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February 13, 2008

On WNPR’s “Where We Live” with John Dankoski

Vatican officials say that Catholic and Muslim leaders plan to meet in Rome this spring to start a new dialogue between the faiths. The need for renewed talks follows Pope Benedict’s controversial 2006 comments about Islam and Holy War. It sparked a worldwide religious debate – and prompted a prominent group of Muslim scholars to send the pope an open letter in response. The Muslim group then expanded their message last year with “A Common Word Between Us and You.” Aimed at declaring common ground between the faiths. A response by Christian scholars followed this past November. “Loving God and Neighbor Together” was drafted by Yale Divinity school and published in a full-page New York Times ad.

Today, where we live, we’ll continue this dialogue – with signatories from each of these important documents – Islamic leader and Hartford Seminary Professor Ingrid Mattson and Harold Attridge, Dean of Yale’s divinity school.