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Arab Culture/Christian-Muslim Intercultural Marriage

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Expert: Le Anne Clausen - 2/23/2009


Question
I'm an American girl who is Christian and is wanting to marry and Arabic Muslim man. How do we go about this?

Answer
Greetings Tabitha, and thanks for your question.  Basically, it all depends on the guy's nationality and his family's expectations.  If your guy is an American citizen and you both live in the U.S., just plan a wedding as you would normally do, involving both families in the process.  This could either be at a justice of the peace, or you could find a clergyperson who has experience in interfaith weddings.

If your guy is not a U.S. citizen, you would want to consult an immigration lawyer as soon as possible to ensure that your spouse can join you in the U.S.

If you are ready to marry, it sounds like you two have already worked out the details of how you will observe each of your religions within your family and how you will raise your children, and that each of your families have given their blessing to the relationship.  These are all important discussions to have before a couple can begin to think about an interfaith (or really, any other kind of) marriage.

Good luck to you, and I hope this helps!

peace,

Le Anne

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Le Anne Clausen

Expertise

I can answer questions on Arab culture, including differences in cultures among Arab countries and sub-groups. I can also answer questions on Christian-Muslim relations, interfaith issues in general, and human rights and peacemaking issues in the Middle East.

Experience

I was a human rights worker for four years in the Middle East, and have spent time in Palestine, Israel, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan. I speak intermediate Arabic; some Hebrew; and am starting Persian (Farsi, Dari). I have led a half-dozen educational delegations to the area for North American groups; and I have led trainings for nearly a thousand international human rights volunteers coming into the area over my years there. I am now working to launch an interfaith peace-teams based human rights organization, hopefully in the next two years. I am also currently editing the manuscript for my first book, a firsthand account of my time in the Middle East

Publications
"Be the Healers," (next steps after Abu Ghraib) The Lutheran magazine, July 2004. www.christian-muslim.net www.seminaryaction.org www.young-activist.blogspot.com Multiple press releases which I wrote from the field, as well as media interviews/articles about my work are also available via Google search.

Education/Credentials
I have an MA in Christian-Muslim relations; and I am now continuing my studies at Chicago Theological Seminary (www.ctschicago.edu). I also have a BA in Religion concentrating in global service, from Wartburg College, (www.wartburg.edu).

Awards and Honors
I received the Dell Award for Peace and Justice from Wartburg College. I have spoken and led workshops and trainings at over one hundred church congregations, colleges, schools, organizations

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