descendants
but also to all future generations to come.

Since all decisions made by the current generation will either positively
or negatively affect them, we must take responsibility for our actions.