Posted on 09/17/2006 7:03:38 PM PDT by blam
Vatican has adopted a tougher line with Islam
By Jonathan Petre, Religion Correspondent
(Filed: 18/09/2006)
At first sight, there may seem to be little divergence between Pope Benedict XVI's approach to Islam and that of his predecessor.
The present Pope, a scholar who has made an extensive study of the faith, is clearly keen to promote understanding between Christians and Muslims and has many personal contacts.
At his inaugural Mass as Pope in April last year, he made a point of welcoming Muslim leaders.
In reality, however, Benedict XVI has adopted a far more cautious approach than the late John Paul II, who apologised for the Crusades and became the first Pope to visit a mosque during a visit to Syria in 2001.
Even before he became Pope, Cardinal Josef Ratzinger was a rigorous analyst of the theological differences between Christian and non-Christian faiths, and Islam in particular.
He is therefore less enthusiastic than his predecessor for interfaith summits such as that staged by John Paul II at Assisi, which critics fear can blur the distinctions between religions and diminish the status of Catholicism.
Since Benedict XVI became Pope, the Vatican has signalled a tougher line in its negotiations with Islam, stressing the need for "reciprocity".
Vatican officials argue that if Muslims want the freedom to practise their faith in the West, Christians should be free from persecution in Muslim countries.
In the 1997 book Salt of the Earth, based on interviews with a German journalist, the then Cardinal Ratzinger voiced mixed views of Islam.
On the one hand he expressed admiration for the self-belief of the increasingly confident faith, which he saw as a potential ally in his war against relativism in the West.
But he was critical of Islam's impulses towards theocracy, which he sees not as distortions, but part of what he calls its "inner nature."
A potential battleground is Europe, and Benedict XVI has irked many Muslims by arguing against Turkey's membership of the European Union, which he fears could dilute Europe's Christian roots.
The clearest indication of the Pope's change of emphasis was the sidelining of one of the Vatican's leading experts on Islam, the British archbishop Michael Fitzgerald, who was closely associated with John Paul II's policy of reconciliation.
Archbishop Fitzgerald, an Arab speaker and scholar, could have expected a Cardinal's hat as head of the Vatican department dealing with inter-religious dialogue.
Instead, as part of a shake-up of the Curia last year, he was dispatched to Cairo as the Pope's envoy in a move widely seen as a demotion.
At the time, Vatican watchers expressed alarm.
Fr Thomas Reese, a Jesuit, said at the time: "The Pope's worst decision so far has been the exiling of Archbishop Fitzgerald. He was the smartest guy in the Vatican on relations with Muslims. You don't exile someone like that, you listen to them. If the Vatican says something dumb about Muslims, people will die in parts of Africa and churches will be burned in Indonesia."
Fixed it.
L
Gee, why did they quote him?
Getting rid of Fitzgerald was probably one of the Pope's smartest moves. The fact that Reese didn't like it proves that.
That's right, and Bill Clinton was the smartest president we ever had - a Rhodes Scholar, no less!
Nice catch....the roaches are scattering.. :)
People will die and churches will continue to be burned regardless of what the pope does or says. Islamic radicals are notorious for unprovoked attacks as we saw on 9/11.
"He is therefore less enthusiastic than his predecessor for interfaith summits such as that staged by John Paul II at Assisi, which critics fear can blur the distinctions between religions and diminish the status of Catholicism."
And it has nothing to do with status. Pope John Paul who bent over for islam was shot 4 times by a turkish muslim.
It's about time.
Fr Reese is practicing and honing his role of dhimmi quite well I see.
Good find!
Nobody can hide from Google!
;-)
Yes, you did.
Wonder why the author thinks the truth is "dumb"?
I'm delighted to hear about the demotion of Archbishop Fitzgerald. And if Fr. Reese, S.J., calls it a bad decision, then I'm doubly delighted.
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