This great diplomat who was advisor to the Apostolic Nunciature in Beirut during the war and more importantly, Secretary for Relations with States, returned from the Pope’s recent visit to Lebanon enthusiastic about Benedict XVI’s words on relations with Muslims.
During the return flight to Rome, Cardinal Tauran was interviewed by French news agency I.Media and French Catholic newspaper La Croix.
He said that “Islamism” is a “common enemy” of Christians and Muslims.
He also expressed the hope that relations between the Holy See and Cairo’s Al-Azhar University would be rekindled.
These were severed in January 2011 after the Pope’s comments in defence of Christians following the bomb attack on the church in Alexandria.
“The reaction of Muslim leaders to the Pope’s speech was very positive,” Cardinal Tauran said. “Even grassroots Muslims” reacted well to Benedict XVI’s words.
“I did not expect such an enthusiastic response,” the high-ranking French prelate admitted. Although the Pope “demonstrated his esteem for Islam” this does not mean Christians have to “sell out on their faith or give it secondary importance.”
According to Cardinal Tauran, Benedict XVI’s Apostolic Visit to Lebanon marked a crucial step in Muslim-Christian dialogue because the Pope explained that “living together” is not a “utopia” and “he showed that he had no intention of humiliating Islam; quite the contrary.”
Cardinal Tauran said it was clear from the Pope’s words in Beirut, pronounced despite the risk of a fundamentalist reaction and from his audience’s response that “Christians and Muslims have a common enemy: Islamism.”
The cardinal, who taught in Lebanon in the past, stated that changes can be made to society starting at school.
“It would not take much, for example, to eliminate references to Christians as “non-believers” from history text books in Arab countries.”
The Pope’s recent trip to Lebanon could have marked a turning point in relations between the Vatican and Muslims, particularly with Sunni Muslims.
Indeed, Cardinal Tauran concluded, “I especially expect the situation regarding our relations with Al-Azhar University to be resolved fully in the future.”