Your article gives a good perspective. Many, who have demanded a Papal apology, have betrayed their own ideal of open and honest dialogue – probably, as you suggest, without having even read the Regensburg address. The media hype gave us the spin of ‘Muslims insulted’, similar to the hype given and phrased as the ‘war on terror’. People will believe one and yet not the other – on both counts, lacking the intellectual honesty to dig a little deeper.

Michael,
Thank you for this. As an Anglican I have been heartened by the Popes statements, especially by the one from Regensburg but also by his statement on love. He has opened the possibility of real theological dialogue for us all. I have been used to the usual papal statements that seemed like Bush’s obsession with the war on terror to be about one thing, sex and abortion. While these are important issues it is wonderful to get some real theological meat from the pontiff.
Peter Sellick

You have made some very interesting points. It is perhaps sad that the Pope is of advancing years as it will take some time for a culture of dialogue to be established between the Christian church and the more militant sections of Islam and he may run out of time. It is unfortunate that the previous incumbent did not make some moves in that direction, but he was not the man to do that.

George Bush does not see that the application of logos is the way forward to solving some of the worlds problems, instead, he stumbles on with his blind faith approach. It does not appear that God (if he exists) is on his side at present.

Michael,

Good article.
As an Australian Muslim I don't believe the Pope should apologise but rather spark an intelelctual debate.
Here is a sample by an American writer.
www.juancole.com/2006/09/pope-gets-it-wrong-on-islam-pope.html

Where I think the Pope got it wrong is confusing theology and practice of its followers though.
A simple reading of the Quran will illustrate how many times people are asked to think and reason. Perhaps an obvious practical proof is that Muslims enlightement came 4 centuries before christian enlightment even though Chritianity is 6 centuries older.

It was Muslims throught the 9-11 century AD who set the foundation for science and philosophy.

True that Many Muslims appear not ready, but many more are and can because Islam, in essence is a religion of reason.

Peace,

I agree, the pre- Renaissance contribution of Islam is well undersold, Fellow Human.

The scholasticism of medieval Catholic Europe, focussed entirely as it was upon ancient authority, was unable to inform scientific inquiry until the revolutionary libraries of Islam were made available to the Catholic world.

The introduction of Arabic texts into the studies of the West divides the history of science and philosophy in the middle ages into two distinct periods. Before the advent of Islamic learning, the Western mind had to be satisfied with fragments of the Roman schools which had been heaped together by Marianus Capella, Bede, Isidore, and a few technical treatises

All western advances in civil engineering, mathematics, chemistry, medicine and astronomy were founded upon the medieval sciences of Islam, which were themselves built upon the classical traditions lost to the west during the Germanic destruction of the Roman Empire.

In getting to the heart of religion, the religious myth embodies a definite point of view, a dogmatic religious article of faith. This is understood in its relation to our existence, and will never be like scientific truth, which forces us to accept it. Instead, it requires us to be aware of its implications, and forces us, not to accept it, but to choose to accept it or reject it.

The following, written by a Muslim, could easily fit the religious sentiment of almost any Christian cleric (bar the Fundamentalist variety).

“The first step towards attaining this faith is to believe more firmly in some truths even though they are not observable or perceptible, and to hold the things heard by the heart to be more trustworthy than the things heard by the ear. Belief in the unseen (Iman bil-Ghaib) is the first and foremost condition of Iman and this requires a radical change in the thought system and in the point of view of the believer. According to this new perspective, the whole order of creation should be taken as nothing more than a fleeting appearance or shadow, whereas the existence of God should be felt as an eternally living Reality” Dr. Israr Ahmad

The point is that the Pope was addressing a University scholarly group with an erudite discussion.

What followed was totally inappropriate. Mobs protested and even killed innocent people based on a misunderstanding. How had these poorly educated people even heard of the speech in a university theological Faculty? A powerful Islamic based lobby is encouraging riots and trying to stop freedom of speech.

It is not the Pope who should apologize!