Cincinnati, Ohio USA
Wednesday, September 6th, 20061. MOST DIVISIVE ISSUE
I believe that the issue or reality that most affects Muslim and Western cultures in a negative way is much more economic/political than it is cultural or religious. This has to do with the tremendous disparity in political power and economic opportunities between the “West” and so many Muslim nations.
2. MOST UNITIVE ISSUE
In a sense, the negative political-economic realities provide the occasion for unitive cooperation. Both Islamic cultures, with their commitment to Q’uranic values, and Western cultures, with their religious roots in Judaism and Christianity, affirm and are claimed by a God of justice — a God who calls all peoples and all religions to work together for the economic well-being and political freedom of all God’s children.
Paul Knitter
Paul Tillich Chair of Theology, World Religions, and Culture
Union Theological Seminary
New York
