Pope says Jews, Christians, Muslims are called to develop bonds

Published: 2007-02-01

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- By reading each other's sacred texts, Jews, Christians and Muslims will become more aware of the divine wisdom and values they all hold true, Pope Benedict XVI said. "We are called -- Jews, Christians and Muslims -- to recognize and develop the bonds that unite us," he said Feb. 1, welcoming his former fellow board members from the Foundation for Interreligious and Intercultural Research and Dialogue. As Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Pope Benedict was one of the founding members of the Geneva-based organization, established in 1999 by Jordanian Prince El Hassan bin Talal, Orthodox leaders, the then-chief rabbi of France and others. "The first project we adopted in creating this foundation," the pope said, was to begin work on publishing together the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament and the Quran in their original languages. At the Feb. 1 Vatican audience, the foundation members presented a copy of the three-volume set to Pope Benedict.

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