Certainly Christians should not react in the way they have historically which has been to destroy culture with mission that is destructive and not contextual. Our Christian heritage is not always one we can be proud of and the way we have treated our own brothers and sisters because they interpret or express the faith differently to us is sometimes shamefull. How about we actually love as Christ loved us and gave himself up as a fragrant offerring pleasing to God. How about we bless and don't curse, we embrace and offer hospitality rather than turn away. How about we say to other faiths we are not going to play intellectual games but actually show you what God's love is like as shown by Jesus in the way we are sacrificing ourselves out of love for you. That is enough in itself, lets not be afriad to love. Love, love, love, all you need is love. This is love in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.
In the light of what Bishop Michael has said and the recent comments made by the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, it is probably worth recalling what Pope Benedict XVl said on 16 September 2006 - again to clear up any misunderstanding regarding the Church's position regarding Islam: "The Church regards with esteem also the Muslims. They adore the one God, living and subsisting in Himself; merciful and all-powerful, the Creator of heaven and earth, Who has spoken to men; they take pains to submit wholeheartedly to even His inscrutable decrees, just as Abraham, with whom the faith of Islam takes pleasure in linking itself, submitted to God.
Though they do not acknowledge Jesus as God, they revere Him as a prophet. They also honour Mary, His virgin Mother; at times they even call on her with devotion. In addition, they await the day of judgment when God will render their deserts to all those who have been raised up from the dead. Finally, they value the moral life and worship God especially through prayer, almsgiving and fasting." The Pope's option in favour of inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue is equally unequivocal. In his meeting with representatives of Muslim communities in Cologne, Germany, on 20 August 2005, he said that such dialogue between Christians and Muslims "cannot be reduced to an optional extra," adding: "The lessons of the past must help us to avoid repeating the same mistakes. We must seek paths of reconciliation and learn to live with respect for each other's identity." As for the opinion of the Byzantine emperor Manuel II Paleologus which he quoted during his Regensburg talk, the Holy Father did not mean, nor does he mean, to make that opinion his own in any way. He simply used it as a means to undertake - in an academic context, and as is evident from a complete and attentive reading of the text - certain reflections on the theme of the relationship between religion and violence in general, and to conclude with a clear and radical rejection of the religious motivation for violence, from whatever side it may come. On this point, it is worth recalling what Benedict XVI himself recently affirmed in his commemorative Message for the 20th anniversary of the Inter-religious Meeting of Prayer for Peace, initiated by his predecessor John Paul II at Assisi in October 1986: " ... demonstrations of violence cannot be attributed to religion as such but to the cultural limitations with which it is lived and develops in time. ... In fact, attestations of the close bond that exists between the relationship with God and the ethics of love are recorded in all great religious traditions." The Holy Father thus sincerely regrets that certain passages of his address could have sounded offensive to the sensitivities of the Muslim faithful, and should have been interpreted in a manner that in no way corresponds to his intentions. Indeed it was he who, before the religious fervour of Muslim believers, warned secularised Western culture to guard against "the contempt for God and the cynicism that considers mockery of the sacred to be an exercise of freedom". In reiterating his respect and esteem for those who profess Islam, he hopes they will be helped to understand the correct meaning of his words so that, quickly surmounting this present uneasy moment, witness to the "Creator of heaven and earth, Who has spoken to men" may be reinforced, and collaboration may intensify "to promote together for the benefit of all mankind social justice and moral welfare, as well as peace and freedom' (Nostra Aetate no. 3)."
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3 comments:
Certainly Christians should not react in the way they have historically which has been to destroy culture with mission that is destructive and not contextual. Our Christian heritage is not always one we can be proud of and the way we have treated our own brothers and sisters because they interpret or express the faith differently to us is sometimes shamefull. How about we actually love as Christ loved us and gave himself up as a fragrant offerring pleasing to God. How about we bless and don't curse, we embrace and offer hospitality rather than turn away. How about we say to other faiths we are not going to play intellectual games but actually show you what God's love is like as shown by Jesus in the way we are sacrificing ourselves out of love for you.
That is enough in itself, lets not be afriad to love. Love, love, love, all you need is love. This is love in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.
We must shed our fear of what we do not know or understand. Look for the things that unite us and not always look for the things that divide us.
In the light of what Bishop Michael has said and the recent comments made by the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, it is probably worth recalling what Pope Benedict XVl said on 16 September 2006 - again to clear up any misunderstanding regarding the Church's position regarding Islam:
"The Church regards with esteem also the Muslims.
They adore the one God, living and subsisting in Himself; merciful and all-powerful, the Creator of heaven and earth, Who has spoken to men; they take pains to submit wholeheartedly to even His inscrutable decrees, just as Abraham, with whom the faith of Islam takes pleasure in linking itself, submitted to God.
Though they do not acknowledge Jesus as God, they revere Him as a prophet.
They also honour Mary, His virgin Mother; at times they even call on her with devotion.
In addition, they await the day of judgment when God will render their deserts to all those who have been raised up from the dead.
Finally, they value the moral life and worship God especially through prayer, almsgiving and fasting."
The Pope's option in favour of inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue is equally unequivocal.
In his meeting with representatives of Muslim communities in Cologne, Germany, on 20 August 2005, he said that such dialogue between Christians and Muslims "cannot be reduced to an optional extra," adding:
"The lessons of the past must help us to avoid repeating the same mistakes. We must seek paths of reconciliation and learn to live with respect for each other's identity."
As for the opinion of the Byzantine emperor Manuel II Paleologus which he quoted during his Regensburg talk, the Holy Father did not mean, nor does he mean, to make that opinion his own in any way.
He simply used it as a means to undertake - in an academic context, and as is evident from a complete and attentive reading of the text - certain reflections on the theme of the relationship between religion and violence in general, and to conclude with a clear and radical rejection of the religious motivation for violence, from whatever side it may come.
On this point, it is worth recalling what Benedict XVI himself recently affirmed in his commemorative Message for the 20th anniversary of the Inter-religious Meeting of Prayer for Peace, initiated by his predecessor John Paul II at Assisi in October 1986:
" ... demonstrations of violence cannot be attributed to religion as such but to the cultural limitations with which it is lived and develops in time. ... In fact, attestations of the close bond that exists between the relationship with God and the ethics of love are recorded in all great religious traditions."
The Holy Father thus sincerely regrets that certain passages of his address could have sounded offensive to the sensitivities of the Muslim faithful, and should have been interpreted in a manner that in no way corresponds to his intentions.
Indeed it was he who, before the religious fervour of Muslim believers, warned secularised Western culture to guard against "the contempt for God and the cynicism that considers mockery of the sacred to be an exercise of freedom".
In reiterating his respect and esteem for those who profess Islam, he hopes they will be helped to understand the correct meaning of his words so that, quickly surmounting this present uneasy moment, witness to the "Creator of heaven and earth, Who has spoken to men" may be reinforced, and collaboration may intensify "to promote together for the benefit of all mankind social justice and moral welfare, as well as peace and freedom' (Nostra Aetate no. 3)."
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