tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9605443.post114014497079670450..comments2023-07-31T11:16:26.491+08:00Comments on The Threshold of Hope: "our Muslim brothers and sisters"Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9605443.post-1140530727994201692006-02-21T22:05:00.000+08:002006-02-21T22:05:00.000+08:00I agree with brother lawrence. after all what Arch...I agree with brother lawrence. after all what Archbishop said was plainly politically correct. I'm sure he had no intention to make the situation worse by patronising anyone or group. I suppose he wanted to show the "universal" characteristic of our Catholic church by calling everyone, whether or not muslims or hindus or protestants, brothers and sisters.Nick!https://www.blogger.com/profile/06319046997700017515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9605443.post-1140254646929890212006-02-18T17:24:00.000+08:002006-02-18T17:24:00.000+08:00In so far as Abraham is our "father in faith" (cf ...In so far as Abraham is our "father in faith" (cf Roman Canon) and the CCC 841, drawing on Vatican II teaches that the Muslim believer also holds the faith of Abraham, then we can say that, in this sense, they are our 'brothers and sisters'.<BR/><BR/>However, the more theological understanding of the term 'brothers and sisters' is based on the theology of divine filiation by which, in baptism into Christ, we are adopted as children of God the Father.<BR/><BR/>Muslims, having no belief in the above, cannot avail themselves of divine filiation and thus, in that sense, cannot be truly called our brothers and sisters.<BR/><BR/>So, if one looks through the lens of the Old Testament, then we have something in common with Muslim people, but the lens of the New Testament offers greater difficulty.<BR/><BR/>I think the Archbishop is well-intentioned and he may well mean 'brothers and sisters' in a loose popularist sense - the human family - and, in charity, I would read him in this manner.<BR/><BR/>But imprecision is something that plagues us and His Grace, as Pastor and Teacher, really ought not to contibute to that.Lawrence Lew OPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04600912414364976709noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9605443.post-1140152395393938752006-02-17T12:59:00.000+08:002006-02-17T12:59:00.000+08:00Is God "Father of all"?Is God "Father of all"?Danielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17423334447265311020noreply@blogger.com