Pope Benedict XVI, in response to the letter sent by Muslim scholars, said he is willing to meet with Muslim representatives, announced the Vatican this week.
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(Photo: AP Images / Gregorio Borgia)Pope Benedict XVI is saluted by a Swiss guard at the end of a session of prayer and reflection with the College of Cardinals, at the Vatican Friday Nov. 23, 2007.
In the reply letter, the pope expressed “deep appreciation for this gesture, for the positive spirit which inspired the text [of the letter] and for the call for a common commitment to promoting peace in the world,” according to The Associated Press.
In October, 138 Muslim clerics, scholars and intellectuals from all the major sects signed a letter calling for peace between Muslims and Christians. The letter, entitled “A Common World Between Us and You,” urged followers of the two faiths to find “common ground” and not simply just for “polite ecumenical dialogue” between certain religious leaders.
The pope, in his response letter, emphasized the need for dialogue between Islam and Christianity that resists “downplaying” differences, but rather focuses on what unites, “namely, belief in one God,” the pope said.
“Such common ground allows us to base dialogue on effective respect for the dignity of every human person, on objective knowledge of the religion of the other, on the sharing of religious experience and, finally, on common commitment to promoting mutual respect and acceptance among the younger generation,” Benedict said, according to AP.
Also recently, over 100 Christian leaders around the world collectively signed a response letter to the Muslim letter, calling on the two Abrahamic faiths to love God and neighbors together.
Signers of the letter, issued by the Yale Center for Faith and Culture, included Jim Wallis, president of Sojourners; Rick Warren, founder and senior pastor of Saddleback Church; John Stott, rector emeritus of All Souls Church in London; and Leith Anderson, president of the National Association of Evangelicals.
The Christian leaders urged for an interfaith dialogue that moves beyond “polite” ecumenical talks between selected leaders. Instead, leaders of both faiths should hold dialogues to build relations that will “reshape” the two communities to “genuinely reflect our common love for God and for one another,” the Christian letter stated.
“Given the deep fissures in the relations between Christians and Muslims today, the task before us is daunting. And the stakes are great. The future of the world depends on our ability as Christians and Muslims to live together in peace,” the Christian letter noted. “If we fail to make every effort to make peace and come together in harmony you correctly remind us that ‘our eternal souls’ are at stakes as well.”
The pope, meanwhile, said he was willing to receive Prince Ghazi Bin Mohammed of Jordan, the monarch’s special adviser on religious matters, to whom the letter is addressed, as well as a select group of the letter’s signatories, according to AP.
The Vatican has been trying to improve Muslim-Vatican relations after a comment made by the Pope in 2006 about violence and Islam angered Muslims around the world.
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Comments
truthandjustice...
"but if you notice the site regularly has statements made by the Pope and people are always commenting about them - why??? because the Pope remains Extremely relevant and what he says has meaning around the world."
The only reason is because he is the leader of the largest religious movement in the world. but it doesn't make him right. President Bush is the leader of the most powereful country in the world...but it doesn't make him right,
that old saying "might makes right"? i don't think so....just because Catholicism the the most powerful religious force in the world doesn't automatically make it right.
mcfbc said: "That word unity can mean lots of things. Does he want to unite to help bring peace between the two religiions? Does he want to unite into a one world religion? There is a big difference in these meanings?"
To be honest, I don't see much difference at all, because I read some of the statements Warren made to the UN last year when he tried to correlate Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc. with Christianity.
How can one "bring peace" between such disparate beliefs as Islam, these other religions, and Biblical Christianity? The Bible says, "How can two walk together, except they be agreed?" We know that there were kings in Israel who incurred God's judgment because they forged unholy alliances with unbelieving nations. I don't see any difference.
mcfbc said: "That word unity can mean lots of things. Does he want to unite to help bring peace between the two religiions? Does he want to unite into a one world religion? There is a big difference in these meanings?"
To be honest, I don't see much difference at all, because I read some of the statements Warren made to the UN last year when he tried to correlate Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc. with Christianity.
How can one "bring peace" between such disparate beliefs as Islam, these other religions, and Biblical Christianity? The Bible says, "How can two walk together, except they be agreed?" We know that there were kings in Israel who incurred God's judgment because they forged unholy alliances with unbelieving nations. I don't see any difference.
taj1: If you noticed, a LOT of church leaders signed the letter, not just the pope. It would have made news if only Rick Warren had signed it! With all due respect, the pope is not relevant to me, at all. If he were to repudiate all the unBiblical RC beliefs tomorrow, THAT would be relevant to me. And I would have tremendous respect for him.
This isn't a Catholic site, but if you notice the site regularly has statements made by the Pope and people are always commenting about them - why??? because the Pope remains Extremely relevant and what he says has meaning around the world. Thus any comment, good or bad, only highlights what I think.
over 100 Christian leaders around the world collectively signed a response letter to the Muslim letter, calling on the two Abrahamic faiths to love God and neighbors together...let's be honest until the Pope makes a comment it isn't news. He agrees to meet with him and it's the top news. It's like a Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan,....they take a lot of criticism but at the end of the day it's them that you want to hear from when you are talking about glof, basketball,...and it's the same thing with religion. Agbawebaim don't be frustrated would it be better if nobody cared about what the Pope said? Do you know the denominations/faith of the people who criticize..is it important? The title: Pope Open to Meeting with Muslim Leaders gets all the attention - as it should because this is the Pope. I think the postings - good/bad are a very good sign because it reveals that the Pope remains very relevant.
if the pope stopped at my house
i would have him placed in a titanium alloy cage, and presented before a world court as the ultimate war criminal.
either that or he would die right there, as a friend of mine isnt too happy for the pope either, he'd be the one to do that.
either way, his fate is sealed stepping upon my hallowed grounds.
To agbawebaim:
You said: I wish we could all take time to understand one another!
Dear one, we do understand where your heart is. That's not in question here. What we're questioning is your following of the church instead of the builder of the church.
If the Pope stopped by your house today, would you kiss his hand, and call him "Holy Father"?
Just because somebody wrote a book about the creator, doesn't make him an authority. Joseph Smith wrote about "God" too, but was he right?
You said: Non-Catholics should wake up from their slumber and stop seeing Catholics as enemies.
Most loved of God, we don't see you as enemies, only deceived by the enemy. We love you more than you can possibly know. We are only pointing you to His Word, nothing more. It always has and always will speak for itself. We would be wrong to add or subtract any thing from it.
You said: Christ willed the leardership of the community to the 12 saying that he or she who hears you hears me.
Dear one, you imply governmental structure where non should exist. We are to follow Jesus, this is what he told each disciple upon coming to them for the first time. True, there should be accountability, but it is not possible for man to forgive sin. Yet, what happens in a catholic confessional? "Father, bless me for I have sinned".
You said: Show me where the Christian faith was preserved 1000 years ago if not in the Catholic Church?
Are we not having a discussion today?
You said: What are the fruits of Christianity? is it love and hope which the present pope has written about, or insults in a commentary box of the Christian Post?
Beloved, it was not my intention to insult or offend you in any way. My intention is only to show you what is truth. Paul, when writing to Timothy in Ephesus wrote:
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness.
Since the scripture tells us something counter to what Catholicism presents, we naturally reject it. Take a look for yourself dear one, you may just be surprised.
Maranatha,
That word unity can mean lots of things. Does he want to unite to help bring peace between the two religiions? Does he want to unite into a one world religion? There is a big difference in these meanings?
And regarding inviting Hilary. Rick Warren invited all the major Rebublican candidates and they didn't come. What else is he supposed to do.
HyperionOverseer
Thank you for your kind comments.
If you go to these 2 links you will see a 2-part article explaining why Roman Catholicism is not Christian. I hope the Lord will use them as you seek to witness to your parents.
http://www.takeheed.net/news6.htm
http://www.takeheed.net/news7.htm
Takeheed
SO VERY WELL DONE on timing for that link!
i needed something i could drive the last nail into the coffin that will bury any and all trust to Roman Catholocism from my parents, who plan on visiting the Vatican the next time they go to Italy, much to my chagrin(of course i spoke out against it).
is there more of this?
I would invite agbawebaim@yahoo.co.uk to read my article on Catholicism contained in my ministry newsletter located on http://www.takeheed.net/news26.htm and to read why true Christians disagree with Billy Graham's sentiments on the 'brotherhood' of Roman Catholics and Christians who identify with Protestantism.
HyperionOverseer,
You have definetly left the shore and launched out into the deep; I am not sure most folks can swim out that far. In other words; this is not milk but meat. Not to many people have studied church history and its effect on the world scene (politically speaking), but there are a few of us who are not asleep.
Sounds a lot like Neville Chamberlin appeasing the enemy.
agbawebaim@yahoo.co.uk
I dont buy a single bit about the Catholic church preserving christianity
from what i remember learning many years ago, it was the Anabaptist sect that has been on the run from Roman catholic crusaders, and being massacred left and right, almost a hundred million people were murdered by the popes of their time, AND ALL BECAUSE they sought to erase the truth(the retranslated bible from Greek texts) from this world, and they almost did a perfect job of it if they had killed a few great individuals before they took the Godly action that made the truth known instead of after.
The Lutherans and the Protestants were truly right for betraying the Pope, it's the reason why i'm here as a born again christian today! Islam is only a war machine steered by the popes since its creation. and Muhammed's wife? yes, she was Roman Catholic, as was her cousin who mistranslated his 'visions' which were nothing more than epiliptic seizure hallucinations.
The Vulgate is a butchered book of darkness, and whoever created it is burning in hell as we speak, as will everyone who follows the Pope and his 'papalcy'. Just WHY would you defend a man who prides himself on being able to call himself "holy" when he's truly a consumate liar and a worldly prophet of darkness?
The day the vatican burns to the ground along with ALL of its authoritarian figures, will be a day i breathe a sigh of relief for this world, but then again, that wont be till God burns this world with unquenchable fire, He promised afterall.
And now that I think of it, wasnt it Roman Catholocism and its HATRED for Jews that created Adolf Hitler? I blame the popes for this exclusively. This was just one of their little tests to see how many Jews they could kill without anyone knowing it was really them and not just some dictator facist with a charismatic agenda.
And on the subject of child molestations by priests, a true testament to the Roman Catholic's godlessness, i'm getting sick of reading about these seperate cases every week or month. Just what are you catholics advocating that makes priests rape children, sometimes for years on end before FINALLY being excommunicated?
In any case, i DOUBT priests are excommunicated for doing those actions, more like they were because they got caught, found out, and exposed. You'd cut your leg off it it was poisoning the rest of your body too i'm sure, something that i have seen NOTHING to state the contrary for in all the years i've observed this.
I've said my final piece, anyone who defends the pope is foolishly siding with the ultimate in evil, and when the events stated in Left Behind come alive, Christianity(myself included) will be with Jesus, and the pope(future one maybe) will rule a portion of the world in absolute tyranny until his damnation.
(sorry if this sounds half hearted, i'm running on a few hours short of sleep)