When Civilizations Meet: How Joseph Ratzinger Sees Islam

Chiesa.com ^ | May 4, 2006 | Samir Khalil Samir, S.J.

[NYer]

The author of the essay, Samir Khalil Samir, an Egyptian Jesuit, is a professor of Islamic studies and of the history of Arab culture at the Université Saint-Joseph in Beirut and at the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome; he is the founder of the Centre de Recherche Arabes Chrétiennes and president of the International Association for Christian Arabic Studies. In September of 2005 he participated, at Castel Gandolfo, in a study meeting with Benedict XVI on the concept of God in Islam.

The first online publication of this essay was on April 26, 2006, on “Asia News,” the news agency that specializes in Asia – and is also translated into Chinese – founded and directed in Rome by Fr. Bernardo Cervellera of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions:

> Asia News

[NYer]

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[marty60]

In short a call for the appearance of the Anti-Christ.

[A. Pole]

he insists in saying that we cannot try to project onto Islam the Christian vision of the relationship between politics and religion

Bump

[expatguy]

The harsh reality that few people are willing to accept.

An American Expat in Southeast Asia

[Uncle Miltie]

Correction: "When Civilizations Meets Barbarism: How Joseph Ratzinger Sees Islam"

[HarleyLady27]

What is with this "Joseph Ratzinger" stuff?????? Its Pope Benedict....

This is the same thing that is being done to President Bush, by calling him "Bush" and calling clinton "President Clinton", clinton is FORMER President clinton...and President Bush is just that "President Bush"....

And Ratzinger is now "Pope Benedict"....thank you....

[NYer]

Ping!

[Michael81Dus]

Well, he could retire, so that he´d be simply Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger. But I doubt that His Holiness will do that. :-)

[july4thfreedomfoundation]

An excellent post! Every notice how the talking media head types refer to the president as "Mr. Bush" ?

[ex-snook]

TFP.

One wonders if this is part of a general theory of meeting civilizations and applicable to China and India.

[NewJerseyJoe]

> He points out that: “the Koran is a total religious law

Ah, for the days of a truly Catholic pope, who would simply come out and reiterate that Islam is a FALSE religion, rather than engaging in doublespeak and continuing to promote syncretistic ecumenism.

We need the next Pope St. Pius V! Where are you?!?

[Alex Murphy]

Ping to read later

[Theoden]

Pope Benedict XVI is a TRUE Catholic pope, in full communion with Rome, unlike those schismatics who were excommunicated by Pope John Paul II. Good riddance, theology aside, they act more like Protestants than Catholics in how they conduct their actions, and engage in dialog. Pope B16 is absolutely correct in saying that "the Koran is a total religious law". It is absolute and uncompromising, unable to reform itself from it's 7th century ineptness, and preaches hate, as it always has. It is a total religious law for Muslims, and that is why we have problems with them. The biggest problem is that traditional Islam is violent, and the traditionalists go by the book, the Koran. They cannot accept change and move on, much like some others...

[SJackson]

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[macamadamia]

you left out the whole thought:

the Koran is a total religious law, which regulates the whole of political and social life and insists that the whole order of life be Islamic.


Far from any doublespeak, this is an accurate observation about Islam. It doesn't promote "syncretistic ecumenism" nor does it dilute any condemnation of Islam.

[Flavius Josephus]

Why does every religion article, especially Catholic, have to be so wordy? Is everything really that complex? It seems like books have to be written to distill out the meaning of things like the Catechism just so we can read it in under a year.

I'm not Catholic bashing, as you may know I'm set for the Sacrament of Confirmation this month.

[Flavius Josephus]

Wait -- if he wrote something before becoming Pope then he was Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger. Benedict XVI didn't exist until he was elected.

Although I will admit that his detractors take a positive delight in calling him by his former name.

[Flavius Josephus]

Mr. Bush is perfectly acceptable - it's when they call him Bush that it gets my goat a little.

[kstewskis]

Why does every religion article, especially Catholic, have to be so wordy? Is everything really that complex? It seems like books have to be written to distill out the meaning of things like the Catechism just so we can read it in under a year.

It's in your best interest, especially as far as your soul is concerned, to be well read and informed of the reasons behind certain theologies and doctrines. Catholicism is intellectual, it is not for the simple minded.

Of course, you could go to one of those "dumbed down" religions and have someone else think for you, and explain things that are put in a simple little box. I wouldn't advise it, however. That would be committing spiritual suicide.

But you're not. You've made a great choice. My advise is to be patient, and enjoy the continued blessings that the Church is about to bestow on you. And continue to stay informed of the rich history of The Church.