The Big Little Letter that No One Read
The world is at a very strange place when a letter from 138 senior Islamic clerics and scholars to 25 Christian leaders, most notably Pope Benedict XVI, has seeming made little difference in the world. The 29-page letter was sent on October 11, 2007 from well-known figures from the Sunni, Shiite, Salafi, and Sufi branches of Islam representing more than 40 countries throughout the Middle East and beyond.
The letter states, in part, that “Christianity and Islam are the largest and second largest religions in the world and in history. The relationship between these two religious communities [is] the most important factor in contributing to meaningful peace around the world.”
This is good, maybe even wonderful, but why is no one really cheering? Well, it has been suggested that the Vatican is more attracted to creating diplomatic relations with Muslim governments than in engaging Muslims in theological dialogue.
In an October 19 interview with the French Catholic daily La Croix (reported on by Reuters), French Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, called the letter “an eloquent example of a dialogue among spiritualities.” He also noted that Christians would have to discuss curbs on building churches in the Islamic world.
While Tauran seemed to want to discuss important issues between the two religions, he went on to dismiss the possibility since “Muslims do not accept discussion about the Quran, because they say it was written under the dictates of God. With such an absolutist interpretation, it’s difficult to discuss the contents of the faith.” Interreligious dialogue can take place “with some religions,” Tauran continued, “but with Islam, not at this time.” Christians aren’t exactly meeting the group of Islamic clerics halfway if this is the attitude to be taken.
Conservative critics have also jumped on this line from the letter:
As Muslims, we say to Christians that we are not against them and that Islam is not against them—so long as they do not wage war against Muslims on account of their religion, oppress them and drive them out of their homes.
This has struck some as a half-extended olive branch. Perhaps we need to get some humanist or atheist to moderate since we wouldn’t take a stance on the Quran or the Bible or Papal infallibility. Maybe I’m joking, but then maybe not.
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Thank you for bringing this issue to our attention since the regular media has mentioned nothing about it. I do not remember the exact time frame, but this is not the first time the Church has ignored the Middle East with regard to religious dialogue. It happened early in the first few centuries of church history and resulted in the alienation of areas of North Africa. It is interesting that Cardinal Tauran refers to the absolute interpretation of the Quran as a problem when the same could be said of Christianity and the Bible. It would be nice to see some change in the relationships of the two religions come from this but apparently the will isn’t there. Humanists and atheists have engaged in email campaigns and protests in an effort to show support or disdain for a particular issue in the past; would it be possible to engage in one now with the Vatican? What would the Vatican think if thousands or maybe millions of atheists asked the Vatican to reconsider its position with this letter?
I think It would be fabulous to get thousands or maybe millions of atheists coordinated to do anything at once. I feel your desire for action and for a positive change.
I think however it will take more time and many more letters from groups like the Muslims and others so I hope it keeps happening.
Why not build churches in the Islamic world, we let them build mosques in the non-Islamic world? This just another accommodation to the Muslim world that acknowledges them as somehow ’special’ I don’t begrudge them their place as one of many belief systems competing for followers, power and money. The idea that they are unique deserves no respect, it merely affirms their own sense of entitlement.
I can’t myself see objects to churches beyond the standard objection that money for a church or a mosque for that matter could be spent on a hospital or feeding the poor, but you can say that about any building and so it goes.
Using the building of churches as the pivital point for talks between the two religions may be a safe way for the two to never really have to engage each other however. Muslims can repeatedly say they are reaching out to talk of peace when all the Vatican wants is churches and the Vatican can say that the fact that the Islamic states can’t bend on this point proves they are tied to an absolutist position and unready for talks of peace.