This past week Pope Benedict XVI took his first trip to Africa, and yesterday, he celebrated a mass for 1 million in Angola. There were three major headlines from the Pope’s trip to Cameroon and Angola. The first was the controversial statement about condoms and how they do little to help fight AIDS. The second was a stampede on his last day in Africa (Saturday) that killed two young women. Finally, the Pope made various comments about violence to the Muslim minority in Cameroon. These stories have been reflected on by the media, and some writers have come to the conclusion that the mishaps of the trip to Africa have left the impression that the Pope’s public relations department is very weak. Richard Owen has written that “the abiding impression, however, is once again of a Vatican public relations operation left trying – belatedly – to explain or even correct the Pope.” PR is a particular concern after the infamous comments in 2006 about Islam that enraged the Muslim world.
Moreover, once again, a Leader for the Christian world is telling Muslims how to view life and religion. Specifically, the Pope met with 22 representatives of Cameroon’s Muslim minority and told them that there is “no incompatibility between faith and reason.” Reason and how it plays a part in faith is one of the main differences between Islam and Christianity. It is hard to imagine a Christian leader lecturing Muslims effectively on Reason. Either way, much of the Pope’s visit to Africa was overshadowed by the comments made about condoms and how they were not a solution to fighting AIDS. The solution to the disease apparently lies in “spiritual and human awakening.” Women’s rights were also a topic for the Pope, but without fail, he mentioned the evils of abortion for African women.
The Pope is scheduled to visit a mosque next month in Jordan.
