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Strained Under Benedict, Vatican's Interfaith Ties Already Improving
The Vatican's relations with other faiths have always been fraught1. Benedict's papacy, however, has left them in need of repair. He sparked anger across the Muslim world when he cited a 14th century Byzantine emperor who said the Prophet Muhammad had brought things that were "evil and inhuman2."
Omar Shahin, the secretary general of the North American Imams Federation3, said, "It was a very bad start, and, because of this speech, people stop(ped) all interfaith dialogue."
Benedict later apologized saying the emperor's views weren't his own.
Shahin said Francis' first step should be reaching out to Al-Azhar, a center of Islamic learning in Cairo that severed4 relations with the Vatican in 2011.
"So now is the time to communicate with them again in order to reopen this dialogue and build more bridges between the Christian5 and Muslim communities," said Shahin.
Benedict also angered Jews when he revoked6 the ex-communication of a bishop7 who denied the Holocaust8.
As cardinal9, though, Jorge Bergoglio had warm ties with rabbis in Argentina. One referred to the new pope as "my rabbi."
Bergoglio's response to the 1994 bombing of a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires stood out, said American rabbi David Saperstein.
"He was one of the few very prominent leaders to have spoken out, very forcefully, denouncing the attack, and standing10 in solidarity11 with the Jewish community. And that meant a lot to us," said Saperstein.
Benedict angered other Christian denominations12 by suggesting they are not true churches. In the first days of Francis' papacy, however, the Vatican's relations with other faiths appear to be on the mend.
1 fraught | |
adj.充满…的,伴有(危险等)的;忧虑的 | |
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2 inhuman | |
adj.残忍的,不人道的,无人性的 | |
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3 federation | |
n.同盟,联邦,联合,联盟,联合会 | |
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4 severed | |
v.切断,断绝( sever的过去式和过去分词 );断,裂 | |
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5 Christian | |
adj.基督教徒的;n.基督教徒 | |
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6 revoked | |
adj.[法]取消的v.撤销,取消,废除( revoke的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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7 bishop | |
n.主教,(国际象棋)象 | |
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8 holocaust | |
n.大破坏;大屠杀 | |
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9 cardinal | |
n.(天主教的)红衣主教;adj.首要的,基本的 | |
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10 standing | |
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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11 solidarity | |
n.团结;休戚相关 | |
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12 denominations | |
n.宗派( denomination的名词复数 );教派;面额;名称 | |
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