July 1, 2012

Love and Truth in Democratic Societies: Fethullah Gülen and Pope Benedict XVI on Social Questions

Thomas Michel

On June 29, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI issued a new encyclical letter entitled Caritas in Veritate, that is, Love in Truth or "Truth-filled Love." This letter was directed to Christians and to all those who are interested in facing seriously questions regarding democracy, justice, and development in our modern world. The influential Muslim scholar Fethullah Gulen, whose thought we are studying in this Congress, has also written extensively on many of these topics. In keeping with the Congress theme of "East and West Encounters," I will try to bring together the views of these two religious leaders in a type of "dialogue of ideas."