I remarked on the pope/Islam controversy when it first erupted in September. At the time, a friend directed me to this commentary by a scholar of Byzantine texts. I’m linking to it now that the pope’s trip to Turkey has rekindled the discussion:
Contrary to many treatises of anti-Muslim polemics, which we find in Western Christendom as well as in the Byzantine Empire, this text [i.e., the one quoted by the pope] is the written record of a discussion that really took place. Manuel [i.e., Emperor Manuel II Paleologus, quoted by the pope] presents his Muslim partner in a positive way, as a host respectful and curious to know the religion of his host. The discussion is as cordial as frank, since neither of the two hesitates to expose what he doesn’t like in the religion of the other. The relations between both men are not altered by it. This text is one of the first interreligious dialogues, where each people displays his own truth and looks for dialogue without disavowing anything of what he believes.
Read the rest — it’s worthwhile and not very long.
Comments are closed.