'Jerusalem Summit Asia' reaches out to Asian evangelical leaders

To counter the rising Islamic extremism entrenched across the globe, Israeli politicians and scholars reached out to a group of Asian evangelical religious leaders on Monday, at the fifth annual 'Jerusalem Summit Asia' meet.

The Judeo–Christian alliance apart from retorting to the escalating Islamic radicalism endeavors to abolish gender apartheid and religious repression, to enhance the status of Moslem women and install religious tolerance in the Moslem world.

Prominent religious and political leaders, members of parliament from the Knesset's Christian Allies Caucus, Israeli academics were part of the meet which invited over 150 political and religious leaders from India, Philippines, Japan, China and Taiwan.

The event apparently unveils the growing relations between Israel and the evangelical Christian community, which has been steadfastly growing in Asia.

"This conference has further strengthened our relationship with Israel and inspired us to disseminate historical facts for all nations of the world – especially evangelical churches – about the biblical role of Israel in fulfilling God's grand plan for the ages," Jerusalem Post quoted Rev. Eddie Villanueva of the Philippines as saying.

According to the Christian leader, who has a membership of over four million churches and chapters in 39 countries, the conference organizers are planning to form a "biblical solidarity movement" promoting freedom of worship in every country of the world.

"Why should Christians in Muslim countries be second–class citizens?" asked Rev. Dr. Richard Howell, the general secretary of the Evangelical Fellowship of India and Vice Chairman of World Evangelical Alliance.

Marisa Albert, the meeting's organizer, said it is a very timely initiative for Asian Christians to undertake Judeo–Christian endeavor to forge a strong Israel–Asian alliance, due to the aggrandizing evangelical community in Asia, which is rising as a global power.

"The unifying center for all evangelicals is Jerusalem," said Dmitry Radyshevsky, executive director of the Jerusalem Summit. "Besides, they understand that radical Islam is an equal danger for Christians as it is for Jews."

"I would rather be politically incorrect and biblically correct,” said MK Benny Elon (NU–NRP), the chairman of Christian Allies Caucus and the chairman of right–wing National Union, who improved Israel's relationship with the evangelical world, during his role as the tourism minister.

The summit held once in every year, in the past has been organised in the Philippines, South Korea, Singapore and Japan.