A fear of Islam has been developing in France for several years now.
Among the causes are the conflation of Islam and Islamism, terrorism claiming to act in the name of Islam, attacks or persecutions against Christians in predominantly Muslim countries, and the theme of the “Islamization of Europe” advocated by far-right French and European parties whose influence is growing.
The Middle Eastern context reinforces this opinion.
Adding to this are shocking behaviors from certain Muslims, such as the full veil under the influence of Wahhabi groups or Muslim proselytism in working-class neighborhoods.
But above all, there is mutual ignorance about the other’s religion.
France is a multicultural and multi-religious country where living together is necessary, not despite the differences but with these differences, combining identity and openness, identity and otherness, as common values for building social life together.
The current challenge is transitioning from the traditional era to the era of modernity, which leads to the autonomy of individuals in all areas, including religious expressions.
Moving beyond the conflict of interpretation between the discourse of faith and that of modernity, ensuring freedom of conscience and freedom of worship is the only way to break free from hateful logic and identity ideologies that lead to the clash of civilizations.
Christian theology has influenced Europe and, therefore, France, but “the truth,” if not confronted, is merely a preconceived notion.
For a true dialogue, there must first and foremost be respect for the other’s convictions, even if dialogue does not always mean agreement.
To dialogue is to risk relativizing one’s convictions, stepping away from absolutism. There should be no fear in discovering the part of the truth that belongs to the other. No thought can progress if it does not confront others’ thinking.
Religions are open systems that realize themselves in otherness. Christian revelation does not prevent us from recognizing, in the Quran and Muslim tradition, a space through which Muslims experience their faith in God.
Today, the situation and current events are not very conducive to this field of Islamic-Christian encounter.
We must embrace the complexity between theological separations and ethical convergences to build a more just society together within religious pluralism.
