What is "sacred" text?

Interesting thought from our Anglican Primate Fred Hiltz on books, & burnings & September 11:

That day, it seems to me, should be marked by gatherings for prayer, and expressions of mutual respect for our various faith traditions and the texts we all regard as sacred.

Here are a few open questions for all the members of the panel.  On what basis does one regard a text as sacred? What does Bishop HIltz mean by the phrase "we all regard as sacred"?  Who are the "we"?  What do the majority of Islamic scholars have to say about the text called the New Testament?  Can one regard another's text as "sacred" and posit that it is not actually revelation, or that it is incorrect on a number of major points? I'll attempt to answer some of these after some conversation with my betters later on today.

For fun, let's pretend-translate this into politics and see if the same structure of thinking holds true for something like a Palin v Obama election on Nov 4: 

That day, it seems to me, should be marked by gatherings for voting, and expressions of mutual respect for our various political traditions and the policies we all regard as sacred.

Btw, we had our first feast of most excellent corn on the cob from the veggie garden yesterday evening.

In other news:

The Bishop of Amritsar has called on the President of India Pratibha Devisingh Patil to protect Christians in northern India after a mob burned down the oldest school in Kashmir and also attacked other Christian institutions.

The Church of North India's Rt Revd Pradeep Kumar Samantaroy, wrote that it was “with a heavy heart” that he informed the President of the complete destruction of the Tungmarg Tyndale Biscoe branch school that provided “quality education to five hundred fifty children from one hundred fifty villages around Tangmarg.”

The school, managed by the Diocese of Amritsar, had 27 staff and 16 support staff and had been founded in 1996 by Tyndale Biscoe and Mallinson School Educational Society to cater for the economically deprived sectors of the community.

The whole three-storey wooden structure with 26 classrooms, computer labs and a library containing, among other books, copies of the Quran was completely destroyed on Monday after being set on fire by a large mob that marched on the school after hearing reports of a man desecrating the Quran in America. None of the staff were injured; they all managed to escape the blaze.

story here

Comments

[Malcolm+]

Having sat through a rambling sermon by the Primate (35 minutes on a week day holy day), I'm inclined to think he's mostly a victim of bad writing rather than random synchretism. If it had been "texts we each regard as sacred" it would have been clear it was a call for peaceful tolerance of other religions.

[joseph]

I suspect you are right, Malcolm. My wife (who teaches English) spends the first two weeks of every course looking at questions of clarity. My own experience of ongoing travel and pilgrimage leadership in the Middle East has added a great deal to my thinking about these sorts of things. I suppose one of these days I should collate some of that into a post and reflections on the whole thing.

[Tom]

Fred may be a nice bloke, however may I suggest turning to Fr Zakaria Botros or Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali for insight on things you have noticed on your trips to Egypt & the Holy Land.

http://archive.catholicherald.co.uk/features/f0000536.shtml

http://www.canadianchristianity.com/nationalupdates/100902muslims.html

[joseph]

Hi Tom; no offense to +Fred, but I didn't intend to turn to him for insight on that score. :^) Over the years I have kept travel journals of my trips throughout the Middle East/Turkey/Eastern Med area, and one of these days I'll have to start posting some of the them.

[Kate]

Bishop Nazir-Ali is going to be speaking at the ANiC Synod this year. I am looking forward to listening to him!