Images and reality

John Allen writes:

"If Benedict XVI’s Nov. 28-Dec. 1 trip to Turkey leaves behind a defining image, especially in the Muslim world, it will no doubt be the shot of the pope and Istanbul's chief Islamic cleric, Imam Mustafa Cagrici, inside the city’s famed Blue Mosque, standing before the mirhab, a niche indicating the direction of Mecca, and praying side-by-side.

In an instant, that image projected a message of inter-faith fraternity that seemed in stark contrast to the specter of a 'clash of civilizations' which followed Benedict’s Sept. 12 lecture at the University of Regensburg, which produced its own defining images of angry, and sometimes violent, protests across the Muslim world."

Allen Pizzey (CBS Evening News' "Reporters Notebook" 11/30/06) observes:

"The press then had to go through its usual round of asking each other 'did-he-didn't-he,' agree that he did — and then wait for confirmation from the Vatican spokesman, who more or less confirmed that the pope had indeed prayed, in a manner of speaking.

Turkish TV, which carried the event live, had no doubts — and was almost universally breathless in its coverage. 'We are shocked ... it is fabulous … fantastic ... they pray together ... pope and mufti pray together ... historical ...' were among the comments." [Hat tip to Christopher, Against the Grain, Nov. 30]

Pope Benedict has gone out of his way to mend fences with the Muslim world after the outrage provoked by his remarks at Regensburg University earlier this Fall. He has deliberately avoided gestures that would be taken as offensive by Muslims. He did not make the sign of the cross upon entering the Museum of Hagia Sofia, which was once a great Christian church. Contrary to earlier habit, he has even seemed to concede that Islam is a religion of peace. He seemed, as the New York Times reported, to back Turkey's bid to join the European Union.

Yet, as Catholic League president Bill Donohue said yesterday, “All the news reports which said that Pope Benedict XVI now supports the admission of Turkey into the European Union were wrong. He never said any such thing." What the Pope actually said was:

"We have viewed positively the process that has led to the formation of the European Union. Those engaged in this great project should not fail to take into consideration all aspects affecting the inalienable rights of the human person, especially religious freedom....In every step towards unification, minorities must be respected, with their cultural traditions and the distinguishing features of their religion."

“In other words," said Donohue, "Pope Benedict XVI has not flip-flopped: admission of Turkey into the European Union is conditioned on its willingness to respect the religious rights of minorities (something it has failed to do).

As for the Pope's conciliatory gestures toward Islam, Sandro Magister sees these, if not as confrontational, yet as wholly consistent with Benedict's earlier statements and positions on Islam. He writes, for example:

On the feast of saint Andrew, Benedict XVI entered the Blue Mosque in Istanbul with the cross of Jesus clearly visible upon his chest. He paused before the mihrab facing Mecca, and prayed in silence beside the grand mufti, who murmured the opening words of the Qur’an: all this took place with the freedom and clarity marked out by his lecture in Regensburg.

As to what some press has been calling Benedict's 'prayer' in the Blue Mosque, the Vatican press office has suggested that it might better be called a 'moment of meditation.'

Again, Magistro writes

The dialogue “according to reason” between Christianity and the other religions, and Islam in the first place, is for Benedict XVI inseparably tied to the search for unity among Christians.

And dialogue with Islam “according to reason” demands that every link between faith and violence be severed. In his homilies and addresses in Turkey, pope Joseph Ratzinger incessantly called for religious freedom. He did this with repeated references to the martyrs – including those of today, like Fr. Andrea Santoro – who lost their lives for being peaceful witnesses to their Christian faith.

The Turkish political and religious leaders, who are highly anxious to be admitted to the European Union, now know much better than before that religious freedom is a requisite step for this admission. And also in this, Benedict XVI brought comfort to the non-Muslim minorities in Turkey.

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