The Adventist Church in Drammen hopes that the sale of the church to a Muslim community can have consequences for Christians in Muslim countries.
Drammens Tidende wrote Tuesday that the Turkish community in Drammen had bought the Adventist Church in Bragernes in Drammen and will turn it into a mosque. The church was sold for 7.2 million kroner.
Leo Swenson, chairman of the congregation, says that the Adventists have always been engaged with protecting freedom. Working for freedom of religion assumes generation in meeting with other religions. They show this generosity in practice through this sale.
Tor Tjeransen, head of the Seven Day Adventists in Norway points out that many Christians experience difficulties in Turkey. In a press release he expressed the hope that the Turkish community will communicate with its coreligionists in the homeland and tell them about this buy.
Tjeransen says that they want this will be the basis for Christians who wish to buy property and establish churches in a Muslim country to be met with respect, understanding and freedom.
The Adventist community is a protestant community with about 5,000 members in Norway. The Adventist church in Drammen will now build in a new church in Nedre Eiker together with the Adventist Church of Hokksund.
The Turkish congregations is one of the biggest Muslim communities in Drammen, with about 1,000 members.
Orhan Al, head of the Turkish community, says he doesn't want to comment on the sale, but he has formerly told Drammens Tidende that it's not relevant to have a call to prayer in the center of Drammen.
Source: Drammens Tidende (Norwegian)
See also: Drammen: Need for accounting of money going to immigrants
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