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Vatican (6) -- News -- July-September 2006
Interreligious and intercultural dialogue is a necessity
for building together a world of peace
25.09.2006
In the Hall of the Swiss at Castel Gandolfo, the Holy Father received representatives
of the muslim communities.
"I should like to reiterate today all the esteem and the profound respect that I have for Muslim believers, calling to mind the words of the Second Vatican Council which for the Catholic Church are the Magna Carta of Muslim-Christian dialogue: "The Church looks upon Muslims with respect. They worship the one God living and subsistent, merciful and almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, who has spoken to humanity and to whose decrees, even the hidden ones, they seek to submit themselves whole-heartedly, just as Abraham, to whom the Islamic faith readily relates itself, submitted to God" (Nostra Aetate, n. 3).
Placing myself firmly within this perspective, I have had occasion, since the very beginning of my Pontificate, to express my wish to continue establishing bridges of friendship with the adherents of all religions, showing particular appreciation for the growth of dialogue between Muslims and Christians (cf. Address to the Delegates of Other Churches and Ecclesial Communities and of Other Religious Traditions, 25 April 2005). As I underlined at Cologne last year, "Interreligious and intercultural dialogue between Christians and Muslims cannot be reduced to an optional extra. It is, in fact, a vital necessity, on which in large measure our future depends" (Meeting with Representatives of Some Muslim Communities, Cologne, 20 August 2005)." said the Holy Father.
Vatican (6) -- Analyses-- July-September 2006
The speech
25.09.2006
In a world marked by relativism and too often excluding the transcendence and universality of reason, we are in great need of an authentic dialogue between religions and between cultures, capable of assisting us, in a spirit of fruitful cooperation, to overcome all the tensions together.
Continuing, then, the work undertaken by my Predecessor, Pope John Paul II, I sincerely pray that the relations of trust which have developed between Christians and Muslims over several years will not only continue, but will develop further in a spirit of sincere and respectful dialogue, based on ever more authentic reciprocal knowledge which, with joy, recognizes the religious values that we have in common and, with loyalty, respects the differences.
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Bulgarian