The Pope had a rare & very precious opportunity here - one which he completely threw away. I am deeply disappointed.

Yes, the delay by the Vatican will only reinforce that which we know, that, the Vatican does not under any circumestances want to hold talks or recognise the Islamic Faith as do Muslims recognise the People of the Scriptures.

The deserts will turn green before the Vatican will spend its ink on paper replying to Muslims unless it is to scorn.

The Kingdom of God is Copy righted by the Vatican and none shall enter yet alone knoch on it’s gates.

The impossible may still happen!

Absolutely. In fact, it is too late for “quick” now. The care, concern, respect & efforts made by the Muslim writers deserves the same in return. The Pope had a rare & very precious opportunity here - one which he completely threw away. I am deeply disappointed.
Sadly, I also hear, in some of the comments, continued discrimination and ignorance about Islam and average Muslims. These responses are not about either, but are aimed towards the Islamacists (& if you don’t know the difference, this means “you”.) Both Christianity and Islam were founded on the very same texts of the Old Testament, and thus have the same foundations & basic precepts. The difference is in the change in Christian belief in the New Testament. Moderate Muslims do respect that Christians believe in the Trinity, just as they ask for understanding and respect that they do not. Surely equal respect is required.
According to the evidence, and other situations that have arisen during this Pope’s term, I do believe that he, and thus the Church, is slowing down an opportunity for all - both Muslim & Christian - to reach an understanding, to gain education and to resolve the nonsensical divisiveness and hostility that only men - not God - create.

Yes,
but not in the way that you might think…

The letter
(available here;
http://www.acommonword.com/index.php?lan g=en&page=downloads

begins and ends with the call for the respect of the Unity of God.
This has often served as a veiled attack upon the Trinity, and as such, cannot be signed without a clarification that the Trinity represents a Unity,
and that it is expected that Muslim scholars will respect that, and refrain from further criticisms of it.

The letter is an excellent platform for the Pope to call for the Muslim scholars to condemn any and all attacks upon Christians and Churches in all Muslim countries; to condemn violence against converts to Christianity; to allow new Churches to be built as the worshipers feel a need to do so; and to treat Christians in Muslim lands with TRUE equality.
Let us see the Muslim example of how they vie with us in ‘good works’ in how they treat the people in their own countries.

I would love to see the Pope call them on it!

exdemexlib

As for Tauran’s comment:”When we speak about the love of God are we speaking about the same love?” What a narrow-minded reaction. Words fail me to describe how inappropriate such a comment is.
It makes me think that Tauran has a purely academic experience and outlook on the warm, vibrant, positive, all-embracing love of God as illlustrated by Jesus Christ.
A question that comes straight from the barren heart of Spirit-less academic theologising.

The Vatican will slow everything down - and continue doing so - until it is bowled over, turned inside out, purified and renewed by a living passionate devotion and obedience to the Holy Spirit - to Whom it pledges obedience only in words.
The Vatican has not yet taken Pope John XXIII’s call to holiness seriously.

It is this dullness of heart that led Pope Benedict into his awful gafe with that speech of his, that aroused the ire of many Muslims. What an opportunity he missed. Instead of delivering a learned academic lecture - which only satisfies ego - he had the opportunity to reach, in love, to his Muslim brethren everywhere, calling for co-operation, healing of past hurts, work for world peace and prosperity.
HE SHOULD HAVE SPOKEN FROM HIS HEART TO THEIR HEARTS.
His heart, clearly, was not functioning.
Sad.Damaging.
That is why the Vatican slows things down. Because in its heart, where the love of God should be, is only dry, non-life giving theologising.

I know there are exceptions in the Vatican. By the law of averages there must be. Men genuinely alive to the living God. But they are not in the driving seats. They are not the determiners of policy which should mean, in Christian leadership groups, words and actions inspired by the Spirit of God.

John Abrami

I am firmly convinced that any response should be made in full consideration of al-taqeyya & kitman which were artfully employed in the Muslim Missive.

My own response is #7 in the list of “Nay Sayers” published on the missive’s web site under the Media Response button.