Pope Benedict recently gathered people of many religions and none at Assisi. The shape of the event and the Pope's thoughtful speech attracted much comment (also here). They also raise questions both for church and civil institutions.
Pope John Paul II held the first day of prayer for peace at Assisi in 1986. At it the delegates prayed together for peace, an initiative criticised by the then Cardinal Ratzinger. In convoking this year's meeting for peace, the Pope put his own stamp on it. The participants included some agnostics. There was a period set aside for delegates to reflect or pray in their rooms, but no shared prayer.
Pope Benedict gave the main address. In it he considered the causes of violence. In 1986, much violence was associated with the Cold War. Now it is often associated with religion.
After dealing with and deploring the appeal made to religion to justify violence, the Pope reflects on violence associated with the denial of God. He claims that the denial of God by Nazi or Communist states led also to the denial of humanity.
He then considers the violence that flows from the unbridled pursuit of wealth and power shown, for example, in the trading of drugs. He believes that this reflects a loss of humanity, which flows in turn from the loss of God.
When referring to the loss of God, the Pope distinguishes atheism from agnosticism. He believes that many agnostics search for truth and for peace, a pilgrimage which challenges both the dogmatism of atheism and the tendency of Christians to regard God as a possession. They call for a purification of Christianity. His invitation of agnostics to the Assisi meeting was intended to show that they and Christians are on a shared journey expressed in their commitment to peace and human dignity.
The Pope's speech explains the changes made to the Assisi meeting. It once gathered other religious leaders to pray together for peace. It now gathers both religious and non-religious people of good will to encourage them to work for peace. This goal may seem more modest and restricted, but working together to shape a better world builds deeper relationships and dismisses prejudices more effectively than does a focus