"Before being Orthodox, Catholic, Syrian, Armenian, Chaldeian, Protestant, we are Christians. On this foundation rests out duty to be witnesses. Don’t let our differences generate mistrust and impair the unity of the faith; don’t let those who are not Christians go away from Christ because of our divisions". This is the exhortation made by the bishops of Turkey in the Pastoral Letter, "Paul, witness and apostle of Christian identity", written for the Pauline Year (28 June 2008 29 June 2009) launched by the Pope to celebrate the 2000th anniversary of the birth of Saint Paul. In the document that was published today, the bishops invite the Christians residing in the Anatolian country to "increase dialogue with the Muslim world: the dialogue of life, where one lives together and shares; the dialogue of works, where Christians and Muslims work together"; the dialogue "of the religious experience" and that "of theological exchanges". "This dialogue they explain does not mean putting aside one’s religious beliefs. Dialogue truly takes place when everyone remains oneself, keeping one’s identity of faith untouched, never holding back, for any reason whatsoever, what might sound difficult to understand to those who are not Christians". (continued)
