I was reading in the Jewish Chronicle an interesting account of the meeting between Pope Benedist anda selection of faith leaders during the recent papal visit.
Lord Sacks, the chief rabbi, came out with an interesting explanation for the secularisation now engulfing Europe:
Lord Sacks - whose greetings were followed by Muslim representative Dr Khaled Azzam - used the occasion to emphasise that faith "has a major role in strengthening civil society".
Secularisation had begun in Europe because people had lost faith in people of faith living peaceably together, he said: "We must never go down the road again".
British history shows that Jews and Christians, for example, have been able to live together in peace for centuries. There have been some outbursts of antisemitism but most British cities have benefited from a Jewish community.A similar pattern was present thoughout most of Europe.
Protestants and Catholics fought vicious wars over faith but gradually learnt to accept one another's right to worship as they felt led.
I was recently reading A history of the Arab peoples by Albert Hourani and he makes the point over many years substantial Christian and Jewish communities have been able to live at peace within predominantly Muslim societies.
I'm not arguing for a syncretism but I feel that there is nuch wisdom in the chief rabbi's words.
How many times have we been told by non-believers that religion is the cause of too many wars?
When did Europe lose faith in people of faith living peaceably together?
Do we need to put it right? If so, how?![]()
Lord Sacks, the chief rabbi, came out with an interesting explanation for the secularisation now engulfing Europe:
Lord Sacks - whose greetings were followed by Muslim representative Dr Khaled Azzam - used the occasion to emphasise that faith "has a major role in strengthening civil society".
Secularisation had begun in Europe because people had lost faith in people of faith living peaceably together, he said: "We must never go down the road again".
British history shows that Jews and Christians, for example, have been able to live together in peace for centuries. There have been some outbursts of antisemitism but most British cities have benefited from a Jewish community.A similar pattern was present thoughout most of Europe.
Protestants and Catholics fought vicious wars over faith but gradually learnt to accept one another's right to worship as they felt led.
I was recently reading A history of the Arab peoples by Albert Hourani and he makes the point over many years substantial Christian and Jewish communities have been able to live at peace within predominantly Muslim societies.
I'm not arguing for a syncretism but I feel that there is nuch wisdom in the chief rabbi's words.
How many times have we been told by non-believers that religion is the cause of too many wars?
When did Europe lose faith in people of faith living peaceably together?
Do we need to put it right? If so, how?
