November 14, 2007: The latter half of 2006 was a period of controversy for the Roman Catholic Church and its position toward the Islamic faith. Pope Benedict XVI got the ball rolling on September 12, 2006 in a speech in Regensburg, Germany when he quoted a medieval Christian emperor who equated Islam with violence: "Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached."

The next issue was Turkish prime minister Recep Erdogan's claim during the pope's visit to Turkey in November that Benedict supports Turkey's bid to join the European Union. Erdogan's announcement seemed to be a remarkable about-face for the pope, who as Cardinal Josef Ratzinger had voiced opposition to Turkish membership in the EU. However, neither the pope nor the Vatican ever confirmed what Erdogan said, leaving people to wonder what Benedict really said.

Using spokesmen of lower profile than its top leader, the Vatican in recent months appears to be more clearly defining its position towards Islam. In late July papal secretary Georg Gänswein urged Europeans not to underestimate the danger inherent in the growing Islamization of Europe. In comments made to the "Süddeutsche Zeitung Magazin", said that "attempts at Islamization in the West cannot be denied," adding that "the danger for Europe's identity cannot be ignored because of a false concept of courtesy." Gänswein also defended Benedict's Regensburg speech, claiming that the pope only wanted "to counteract a certain unsuspecting attitude."

Since the papal secretary would never make public comments that contradict the viewpoint of his boss, Gänswein was really speaking for Benedict. The church's position confirms the concerns of by a growing number of Europeans, and some German media wondered whether the Vatican was not even helping to foster those concerns.

In an interview just last month with the French daily "La Croix", the president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue, French Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, said that inter-religious dialogue is currently not possible "with Islam, not at this time. Muslims do not accept discussion about the Koran, because they say it was written under the dictates of God. With such an absolutist interpretation, it’s difficult to discuss the contents of the faith" (October 22, 2007).

The French cardinal also expressed a concern shared by many Germans on the lack of reciprocal treatment that the Christian faith receives in Islamic countries: "It should be explained to Muslims," Tauran stated, "that if they are allowed to have mosques in Europe, it is normal for [Christian] churches to be allowed to be built in their countries." The issue of reciprocity surfaces repeatedly in discussions about admitting Islamic Turkey as a full member of the European Union.

Cardinal Tauran also emphasized that Catholics should not hide what they stand for, but should rather "clearly manifest what we believe." This appears to be the main thrust of Benedict's papacy, not only in its interaction with the Islamic faith.