“It is forgetfulness of God, and not His glorification, that generates violence. This is why I insisted on the importance of Christians and Muslims working together for solidarity, peace and justice, stating that each State must assure citizens and religious communities real freedom of worship… Today, before going to greet the sick I was with a group of Christians and Muslims who were at a meeting organized by the Council for Interreligious Dialogue, under the leadership of Cardinal Tauran, and they too have expressed this desire to continue in this fraternal dialogue between Catholics, Christians and Muslims.”
~ Pope Francis, from a Vatican Radio transcript and translation of the Holy Father’s catechesis
ICNY’s Executive Director The Rev. Chloe Breyer (pictured, center) greets
Pope Francis during Summit of Christian and Muslim leaders at the Vatican
(Vatican Radio) The members of the III Christian-Muslim Summit of Religious Leaders and Scholars released a statement after their 3-day meeting this week in Rome. The theme was “Christians and Muslims: Believers in Society”.
The statement said the meeting was “characterised by mutual respect, opening and listening to each other; this constitutes a message of reconciliation, peace and fraternity of which our world is in great need.”
The full text of the statement is below
Press Release of the Christian-Muslim Summit of Religious Leaders and Scholars (Rome, 2-4 December 2014)
The Christian-Muslim Summit is a gathering of Christian (Catholics and Anglican Episcopal) and Muslim (Sunni and Shia) Religious Leaders and Scholars from around the world who come together for purposes of fostering interreligious and intercultural relationships and to address issues of conflict, in particular between the followers of both religions.
The III Summit was held in Rome from Tuesday 2 to Thursday 4 December 2014. The Catholic delegation was headed by His Eminence Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue; the Sunni delegation was led by HRH Prince El Hasan bin Talal of Jordan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Institute for Interfaith Studies (Amman, Jordan); the Right Reverend John Bryson Chane, Eighth Bishop of the Anglican Episcopal Diocese of Washington, and Senior Advisor on Interreligious Dialogue to Washington National Cathedral, headed the Anglican Episcopal Delegation; Ayatollah Sayyed Prof. Mustafa Mohaghegh Damad, Director of Islamic Studies, Iran Academy of Sciences, led the Shia Delegation. Guests of Honour were invited; among them was His Eminence Metropolitan Emmanuel of France, representing the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, and Rabbi Abraham Skorka, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The theme chosen for reflection and discussion by the participants is “Christians and Muslims: Believers in Society”. The four Principals and their respective delegations, along with the guests of honour from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, from Judaism, along with others, are aware of this dramatic time in our world, especially in the Middle East and in some African countries, with an un-preceded and unhuman violence. The Principals and the other participants were pleased to be received in a Private Audience by His Holiness Pope Francis, who expressed his joy for receiving them and for their meeting.
A public Session took place at the end of the Seminar, to which Diplomats accredited to the Holy See, persons involved in interreligious dialogue and media operators were invited. The “Call for Action of the Summit” was read, followed by questions and answers. The meeting was characterised by mutual respect, opening and listening to each other; this constitutes a message of reconciliation, peace and fraternity of which our world is in great need.
(from Vatican Radio)
