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Location, Setting Matter When Promoting Dialogue
The importance of a constructive and candid dialogue between Islam and Christianity can hardly be over-stated. Such conversations are, and will always be freighted with history and burdened by the misunderstandings and confusions to which such a long troubled relationship gives rise.
However, the enormous advantage that such conversation partners have is their real passion about the subject of their discussion. The challenge is to develop the immediate basis for such talks and to find the most promising setting for them: the more delicate the topic, the more crucial the choice of setting and occasion for its pursuit becomes.
The aptness of a Regensburg lecture hall for beginning a serious dialogue is debatable, even if the intention was laudable.
I do believe that progress can be made in containing religious extremists, of whatever religious conviction they might be. However, it is important to remember that such extremists, by their very nature tend not to be amenable to the direction of more moderate central authority. That’s why we call them extremists. That being said, I am convinced that a good deal of direct progress can be made with all but the very most radical, and even those most extreme may be influenced by a general shift in understanding.
A prerequisite to such constructive influence is, however, recognition that such violent and extreme elements are not the sole province of Islam. Christianity too has, and has had, a tradition of violence against non-believers.
Seared into Muslim consciousness is the hideous inheritance of the crusades: crusades called for by a predecessor to Pope Benedict XVI, a call that was responded to with alacrity by people all across Western Europe.
Unless and until Christians are prepared to confess their, our, complicity in the violence that has so wounded the human community, in the name of the God that we love and serve, that community will not be able to escape the seductive vortex of violence, nor will we ever be reconciled to the God who calls us into faith.
By
Mark S. Sisk
|
November 29, 2006; 6:28 PM ET
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Posted by: shgtqju sokntjw | July 12, 2007 2:50 PM
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Posted by: shgtqju sokntjw | July 12, 2007 2:49 PM
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RR Sisk:
You speak of Islam as though it's single minded. There is no Islam with which to have a diologue. They, like Christians have a few hundred splinter "faiths" along with a few big ones. For example, Al Sadr can be expected to accept the decision of what other Muslim group?
Jason makes a very important point. When the public schools teach religion to all the little children which religion will that be? There's a lot more Buddhaists than Christians. Majority rule?
Does the pope speak for all Christians? How about your gang? Is the pope your spokes man?
"Gabriel Heater advised peace on earth good will to men but then somebody slugged uncle Ben."
Posted by: yest me | November 30, 2006 10:50 AM
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A dialogue between Christianity and Islam is indeed very important. However I believe the dialogue should include not only those two great faiths but numerous other faiths as well. The world religions who have not recently been involved in violence have much to offer in a discussion on peace.
I believe that part of the problem with inter-faith discussions and even diplomacy is that structure is lacking. Have Muslims and Christians even agreed that peace is possible? If they have not then we need to go back to the drawing board. If they have then a major hurdle has already been overcome. It is these elementary and fundamental questions that must be answered before meaningful progress can be made.
Once the fundamental questions are answered the leaders need to proceed in a way that shows mutual respect for all parties and faiths without sacrificing their own beliefs.
Posted by: Jason | November 30, 2006 9:44 AM
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