Pope's call for interfaith day of prayer provokes debate

[thedarknight]

Pope Benedict XVI announced that he will hold a meeting of prayer with leaders of other religions. Excerpt from ETWN News/CNA:

Pope Benedict XVI’s call for world religious leaders to gather in Assisi, Italy to pray for peace has touched off a lively debate among Italian Catholic opinion leaders.

**Critics of the Pope’s plan charge that it will create a false impression that all religious believers pray to the same deity or that there is no real distinctions among religious faiths. **[emphasis mine]

The Pope announced his desire to revive the “spirit of Assisi” in remarks made on New Year’s Day. He said he planned to mark the 25th anniversary of Pope John Paul II’s “World Day of Prayer for Peace,” held in the hometown of St. Francis of Assisi, the 13th-century saint known for his concern for peace and inter-religious dialogue. Pope John Paul also hosted a similar event in Assisi in 2002.

Read more: catholicnewsagency.com/news/popes-call-for-interfaith-day-of-prayer-provokes-debate/

What do you think? As the article stated, does the meeting “create a false impression” of relativism between religions?

 

[Reuben_J]

Each of the two previous gatherings garnered a mixture of criticism and praise. Criticism came from those who thought the event transmitted the impression that all participants, among them Hindus, Muslims, Animists and Atheists, were praying to the same God.

It is always good to come to pray together despite the differences in belief.

What I find odd here is the inclusion of Atheists (who probably don’t pray).

 

[dzheremi]

The Pope I’d like to follow, HH Pope Shenouda III, has said some things with regard to earlier Vatican statements on related issues that I think are applicable to this situation, as well:

“Vatican is Wrong” - Coptic Church

The Vatican is wrong. Pope Benedict is wrong (or at best, not thinking things through). Holding such an event is a travesty not because it is not good to pray for peace or because we shouldn’t try to get along with people of other beliefs, but because the relativism promoted by this event (and don’t kid yourselves, it does promote relativism) is poison to the true message of the Holy Gospel. At a time when the true faith (Christianity) is being legislated out of existence in much of the post-Christian West and systematically massacred and intimidated out of existence in the long Muslim-occupied East, to hold a big ‘kumbaya’ event just twists the knife in deeper into the backs of our brothers and sisters who are truly suffering and being martyred in so much of the world. These new martyrs in Alexandria, Nag Hammadi, Jos, Mosul, and elsewhere do not have the luxury that we have in the West of pretending as though we can all get along. I’m sure they would have loved to, but for some strange, strange reason the followers of a certain religion seem determined not to let that happen.

Christ is Lord and Savior of all, and every knee shall bow down before Him. Those who insist on making some other reality of their own the operating principle of how they live in this world deny Him in practice not any less than those whose creeds deny Him outright. Put that in your peace prayer and smoke it.

 

[JeanMichel]

Pope Benedict XVI announced that he will hold a meeting of prayer with leaders of other religions. Excerpt from ETWN News/CNA:

Read more: catholicnewsagency.com/news/popes-call-for-interfaith-day-of-prayer-provokes-debate/

What do you think? As the article stated, does the meeting “create a false impression” of relativism between religions?

I fully support Pope Benedict XVI in this wonderful endeavor. To pray for the spirit of St. Assisi to spread throughout the world can do nothing but aid the cause of Jesus Christ and his Gospel of Peace.

I am aware of very good men who oppose this direction, but I also think those same men are shortsighted and overly zealous; their foundation is not built upon faith that the Will of God will be done or in the Hope that is found in Christ Jesus. I know these are hard words for those who oppose this endeavor of the pope, but they are true none-the-less.

 

[abucs]

I support the Pope on this. I think God will look kindly on it too. Even though people atound the world have different views on who God is and what He has done, we all seek the transcendent goodness and the many that would wish to demonise other religions will be marginalised.

It is better to have joint prayer and co-operation among those that take their own religion seriously.

 

[The_Old_Medic]

I love the ones that “KNOW THE MIND OF GOD”, and look for any possible excuse to denigrate the Pope, the Bishops, etc.

Do you really think that God is worried because the Pope is calling for mutual prayer among those that believe in Him, his Son and the Holy Spirit?

How can calling for the leaders of various other Christian religions to pray bring any form of scandal?

How could it possibly be seen as a sign of approval of their religions?

How does anyone expect to see any form of reconciliation among the various Christian religions if we Catholics stand back and reject everything that they do. How can we ever expect to see any reconciliation if we constantly denigrate them, their religious practices and their ability to pray to our common God?

Have we learned nothing since the 1500’s?

Is their saying the “Our Father” an affront to God? No, it is not.

Far too many so-called “Christians”, including a lot of Roman Catholics, forget the most important Commandments according to Jesus.

They also just love to judge others, as if they were God.

 

[AngloCatholic1]

I support the Pope’s action whole-heartedly. This is NOT an event which asks Christians to “compromise” their theology or their creed. It’s an event hosted by Christians who wish to invite others to pray for WORLD PEACE. This is a beautiful message to a world torn apart by hate, violence, capitalist greed and religious fanaticism. If you are a Christian then you will KNOW, as St. Francis of Assisi did, that Christ is the AUTHOR of all life. He is also LOVE itself. So we have nothing to fear by associating with others who recognize the importance of learning to get along with each other in peace and harmony!

Pray for Benedict XVI, and ask St. Francis to pray for him too. Amen!

 

[Sufjon]

What do you think? As the article stated, does the meeting “create a false impression” of relativism between religions?

While there are profound differences between religions, at the core of our beings there are no differences. At the level of God there are no differences. I think it’s a great idea from the Pope. Good for him - let’s do it.

Your friend
Sufjon

 

[dzheremi]

No. “Lam yalid” means what (from surat al-Ikhlas)? “He does not beget”. So that is a fundamental difference. God begets. The true God begets!

We believe in one God, God the Father, the Pantocrator, who created heaven and earth, and all things seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only-Begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages…

(and so forth)

None of you who are supportive of this find it odd that Cardinal Ratzinger did not attend the event in 1986? In fact from the tone of the article it sounds like he may have only attended the 2002 even because Pope John Paul II asked him to. I’m not saying that means he’s insincere, or suspicious or anything like that…I just find it odd. I’d want to know what, if anything, changed in his theological outlook.

 

[workingman]

I’m all for echumenism but a interfaith day of prayer. Does any one remember Elijah on mount Carmel 1Kings 18:17-39.!

 

[Sufjon]

No. “Lam yalid” means what (from surat al-Ikhlas)? “He does not beget”. So that is a fundamental difference. God begets. The true God begets!

I would offer if I may that there is but one God, who is seen in as many ways as there are creatures to see. A Muslim sees Him this way, a Unitarian that way, a Catholic another way still, and so on. Even among those of the same faith, no two see Him precisely alike. Yet there is one God. Everyone is seeing some aspect of Him, and there are many aspects to see. When He came to Palestine as Jesus, that is the aspect you see. It was the way He gave you. It does not diminish the ways he gave others. I would guess that a good way to start seeing Him is perhaps to see Him in the person next to you, without regard to whom that person prays or what that person sees or doesn’t see. Perhaps what the Pope is seeing is that if you are looking for God, perhaps you need look no further than the person you wouldn’t pray with before. The one who has it wrong. The one with the wrong faith. The one with the strange accent. They are all He.

Disclaimer: That is how I see it. You may see it some other way. I am still happy to pray with you if such a time should arise when you are inclined to do so.

Your friend
Sufjon

 

[dzheremi]

Christ is not an aspect of God or a particular manifestation of God, but true God of true God. There is no “you see Him this way, I see Him this way…tomato, tomahto.” You either see Him or you do not.

“But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.”

 

[Jehoshua]

I think the pope is making a mistake in calling this event.

Yes praying for peace is good, but the risk that this event will get totally out of hand and devolve into some relativistic travesty is just too high to be justified in my opinion. There is a chance that it will turn out as hopefully intended, but in the end considering liberal-modernists and relativists not to mention those same people in the media it is extremely likely that it will be derailed like the last assisi into a fiasco that damages the integrity of the truth and serves only to further sow confusion and discord all the more furthering the agenda of those who reject the lord.

hopefully it doesn;t go that way, but the pope is only human, even he can make mistakes.

 

[Reuben_J]

I’m all for echumenism but a interfaith day of prayer. Does any one remember Elijah on mount Carmel 1Kings 18:17-39.!

No, the call to pray together is a sincere one, not to upstage one another. Anyway lol.

Nevertheless I am perplexed that athiests should be invited since they do not believe in God. What do they do there?

 

[agapewarrior]

I think the pope is making a mistake in calling this event.

Yes praying for peace is good, but the risk that this event will get totally out of hand and devolve into some relativistic travesty is just too high to be justified in my opinion. There is a chance that it will turn out as hopefully intended, but in the end considering liberal-modernists and relativists not to mention those same people in the media it is extremely likely that it will be derailed like the last assisi into a fiasco that damages the integrity of the truth and serves only to further sow confusion and discord all the more furthering the agenda of those who reject the lord.

hopefully it doesn;t go that way, but the pope is only human, even he can make mistakes.

Well, I suppose we can believe God that it will promote peace and God’s goodness in whom all answers are Yea and Yes while you look on disapprovingly, but I’d much rather see you praying for its success than uttering prophecy of its failure. God is good, much more so than any of us know, and just when we think he’s shown us the extent of his greatness, he’s got more. Satan wouldn’t miss this opportunity to sow discord, so our prayers will undoubtably be crucial in ensuring the success of this event! Don’t forget that God answers prayers spoken in faith when we believe that we have received that which we have called upon him for. God bless you

 

[Sufjon]

You either see Him or you do not.

Correct, and if you look closely, He can indeed be seen wherever you look.

“But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.”

That would not bode well for Saint Peter.

On a serious note, it is very possible that one might indeed be denying Christ by denying the Christ within the person next to you. Failing to see the presence of Christ in all things might be perhaps a denial. Not just one man who walked the streets of Jerusalem two thousand years ago, but everyone and everything expressed in this one man, who tried to show us how to truly see Him in ourselves and others. Two thousand years later some are still looking for and longing for one man, when perhaps He has been all around us all the time. In that case, it would be best to see Him rather than deny Him when He cuts you off in traffic or takes too long in front of you at the check out line. My point is that if He was next to you and you didn’t know Him, then it might be better to pray with Him anyway rather than to deny Him. Perhaps this is what the Pope sees.

Your friend
Sufjon

 

[agapewarrior]

Correct, and if you look closely, He can indeed be seen wherever you look.

That would not bode well for Saint Peter.

On a serious note, it is very possible that one might indeed be denying Christ by denying the Christ within the person next to you. Failing to see the presence of Christ in all things might be perhaps a denial. Not just one man who walked the streets of Jerusalem two thousand years ago, but everyone and everything expressed in this one man, who tried to show us how to truly see Him in ourselves and others. Two thousand years later some are still looking for and longing for one man, when perhaps He has been all around us all the time. My point is that if He was next to you and you didn’t know Him, then it might be better to pray with Him than to deny Him.

Your friend
Sufjon

If He lived in everyone, why would we need to accept Him as our saviour for Him to live in us, and us in Him?

 

[John_of_Woking]

On the face of it this looks like a huge mistake. However, knowing Pope Benedict he will “pull it off”. I would have limited it to Christian leaders but Papa Romensis knows best

 

[Contarini]

Pope Benedict XVI announced that he will hold a meeting of prayer with leaders of other religions. Excerpt from ETWN News/CNA:

Read more: catholicnewsagency.com/news/popes-call-for-interfaith-day-of-prayer-provokes-debate/

What do you think? As the article stated, does the meeting “create a false impression” of relativism between religions?

The document Dominus Iesus created the false impression that Catholics think members of other churches are all going to hell without exception.

My priest has received (from various sources) the false impression that members of your Communion think they are the only Christians. (I keep telling him: “No, they just think they are the only Catholics!”)

Why are traditional Catholics never concerned with those false impressions?

The answer to any false impression is to explain the truth carefully, not to avoid legitimate actions that may create a false impression. Nearly everything can create a false impression. Thus, when people are concerned about “false impressions,” they are always highly selective, as here.

Edwin

 

[workingman]

No, the call to pray together is a sincere one, not to upstage one another. Anyway lol.

Nevertheless I am perplexed that athiests should be invited since they do not believe in God. What do they do there?

I was not exactly thinking of it that way. I was thinking more of the lines of praying with/next to false gods.

I to find the athiest a odd edition.