Now that the furor in some quarters of the world’s Islamic community has faded since Pope Benedict XVI's University of Regensburg address of September 12, 2006, we should look at what was said, the intention and other circumstances surrounding the Pope's decision to say those words in Germany which, within a few hours, were communicated to the world.
The Pope opened his address with a reference to a dialogue in the 14th century between the “erudite Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Paleologus and an educated Persian on the subject of Christianity and Islam, and the truth of both.”
The quote that caused the furor was, “He [the emperor] turns to his interlocutor somewhat brusquely with the central question on the relationship between religion and violence in general, in these words, ‘Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.’” The Pope was clear in his words after the quote, insisting that religion and reason need one another with a strong appeal against religious violence.
Pope Benedict was a key member of his predecessor’s team. During the Pontificate of John Paul II, Vatican opposition to international communism was well-known. Equally well-known was the Church’s insistence that all religious violence be avoided. Why the uproar, the demonstrations, a possible killing in Somalia and a threat of violence against the Pope himself? In an era when the emphasis is on dialogue between leaders of various faiths, why did some of the response to these comments seem so violent? Was it merited? What are the short- and long-term implications?
Recent History
The opening of Vatican Council II in 1959 initiated within a short time an emphasis on faith and religious freedom. The concepts of religious freedom and respect for all believers were energized by Pope John XXIII in the early days of the Council in the 1960s and culminated on December 7, 1965, when Pope Paul VI, accompanied by Jesuit priest John Courtney Murray issued the document on religious freedom.
During the reign of Pope John Paul II, there was a very strong desire on the part of the Holy See—the leadership of the Catholic Church—to have a dialogue with Islam that respected its values. Pope John Paul met with Muslim leaders more than 60 times, and, while visiting Syria in 2001, he became the first Pope to ever enter a mosque. His address at that time was historic. He spoke of Muslims and Jews as well as Christians as the three “Sons of Abraham.” The Pope’s strong commitment to dialogue also led him, a few years previously, to be the first Pope to enter a synagogue. He had the same commitment to dialogue and respect toward the Jewish and Muslim communities.
During the reign of Pope John Paul II (1978-2005) of which the then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI) was a significant member, the push for dialogue was followed by a growing call for reciprocity.
I was present when one such attempt by the Pope to obtain a degree of reciprocity occurred. On November 8, 1991, President George H.W. Bush met with Pope John Paul II. As the United States Ambassador to the Holy See, I was responsible for arranging this meeting. While the President and the Pope, following tradition, met alone in the Papal Library, Secretary of State James Baker, White House Chief of Staff John Sununu, General Scowcroft and I were with the then Papal Secr
