Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Regensburg Address: A Summary


"Benedict cites the leaders of the Reformation as well as "the noted French Islamist R. Arnaldez, who points out that Ibn Hazn went so far as to state that God is not bound even by his own word, and that nothing would oblige him to reveal the truth to us. Were it God's will, we would even have to practice idolatry."

Fr Stephanos has kindly recommended an excellent article by Justin Raimondo called In Defense of Pope Benedict. The Catholic Church is an enemy of the War Party. Fr Stephanos points out that the author is an atheist (and has a political agenda of his own) but gives a good explanation of the Pope's lecture. I agree - it is a thoughtful and helpful piece.
Again thanks to Fr Tim Finigan.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is brilliant, it continues in the vain of "Dominus Jesus". God bless the Pope, the Great, the Good.

Anonymous said...

It just shows you what the Moslems lost when they suppressed the Mu'tazilites during the Middle Ages.

Anonymous said...

suppressed the Mu'tazilites - what?

Anonymous said...

What are the ramifications of the Islamic madness that has followed the Pontiff’s Regensburg speech?

It shows that Manuel II was right, Islam brings the sword.
It demonstrates that Islam is not capable of engaging in serious argument.
It begs the question that the Emperor asked: has it brought anything but evil?
It makes one ask if Islam is capable of engaging in what might be called “liberal western democracy”.
A hardening of attitudes towards Islam, especially in Europe, where the lecture was essentially received well.


What are the ramification for the Pope?

He will be forced to write a more sensitive letter than he might have done previously, at the beginning Ramadan.
Seen as someone willing to ask hard questions.
His trip Turkey will be highlighted.
His words will be seen as significant by the Patriarch of Constantinople and have implications for dialogue with Orthodoxy.
He has reset the agenda for dialogue with Islam, no longer rapprochement.
He has made statement about “religious liberty”.

Tue Sep 19, 04:18:00 PM BST
I put this on Adur Valley art by mistake could you remove it?

Anonymous said...

The Mu'tazilites (seceders) were so-called because Wasil ibn-Ata (d.748) seceded from the school of his master Hasan al-Basri (Iraq). Those who followed ibn-Ata were par excellence the protagonists of rationalism and free will.

They were the only Sunni Muslims who believed, as the Sh'ites still do that the Qur'an was created, for which they were branded as heretics until they gained official support under the Caliph Ma'mun (813-833).

But the orthodox eventually prevailed in the person of Ahmad ibn-Hanbal who had the support of the Caliph Mutawakkil and who founded the Hanbali interpretation of Islamic law which prevails in, and only in, Saudi Arabia.

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