Address by His Holiness Pope Shenouda at the Islamic-Christian meeting attended by the President of the Republic, Anwar Sadat

The meeting addresses the importance of national unity, love, and cooperation between Muslims and Christians, emphasizing that Egypt brings its children together in one homeland.
The speech stresses the necessity of continuing meetings between Islamic and Christian religious leaders, with a proposal to establish a permanent joint committee to strengthen understanding and solidarity between both sides.
It also emphasizes that the problems facing the nation, such as economic and security conditions, are a shared responsibility, and that the duty is to cooperate with those responsible rather than merely watching or criticizing.

Spiritual Message

The speech presents a profound understanding of freedom: it is not merely external freedom, but begins with freeing the heart from sin, hatred, selfishness, and evil, and freeing the mind from deviation.
It emphasizes that a person who has been liberated inwardly can use external freedom in a sound and responsible way.
It also explains that love is stronger than law, and that a sound conscience is higher than merely observing the minimum required by law, because conscience extends to thoughts, intentions, and the inner feelings of the heart.
It emphasizes that religion should be a life that a person lives, rather than merely texts or information that he memorizes, and that its effect should appear in love, humility, obedience, respect for others, and the practice of virtue in daily life.

Educational Lesson

The speech emphasizes the importance of religious education that focuses on the spirit of religion and its practical life, rather than merely memorizing texts and ideas.
It warns against allowing religious commitment to become fanaticism or hatred toward other religions, but instead calls for a religious person who loves everyone and spreads peace and love through his dealings.
It also highlights the importance of teaching children pure love, love for parents, teachers, leaders, and their homeland, as well as respect for a person who disagrees in opinion, while maintaining good manners, calmness, and gentleness in dialogue.
The speech includes historical examples of forms of tolerance and coexistence between Muslims and Christians in Egypt, and emphasizes that a true understanding of religion leads to love and cooperation.

Practical Application

The speech proposes practical means of strengthening relations between Muslims and Christians, including cooperation between religious leaders and preparing joint books addressing faith in God, virtue, ethics, patriotism, and issues concerning the country.
It also encourages presenting a practical model of coexistence and love before the people, students, and children, so that they can see cooperation between religious leaders in a practical form.
The speech concludes by emphasizing standing together in the strength of truth and working together for goodness, love, and national unity.
These proposals were met with approval, along with an emphasis on the importance of a new way of addressing children in the language of the age, and the possibility of preparing joint books that serve these goals.

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