LA Muslims see hope for interfaith relations in the new Catholic Pope Francis

[rug]

Sarah Parvini | USC Annenberg Knight Program on Media and Religion | May 5th, 2013, 6:00am

Mahmoud Adel-Baset was shocked when he found out Pope Francis washed two Muslim inmates' feet during Holy Thursday last month.

Chairman of the religious committee at the Islamic Center of Southern California, Adel-Baset saw the gesture as a "new kind of hope" and an opportunity for stronger relations between the Muslim and Catholic community.

"I thought, 'Wow,'" he recalls. "This is something Mother Teresa does, not the Pope."

He found himself speechless once more after the new pontiff urged the West to intensify dialogue with Islam.

http://www.scpr.org/news/2013/05/05/37083/la-muslims-see-hope-for-interfaith-relations-in-th/

[goldent]

1. There is a limit to what the Pope can do

Last edited Mon May 6, 2013, 06:52 PM - Edit history (1)

but he he has a big advantage that he can do things almost immediately without requiring permission. Even the symbolic gestures are of great value.

[pinto]

2. I think the value of these type of symbolic gestures are that they quickly get world media coverage.

The images make a statement in and of themselves.

If his larger goal(s) is reforming the RCC bureaucracy, it's going to more of a long slog, imo.

[rug]

3. It's amazing what simple and easy gestures can do.

Imagine if he made complex and hard decisions.