POPE FRANCIS IN TURKEY URGES DIALOGUE TO END ISLAMIC VIOLENCE ISTANBUL — In his first visit as pope to a predominantly Muslim country, Pope Francis said in Turkey on Friday that interreligious dialogue, more than just military action, was required to combat the “fanatacism and fundamentalism” that threaten Christians and other religious minorities along the country’s southern border. “Interreligious and intercultural dialogue can make an important contribution to attaining this lofty and urgent goal, so that there will be an end to all forms of fundamentalism and terrorism, which gravely demean the dignity of every man and woman and exploit religion,” the pope said in a televised speech from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s presidential palace in Ankara. “Fanaticism and fundamentalism, as well as irrational fears, which foster misunderstanding and discrimination, need to be countered by the solidarity of all believers.” The pope emphasized the need to focus on commonalities of faith and the value of learning from religious differences to repair relations between Christians and Muslims. READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE: nytimes/2014/11/29/world/europe/on-trip-to-turkey-pope-francis-calls-for-dialogue-in-battling-isis.html?_r=0
Posted on: Fri, 28 Nov 2014 19:16:04 +0000