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A Common Word - The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre

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A <strong>Common</strong> <strong>Word</strong><br />

young, to build a common future. 48<br />

None of these remarks are groundbreaking. <strong>The</strong>y are nonetheless<br />

significant because they indicate that acw has succeeded in<br />

countering the deleterious effects of the Regensburg address and<br />

in bringing Muslims and Christians into the type of dialogue to<br />

which Nostra Aetate opened and which Pope John Paul II had<br />

embraced. <strong>The</strong> cycle of recriminations to which the Regensburg<br />

address initially gave rise has thus been averted, and for the time<br />

being Catholics and Muslims are engaged in real dialogue rather<br />

than juxtaposed monologues. <strong>The</strong> second seminar of the Catholic-<br />

Muslim Forum, held in Jordan at the Baptism Site of Jesus on the<br />

River Jordan, developed upon the issues addressed by the first seminar<br />

and expanded upon the developments of other conferences.<br />

Whatever direction it may take, it is significant that Muslim and<br />

Catholics have committed themselves to a forum wherein they will<br />

be able to express their differences and work towards establishing<br />

better understanding between Muslims and Catholics. This will<br />

provide an open channel whereby unfortunate misunderstandings,<br />

such as those created by the Regensburg address, can be avoided<br />

and whereby, if they do arise, they can be addressed before any<br />

negative consequences are realized.<br />

World Council of Churches<br />

<strong>The</strong> responses from the Yale Divinity School, the Archbishop of<br />

Canterbury and the Vatican have given rise to more interaction<br />

between Muslims and Christians than have any others. But one<br />

should also take not of the response issued by the World Council<br />

of Churches (WCC): “Learning to Explore Love Together: Suggestions<br />

to the Churches for Responding to ‘A <strong>Common</strong> <strong>Word</strong>.’”<br />

Acknowledging their commitment to “fresh thinking about the<br />

relationship between Islam and Christianity,” the letter of the<br />

WCC encourages member churches to recognize the serious intent<br />

of acw and “prayerfully consider its invitation to dialogue and<br />

cooperation.” 49 <strong>The</strong> Council then proposes that it will “create a<br />

38

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