Shared values of Christianity, Islam guide believers, say officials

Published: 2008-02-28

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- By emphasizing their teachings about faith in God and the obligation to love one's neighbor, Catholics and Muslims can promote respect for one another and joint actions for peace and justice, said Vatican and Muslim representatives. The spiritual and moral values shared by Christianity and Islam are important for forming consciences and guiding the behavior of believers, said a statement issued after the annual meeting of officials from the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and from al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt. The Feb. 25-26 meeting in Cairo focused on the theme "Faith in God and Love of Neighbor as the Foundations for Interreligious Dialogue." The theme is similar to that which 138 Muslim scholars proposed as the basis of dialogue when they wrote to Pope Benedict XVI and other Christian leaders in October. The al-Azhar meeting was chaired by Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the pontifical council, and by Sheikh Abd al-Fattah Alaam, president of al-Azhar's permanent committee for dialogue with the monotheistic religions.

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