In a powerful address given at a luncheon gathering after this year's National Prayer Breakfast, King Abdullah II of Jordan condemned religious extremism of all sorts and called for Muslims, Christians, and Jews of good will to work together for peaceful coexistence. That is the kind of Muslim thought that all of us should be supporting and encouraging.
In order to do so, we need to name the obstacles to genuine dialogue and cooperation in each of our traditions--which is what Pope Benedict was clearly intending to do in quoting the remarks of a 14th-century Christian emperor about Islam.
The angry response to the Pope's Regensburg speech demonstrates the difficulties of serious dialogue in our present context.
We can move ahead, though, by coordinating the process on two levels. One is to maintain safe spaces where some of us can engage in give-and-take discussions together as we wrestle with our respective sacred texts. The other is to carefully formulate public expressions of a shared commitment to the common good. I pray for both wisdom and safety for the Pope as he represents all followers of the Prince of Peace in pursuing these important conversations.
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