Permanent Catholic-Muslim Forum created |
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Agreement has been reached to set up a permanent Catholic-Muslim Forum - the first of its kind — which is to hold its inaugural summit meeting in the Vatican in November 2008.
The historic move follows three days of talks in Rome between Vatican officials and a Muslim delegation representing 138 Muslim scholars who last year wrote an open letter to the Pope and other Christian leaders calling for dialogue, a move inspired by Prince Ghazi bin Muhammed bin Talal of Jordan.
The Muslim initiative was a response to the Pope's controversial speech at Regensburg University in his native Germany in 2006, where he appeared to describe Islam as inherently violent and irrational by quoting a Byzantine Emperor. He later said he had been misunderstood, and prayed alongside an imam at the Blue Mosque in Istanbul during a visit to Turkey.
The first summit of the Catholic-Muslim Forum will take place on 4-6 November, with nearly fifty delegates, and will be addressed by the Pope. The chosen theme is "Love of God, Love of Neighbour."
 Pope approves permanent Catholic-Muslim forum | Times Online
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page last updated on 20.03.2008
