Is the glass half full or half empty?

Examining current initiatives on “Human Fraternity” and their implications for religious freedom and mission

Abstract

While some observers see the 2019 Catholic-Sunni Document on Human Fraternity as a powerful message against Islamist extremism, others regret the exclusion of central points of conflict. This article outlines the context of the document and compares some of its key points with the positions of the two main Muslim protagonists in the internal Islamic discourse on freedom of religion (and expression), conversion, and apostasy. The consequences for Christian missions could be great should an understanding of dialog prevail that tacitly makes peaceful coexistence dependent on largely ignoring central differences of faith and renouncing mutual missionary witness.