Vatican Bishop Lays Out 'Roadmap' for Dialogue with Islam

Catholic News Agency ^ | 11/8/16 | Andrea Gagliarducci

[marshmallow]

Vatican City, Nov 8, 2016 / 12:18 am (CNA/EWTN News).- There is a roadmap for dialogue with Islam, and its three landmarks are peace, justice and education, says a leading bishop on the subject.

Bishop Miguel Ayuso Guixot, secretary of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, explained: “on a theological level, differences still remain, and they are known. Beyond any theological difference, however, we take each other’s hand, to build together the common good.”

There is a “diverse and rich dialogue with many Islamic institutions,” the bishop told CNA Nov. 4.

Bishop Ayuso discussed how the dialogue with Islamic institutions is progressing. He gave special mention to the restoration of relations between the Holy See and the Al-Azhar mosque in Cairo, which, along with its companion university, is the most prominent institution of Sunni Islam.

Al-Azhar had broken relations with the Holy See back in 2011, when the Grand Imam Ahmed el-Tayeb labeled Pope Benedict XVI’s reaction to Christmas attacks on Alexandria churches as “interference” in Egyptian internal affairs.

Only this year has the Holy See succeeded in restoring dialogue with this institution. Bishop Ayuso made a first visit to Al-Azhar on Feb. 16 and met with the Mosque’s deputy imam, Abbas Shuman.

Then the Grand Imam el Tayeb came to visit Pope Francis in the Vatican on May 23. There, he decried Islamic extremist attacks against both Christians and Muslims.

[Parmy]

Not paying attention to 1400 years of Christian persecution by Mohammedans.

[SaveFerris]

+111

[DallasDeb]

Sorry, I haven’t been on FR for awhile. What does +111 mean?

[SaveFerris]

+1 means I agree - so thumbs up for a good comment, so....

[DallasDeb]

Thank you.

[piusv]

The Church, therefore, exhorts her sons, that through dialogue and collaboration with the followers of other religions, carried out with prudence and love and in witness to the Christian faith and life, they recognize, preserve and promote the good things, spiritual and moral, as well as the socio-cultural values found among these men. - Nostra Aetate, Vatican II

The real cause. Vatican II.