Pope Benedict and Muslim–Christian Dialogue

Abstract

ABSTRACT Following the death of Pope Benedict (formerly Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger) on 31 December 2022, many reflected on his legacy and impact. This article aims to examine his contribution to and impact on Islamic–Christian dialogue by examining his writings, most notably the Regensburg address, as well as Dominus Iesus. The essay will also examine the approach to Muslim–Christian dialogue of his predecessor, Pope John Paul II, and his successor, Pope Francis, in the process showing how these three pontiffs’ approaches to Islamic–Christian dialogue both build on and differ from one another. It will also consider how Catholic–Muslim dialogue continues to develop and how the papacy continues to adapt to changing contexts that shape its relations with Islam. It will look in particular at how Muslim–Catholic dialogue during the pontificate of John Paul II was shaped by Cold War concerns and, in contrast, how Benedict’s comments about Islam were shaped by and fed into the War on Terror discourse. It will then briefly make the argument that Francis, through his visits, most notably to Iraq in March of 2021, seems to be engaged in building a post-War on Terror phase of Muslim–Christian relations.