Speaker: U.S. Christians, Muslims should avoid world issues in talks

Published: 2007-09-11

BETHLEHEM, West Bank (CNS) -- In order for dialogue between Christians and Muslims in the United States to be effective, participants should avoid international issues and discuss theological and spiritual subjects, said a former U.S. church official. "There is the temptation to go to public issues (for discussion), but the enduring relationship is when you go to the religious issues," said John Borelli, former associate director for ecumenical and interreligious affairs for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. "A discussion involving public and religious issues would be mixing languages," said Borelli, who currently serves as special assistant to the president for interreligious initiatives at Georgetown University in Washington. "All Christian-Muslim relations are local." Borelli spoke at a Sept. 5-9 conference, "Exploring Christian-Muslim Relations in the Middle East and the West," sponsored by Bethlehem University.

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