GENERAL AUDIENCE, DIALOGUE WITH ISLAM

VATICAN CITY, MAY 5, 1999 (VIS) - During this Wednesday's general audience held in the Paul VI Hall, the Pope said that: "In deepening the inter-religious debate we reflect today upon the dialogue with Muslims who, with us, 'adore the one, merciful God'."

"We Christians recognize with joy the religious values that we share with Islam. ... The legacy of the revealed texts of the Bible speaks with one voice of the oneness of God. ... We know that, in the light of the full revelation in Christ, this mysterious oneness may not be reduced to a numerical unit. The Christian mystery causes us to contemplate the substantial unity of God in the persons of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit."

John Paul II indicated that there exists "a significant connection between Christianity and Islam as concerns the unique divine substance. Nonetheless, this connection should not cause the differences between the two religions to be overlooked. ... Nor should it be forgotten that trinitarian monotheism, typical of Christianity, remains a mystery inaccessible to human reason."

The Pope concluded by saying that, "in today's world, tragically marked by a disregard of God," Christians and Muslims are called upon to promote human dignity. "Walking together along the path of reconciliation and renouncing, in humble submission to the divine will, all forms of violence as means for resolving conflict, the two religions can offer a sign of hope, causing wisdom and mercy to shine in the world of the one God who created and governs the family of mankind."

Among his greetings at the end of the audience, the Holy Father addressed a group of pilgrims in Romanian: "The day after tomorrow I am going to Romania. It is the first time I visit a country where the majority of Christians are Orthodox. To all of you I here and now send my greetings, happy to undertake a journey that seeks to confirm the links between Romania and the Holy See which have had such importance in the history of Christianity in the vast region. I come to you in the name of Christ at the threshold of the third millennium."

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