Castel Gandolfo, Italy
Pope Benedict XVI told Muslims this week that he wanted to begin a new dialogue between Christians and Muslims. A 30-minute meeting between the pope and 22 ambassadors from Muslim countries was carried live on Al-Jazeera and other Arabic satellite stations. Most ambassadors refused to comment on the encounter, which was prompted by Muslim outrage over a papal speech last month in which Benedict quoted a Byzantine emperor who vilified Mohammed’s teachings. Several commentaries in Muslim countries, though, observed that the pope’s call for “dialogue” was delivered as a monologue.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Gandhi arrests: Narendra Modi's 'vendetta' against India's oppositionThe Explainer Another episode threatens to spark uproar in the Indian PM's long-running battle against the country's first family
-
How the woke right gained power in the USUnder the radar The term has grown in prominence since Donald Trump returned to the White House
-
Codeword: April 24, 2025The Week's daily codeword puzzle
