Pope Benedict XVI talks with Ali Dere, a professor for Islamic theology at the university of Bonn, as he meets with representative of the German Islamic community in Berlin Friday morning, Sept. 23, 2011. Pope Benedict XVI is on a four-day official visit to his homeland Germany.(AP/Daylife)
Pope Benedict XVI, 2nd left, meets with representative of the German Islamic community in Berlin Friday morning, Sept. 23, 2011. Pope Benedict XVI is on a four-day official visit to his homeland Germany. (AP/Daylife)
Criticisms by
Laura Wood and
Lawrence Auster of the Pope's recent address to Muslim leaders in Germany. Is Pope Benedict XVI guilty of being too accomodating to Muslims? From Zenit:
Benedict XVI's Address to Muslim Leaders:
The reason for this seems to me to lie in the fact that the fathers of the Basic Law at that important moment were fully conscious of the need to find truly solid ground with which all citizens would be able to identify and which could serve as the supporting foundation for everyone, irrespective of their differences. In seeking this, mindful of human dignity and responsibility before God, they did not prescind from their own religious beliefs; indeed for many of them, the real source of inspiration was the Christian vision of man. But they knew that everyone has to engage with the followers of other religions and none: common ground for all was found in the recognition of some inalienable rights that are proper to human nature and precede every positive formulation.
In this way, a society which at that time was essentially homogenous laid the foundations that we today may consider valid for a markedly pluralistic era, foundations that actually point out the evident limits of pluralism: it is inconceivable, in fact, that a society could survive in the long term without consensus on fundamental ethical values.
Dear friends, on the basis of what I have outlined here, it seems to me that there can be fruitful collaboration between Christians and Muslims. In the process, we help to build a society that differs in many respects from what we brought with us from the past. As believers, setting out from our respective convictions, we can offer an important witness in many key areas of life in society. I am thinking, for example, of the protection of the family based on marriage, respect for life in every phase of its natural course or the promotion of greater social justice.
This is another reason why I think it important to hold a day of reflection, dialogue and prayer for peace and justice in the world, which as you know we plan to do on 27 October next in Assisi, twenty-five years after the historic meeting there led by my predecessor, Blessed Pope John Paul II. Through this gathering, we wish to express, with simplicity, that we believers have a special contribution to make towards building a better world, while acknowledging that if our actions are to be effective, we need to grow in dialogue and mutual esteem.
Some traditionalists might judge the Holy Father's attempt to ground certain natural rights in the "dignity of man" to be unsound. Perhaps he feels required by his office to protect the rights of Christians and other believers in secular countries, seeking to encourage dialogue with members of other faiths and to cooperate in preserving the place of faith in the public life of citizens. He may also be looking for some measure of reciprocity on the part of Muslims and how they treat Christians in predominantly Muslim countries. And there is also the argument that the Holy Father needs to prevent further radicalization of Muslims who feel excluded from Western societies.
Still, I could ask if such an address might be interpreted as a sign of weakness, an acknowledgement to Muslims of the precarious situation of both the Church in Europe and the health of European temporal societies. My first reaction to the criticisms was that this is another indication of the crisis of manhood in the Church, especially among the hierarchy, who are not bold enough to preach Christ to the non-believers. Although the speech can be defended on prudential grounds, is the Pope just another European head of state? His goals are rather obvious from the speech, but in what capacity is he delivering it?
It is clear from his other talks that he is aware that the Church is in need of renewal (and repentance?). Who is the bigger threat to the Church, the secular, anti-Christian forces or the Muslims? Is the liberal state merely non-Christian, or is it committed to being anti-Christian? And is peace possible in liberal multicultural societies in which the number of Muslims continues to grow? How long before a non-Christian (or anti-Christian) nationalist movement develops and responds? Might it be better to focus exclusively on reforming the Church and its members so that they may be prepared for the worst, whether it be persecution by the state or violence from Muslims?
Can a "national" (or pan-European) solution be attempted when the local Churches remain in poor health? Or must local solutions be attempted first, with a restoration of the observance of the order of charity? Bishops who are clearly heretical should be excommunicated and removed from authority. Is this achievable in Europe? Will the civil laws respect the judgments of the Holy Father in this regard? What of weak and incompetent bishops? Should they be encouraged to resign? And is there a way to restore the voice of the local Church in the nomination of bishops, so that there is greater accountability on the part of the local Church? Or is this too much of a risk to take when heresy is rampant in so many dioceses?
Where are our great Catholic reformers, zealous in their care for souls and courageous in dealing with the enemies of Christ, both within and without the Church?
As far as I know, the Italian bishops who have called for restrictions on the number of Muslim immigrants have not been censured or repudiated by the Holy See. Is there tacit support by the Pope and the Curia for such restrictions? If so, wouldn't this sort of outreach seem disingenuous to Muslims who are aware of these facts? After all, if Muslims are to be commended for being believers, why should they not have an "equal" or even greater opportunity to immigrate to European countries as non-Muslim peoples?
An appropriate response: preach Christ to the non-believers, and let the state deal with the consequences of bad immigration policy? Christians should be charitable to Muslims. But should they not support the assimilation of Muslim immigrants? What should they assimilate? Liberal culture? Or traditional, Christian culture? Are Christians natives really in the same boat as Muslim immigrants, being outsiders to mainstream European society? Can and should Christians use the liberal state to protect their "rights"? Is there any chance of success when the state is overwhelmingly anti-Christian?
Related:
The Zenit summary of the address:
Society Has to Agree on Basic Values, Says Pope
FREIBURG IM BREISGAU, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 24: People dressed in traditional blackforest cloth attend Pope Benedict XVI visits the Muenster cathedral on September 24, 2011 in Freiburg, Germany. The Pope is in Freiburg on the third of a four-day visit to Germany, and he will conclude his trip with an open air Sunday mass tomorrow near Freiburg. (Getty/Daylife)
Worshippers arrive to attend a mass to be celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI in front of the Cathedral in Erfurt, eastern Germany, on September 24, 2011, on the third day of the Pontiff's first state visit to his native Germany. The 84-year old pope, German born Joseph Ratzinger, has a packed program, with 18 sermons and speeches planned for his four-day trip to Berlin, Erfurt in the ex-German Democratic Republic and Freiburg. (Getty/Daylife)
