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One of the most controversial chapters in the pontificate of Benedict XVI was during his visit to Germany in 2006. Speaking to the University of Regensburg about “Faith, Reason and the University – Memories and Reflections” on Sep. 12, 2006, Benedict referenced a document by Professor Theodore Khoury on the 14th century dialogue between Byzantine emperor Manuel II Paleologus and an educated Persian on the subject of Christianity and Islam, and the truth of both. The emperor complained that Mohammed had commanded: “Spread by the sword the faith he preached.” “The emperor, after having expressed himself so forcefully, goes on to explain in detail the reasons why spreading the faith through violence is something unreasonable,” Pope Benedict said. This address – meant as a university lecture – was overwhelmingly condemned by the Muslim community. In the Islamic world, several churches were attacked and people were even killed. Pope Benedict later addressed this response during his Sunday Angelus at the Vatican. “At this time, I wish also to add that I am deeply sorry for the reactions in some countries to a few passages of my address at the University of Regensburg, which were considered offensive to the sensibility of Muslims,” he said on Sep. 17, 2006. “These in fact were a quotation from a medieval text, which do not in any way express my personal thought. Yesterday, the Cardinal Secretary of State published a statement in this regard in which he explained the true meaning of my words,” he added. “I hope that this serves to appease hearts and to clarify the true meaning of my address, which in its totality was and is an invitation to frank and sincere dialogue, with great mutual respect.” The controversy continued for the rest of that year, but it remained a flashpoint in Catholic-Muslim dialogue. Which is why it is interesting to find this line in a document released to mark the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, the Vatican II declaration on interfaith dialogue. “Perseverance in interreligious dialogue is meant to demonstrate that fundamentalism is a distortion of religions, one that runs counter to their deepest calling. In a well-known speech, citing the words of a Byzantine emperor, [Benedict XVI] affirmed that ‘spreading the faith through violence is something unreasonable. Violence is incompatible with the nature of God and the nature of the soul’,” the note said. It was written by Cardinals Víctor Manuel Fernández, Cardinal Kurt Koch, and Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad. They head the Dicasteries for the Doctrine of the Faith, Promoting Christian Unity, and Interreligious Dialogue. Although not written by Pope Leo XIV, it was approved by him on June 22, so has been waiting to be published for nearly three months. Interestingly enough, it was released on the same day Pope Leo addressed participants in a conference organized by the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints called, “The 21st Century: A New Time of Martyrs?” This may have been coincidental. The pope focused more on those killed for abuse of power or by criminal organizations because they advocated Christian beliefs. However, the 60 paragraph note released on Wednesday had only three paragraphs on Pope Benedict, yet it still chose the Regensburg address to highlight. It is the first paragraph, number 24 in the entire document. “Likewise in the spirit of Nostra Aetate, Pope Benedict XVI reaffirmed in 2006, on the twentieth anniversary of the Assisi event, that ‘we cannot truly call on God, the Father of all, if we refuse to treat in a brotherly way any man, created as he is in the image of God,’ because faith in God can only encourage relationships of universal fraternity among all human beings. Perseverance in interreligious dialogue is meant to demonstrate that fundamentalism is a distortion of religions, one that runs counter to their deepest calling. In a well-known speech, citing the words of a Byzantine emperor, he affirmed that ‘spreading the faith through violence is something unreasonable. Violence is incompatible with the nature of God and the nature of the soul’.” This passage first cites a statement Benedict also made in 2006 on the anniversary of an Assisi meeting with Pope Saint John Paul II, then adds something from “a well-known speech,” which a casual reader might assume is that statement about Assisi. It wasn’t. Pope Leo is now doing a series of Audience addresses on Vatican II and its role in the Catholic Church today. This latest document makes the discussion even more interesting. Follow Charles Collins on X: @CharlesinRome

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