Bishop Munib Younan, president of the World Lutheran Federation, has urged Christians and Muslims in Malaysia to understand the essence of each other’s faith and to defend the other’s religion. “Christians and Muslims must try to understand others as others want to be understood” rather than through media reports or the actions of extremists. By understanding the essence of each other’s religion, “we will find many common values,” the Palestinian bishop said. Stressing the key role of religious leaders in combating extremism, he said: “Christian leaders have to defend moderate Muslims and Muslim leaders have to defend moderate Christians.” The Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land was speaking to more than 300 Christians and Muslims at a forum held March 12 at the Lutheran Centre in Petaling Jaya, outside Kuala Lumpur. One way of developing mutual understanding is for Muslims to take a short course in Christianity and for Christians do a short course on Islam, he said. ML13617.1645