Gregorius Soetomo graduated cum laude on May 24. One of his dissertation supervisors and examiners was prominent Islamic scholar Azyumardi Azra.

He became the first Jesuit priest to earn a doctorate in Islamology from the prestigious Islamic university.

"I use a historical approach to interpret contemporary social phenomena on Islam and politics. Religious fundamentalism and exclusivism have become issues everywhere," Greg said.

He told the Jakarta Post some people had questioned why he should be studing Islam, "as if I was done with my studies on Catholicism."

Others were anxious because they perceived him to be too sympathetic towards Islam.

He was also asked if studying Islam for four years had made him doubt the teachings of the Catholic church.

While many people are becoming pessimistic about the future of Indonesia's interfaith tolerance after going through the recent highly divisive election in Jakarta, Greg retains a cautious optimism on the country's future.

"If you really look at history, human beings are always destined to progress. We never regress," he said.

"The process to attain that progress, however, is never linear; it is a spiral."

"Human beings are quick to learn, but at certain periods, they can be quite slow."

"For instance, in the 15th and 16th centuries, Christians were massacring one another and branding followers of different denominations infidels when the church was having an affair with politics."

"But that has led to positive reforms within the church itself."

"Prior to the second Vatican council from 1962 to 1965, for example, the Catholic Church insisted that there was no salvation outside the church."

"During that council, however, the church changed its stance and asserted that people were also redeemed outside the church through their goodwill and kindness."

Source

• The Jakarta Post
• Image: Universitas Islam Negeri (UIN)

Born in Hamilton, New Zealand on 13 July 1930, Fr Jordan spent his secondary education in Wellington at St Patrick's College.

At 18 after leaving school he entered Loyola College, Watsonia, Victoria as a Novitiate.

In training for the priesthood, he studied theology and philosophy at the College over the next eight years during which time he also graduated with a BA Hons in English from the University of Melbourne.

In 1964, Fr Jordan returned to his homeland as Spiritual Father to first year seminarians at Christchurch's Holy Name Seminary before travelling to France where he undertook a Tertianship at Paray-le-Monial. Continue reading

"We have not received any information about this and we cannot confirm it, the deputy director of the Vatican press office, Ciro Benedettini, told Adnkronos.

"Obviously, we hope that this case will be resolved positively, as soon as possible."

"There is no confirmation so far of this news" the Italian foreign ministry said in a statement on a report from the al-Ahadath website that Dall'Oglio had been killed.

"There is news that elements belonging to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant," said the website, which is close to the Syrian government.

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant is an Al-Qaeda-affiliated militant group operating in Syria.

Opposition sources told Adnkronos International on Friday that text messages allegedly sent to an opposition activist from Dall'Oglio's mobile phone claimed he was kidnapped by The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

Daily protests calling for Dall'Oglio's release have been held in the northern Syrian city of Raqqa since the priest disappeared there on July 28.

Italy's foreign minister Emma Bonino said on Friday that Rome was "groping the dark" as the mystery surrounding Dall'Oglio's fate deepened.

Sources

ANSAMed/

AKI/adnkronos

AFP/Al Arabiya

Image: AFP/Al Arabiya

"We have been receiving various reports that turn out to have no substance and which often appear aimed at derailing the investigation," said Foreign Minister Emma Bonino.

"We are dealing with warring groups," Bonino said, referring to the case of Paolo dall'Oglio who disappeared in the city of al-Raqqa on July 28.

"We are groping in the dark really," Bonino added.

Syrian activists earlier claimed that dall'Oglio was abducted by fighters from the Al-Qaeda linked Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

Bonino earlier said dall'Oglio is in the hands of "a local version of Al-Qaeda."

The Jesuit has lived in the country for 30 years, spending most of that time rebuilding an abandoned sixth-century monastery called Deir Mar Musa, turning it into a center for Muslim-Christian friendship.

Sources

adnkronos

NCR Online

Image: CNS/NCR Online