The urgency to change and transform our divisions and rancor with bridges of dialogue and understanding wells up from within many of us who call ourselves Christians. It has dramatically shaped how we understand our purpose and how we share this faith with the world around us as it is, resounded in the words of Pope Francis, “to leave this earth better than we found it.” This essay is an opportunity to reflect more seriously on the national phenomenon of Islamophobia and our response as a Roman Catholic Church, together with our ecumenical and interfaith partners. The experience of Islamophobia brings us to the tools of social analysis and theological reflection that illicit new responses, and the insights they offer as we all reach toward change and transformation.
