In the exhortation Evangelii Gaudium Pope Francis drew attention to the indebtedness of Christianity to the Jews and their faith. It inspired Geert Wilders, leader of the PVV (Dutch Freedom Party) to address an open letter to the Pope
Ahmad Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of the Al-Azhar Institute in Cairo.
Open letter to his Holiness Pope Francis
Your Holiness,
In your recent exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (Paragraphs 247-248) you draw the world’s attention to the indebtedness of Christianity to the Jews and their faith. The exhortation also contains a sharp condemnation of the terrible persecutions which the Jews have endured from Christians in the past.
Your words are words which might inspire many.
Unfortunately, they are in sharp contrast to the expressions of hatred which were voiced last October by the spiritual leader of Sunni Islam, Ahmad Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of the Al-Azhar Institute in Cairo.
Ahmad Al-Tayeb.