In 2009, Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople gifted a Quran to a Muslim leader — and many Christians are still asking: Why would an Orthodox patriarch do that? And it’s not an isolated example. In recent decades we’ve seen a growing list of gestures and statements from major Christian leaders that seem totally at odds with what many Christians online would expect: A pope kissing the Quran The former Patriarch of Alexandria calling Muhammad a “true prophet of God” Patriarch Kirill saying Muslims and Christians worship the same God Patriarch Bartholomew claiming all religions worship God Meanwhile, online Christian discourse often takes a very hardline approach toward other religions — sometimes even hostile or vitriolic. So what’s behind this massive gap between: 1) Online Christian rhetoric 2) The tone of popes, patriarchs, and bishops? In this video, I examine: Whether Catholics doing this is different because of papal infallibility Whether the internet and institutional leaders inhabit two totally different “worlds” Watch now and let me know what you think in the comments.

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Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly

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