Dialogue and Reciprocity
September 25, 2006, 9:05 pm
Posted by Robert P. Imbelli
Pope Benedict’s Address to Ambassadors of nations with a Muslim majority includes this quote from John Paul II:
Respect and dialogue require reciprocity in all spheres,
especially in that which concerns basic freedoms, more particularly religious
freedom. They favor peace and agreement between peoples.
Fr. Madigan is a voice of knowledge, tolerance, respect, and calm at the center of an issue that often seems to be spinning out of control.
I was especially impressed with his comments that true dialogue must involve appreciation and respect for the other’s worldview. Citing Pope Paul VI, Fr. Madigan notes that “we begin dialogue not by talking but by listening.” Reminds me of the quote attributed to Abraham Lincoln: “God gave man two ears and one mouth so that we listen twice as much as we speak.”
One day I’ll get the hang of posting comments. The above comment was intended for Grant’s post about the interview with Fr. Madigan, though my comment isn’t totally out of place here. Apologies…
Bill Collier: I don’t think you made a posting error. I read the excellent article, then noticed that they sent me to the blog to post comments. However, the interview is not referred here, only indirectly on this “Dialogue and Reciprocity” topic.
Aside from that, I am glad that Fr. Madigan took a good look on reciprocity. I agree with his analysis, but I raise another “angle.” The Pope and Church leaders seem to think they are in a position to decide how tall a mosque can be in Western Europe and whether Turkey can be admitted to the EU. However, the Pope lost his Papel States and the notion that he is the ruler of a country (with diplomatic status above others) is both fiction and gall. I recall how in the 1960′s, when Kenya became independent, there was a fuss because Kenya would not consider the Pope’s representative to be automatic “dean” or “doyen” of the accredited diplomats, a deanship apparently the Curia thought is was their customary right.
We Catholics can make a fuss about how Filipina servants are treated in Saudi Arabia, but we do not have the governmental standing to restrict Koranic worship in Brooklyn or Belgium as tit-for-tat reciprocity. What we can do is treat Islam with respect.
Joe McMahon
Joe,
I would rather say that we ought to treat Muslims with respect and by the same token we should expect them to treat Christians with respect. I think also that just as we (I hope) treat Christians who become Muslims with respect, Muslims ought to treat Muslims who become Christians with respect. Is that unreasonable. Should we not compete, respectfully, in the market place of ideas?