Episode 207

The murmuring grows louder.

The unrest spreads from the square to the platform.

It was inevitable, really. While the general direction had been hinted at, the specifics of the discussions had been kept under wraps.

Even the most thrilling movie loses its impact if spoiled, right?

And you miss out on the raw reactions like the ones we’re seeing now.

“They’re saying we need to review everything established by the previous council from scratch… this is…”

Richard glanced sideways at the Pope, rather than at me.

This could be seen as the Vatican relinquishing all the authority it had built up over the years.

On the other hand, there were those like Philip II who seemed to take it in stride.

“We have no choice. If we had been doing things right, God wouldn’t have sent a new prophet. We must humble ourselves and find the right path before a greater disaster befalls us.”

Theoretically, it made sense, but not everything in this world operates on logic alone.

“True, but abandoning what we’ve built could make it seem like Christianity is being absorbed by Islam. That’s how it might feel emotionally.”

I turned slightly to see Heinrich VI flinch and quickly add a comment.

“Of course, I understand that’s not the case, but others might see it that way.”

“No one’s blaming Your Majesty, so don’t worry too much. It’s a natural reaction. That’s why this meeting is necessary. Christianity might see it one way, but Islam will feel the opposite, right, Saladin?”

”…Yes. From Islam’s perspective, we’ve overturned the Quran and recognized Marshal as the final prophet. We’ve even acknowledged the divinity of Jesus. Once this meeting concludes, many Muslims might feel Islam is being absorbed by Christianity.”

In negotiations, when you take something, you must be prepared to give something in return.

If you only focus on what you’ve lost, it will naturally feel like a huge loss.

So, it’s more objective to consider what the other side has offered.

And that’s likely what the working groups below are also debating.

“If we analyze it calmly, we can distinguish between what we must accept as absolute truth and what we don’t. The council’s decisions were more our interpretations than divine words. It’s hard to admit, but perhaps there were issues with those interpretations… and Islam might feel the same.”

“I agree.”

“Therefore, I hope this council will be a time to establish the truths we must absolutely recognize. Fortunately, we have someone here who can confirm whether these truths are correct.”

Sinibaldo, who had been passionately speaking below, knelt and looked up at me with outstretched hands.

“The Prophet hasn’t given us clear instructions on what conclusions to reach. God has given us free will. But you can confirm whether we’re on the right path or repeating past mistakes, can’t you?”

“Indeed. So please give us the assurance that we’re moving in the right direction!”

At this point, it would be awkward to keep holding back.

If it’s just about confirming, it doesn’t feel like direct intervention, which is actually preferable.

“Then I’ll do just that.”

“Thank you. With the Prophet’s confirmation, we must address the most fundamental issue. The ultimate difference between Islam and Christianity is the path to salvation. We all live to enjoy the happiness of heaven and eternal life after death. If the paths to salvation differ, no matter how we dress it up, they will inevitably diverge.”

“That’s right. But conversely, the reason God sent a prophet to this world is ultimately to lead us to salvation. As mentioned earlier, we’ve changed our stance and acknowledged the divinity of Jesus. Yes, we can even accept the resurrection and ascension. But ultimately, it’s clear. The reason God sent the Prophet is to lead humanity to salvation. The Christian side would agree with this, right?”

“Yes. There’s no disagreement there.”

“But after sending Jesus, God sent Muhammad. That’s why we believed the Christian doctrine was flawed. If the perfect truth and the complete path to salvation were already established, why would another prophet be sent?”

Of course, from the Christian perspective, they could simply say, “That’s because Muhammad isn’t a prophet.”

But at this point, that argument was meaningless.

Even without acknowledging Muhammad, a new prophet had emerged, one that even Christianity had recognized.

And it’s more persuasive to say, “We were both wrong, so let’s do better moving forward,” than to claim only one side was wrong.

Hassan continued to acknowledge that there were flaws in Islamic doctrine, so the Christian side didn’t respond emotionally.

It seems that in any era, the younger intellectuals are more open to new theories and less resistant to change.

“Then let us ask as well. Islam has said it could acknowledge the divinity of Christ. But could it be that our doctrine isn’t the path to truth?”

“Of course. Because the Prophet is sitting right there. As Sinibaldo mentioned earlier, most of the council’s decisions were the result of interpreting God’s words subjectively. Oh, I’m not criticizing. We’re also repenting for making similar mistakes.”

”…Right. So I’ve been exchanging ideas with scholars and have come to one conclusion. This is based on what the Prophet has always emphasized. From the beginning, the Prophet warned against hollow formalities and excessive dogmatism.”

Did I say that? Now that I think about it, I guess I did.

Initially, it was mostly because I found such rigid structures stifling, but it’s actually an element I intended to emphasize.

As all eyes turned to me, I once again provided a bit of guidance.

“You are correct. Laws and doctrines are crucial elements. Following the proper procedures is also important. But these should be supported by a reverence for God. If they become the end goal, then it’s a case of putting the cart before the horse. God dislikes such formalities. The laws were given not to bind humanity but to aid in its development.”

By now, even the most stubborn should understand.

Especially since these are some of the world’s leading scholars, the chance of them misunderstanding is nearly zero.

Moreover, they likely remember my words better than I do.

As expected, the discussion continued to flow naturally.

“Indeed. Our problem was not focusing on the essence of the words but trying to confine them to a rigid formula. The value Christ emphasized most was love. He came to spread love and forgiveness, and his sacrifice on the cross was the ultimate demonstration of that forgiveness. Christ even embraced those of little faith with love. But we ignored the essential parts and focused only on the peripherals.”

“We are the same. As the Prophet just mentioned, laws and formalities are meant to show reverence for God, not to become the goal themselves. The absolute value is what God holds dear, and the rules must evolve with the times.”

Sinibaldo and Hassan, like fish in water, passionately discussed the right path and sought my confirmation.

The key points I emphasized were as follows:

For Christianity, practicing the love Christ taught is paramount, and for Islam, while acknowledging Muhammad’s existence is essential, the laws and dogmatism were later distortions, not God’s intent.

Both were wrong, so they should focus more on the fundamental values moving forward.

“God cherishes human free will above all. But remember, that freedom should not bind others. And what God detests most is using His name in vain to serve personal interests. The prime examples are the so-called holy wars and doctrinal disputes in God’s name. I’ve never explicitly said this, but the more you engage in such actions, the further you drift from God.”

“Then what would please God?”

Lucky me.

I was wondering when to bring this up, and the question came at just the right time.

To create a better future than the original history, it’s crucial to advance human intellect and wisdom.

In that regard, the one thing that concerned me was creating an untouchable divine figure in myself.

If a divine presence is perceived as constantly intervening in human affairs, people might become complacent.

I emphasized during the Mongol wars that simply believing in divine support and fighting half-heartedly would lead to certain defeat.

Uniting Christianity and Islam for lasting peace is ideal, but there’s one concern.

Such peace might lead to a culture where everything is entrusted to God, and independent thought is abandoned.

However, upon reflection, the pursuit of faith and wisdom aren’t entirely contradictory.

In fact, if done right, it could even enhance the quest for knowledge.

“The most cherished thing by the divine is love, first and foremost. With love, peace naturally follows. We are all children beloved by the divine. How do you wish your children to grow? The divine desires the same for us.

With warm hearts, we should practice love, gain wisdom, and use it to benefit the world. By seeking knowledge and advancing the world, we might one day uncover all the secrets of this world gifted to us by the divine.”

For humanity to progress, desire and the motivation that fuels it are essential.

Desire isn’t inherently negative.

With all this groundwork laid, wouldn’t a fierce competition for knowledge arise, as if to secure a premium ticket to heaven?

I thought it might be time to stir things up a bit more and shifted the conversation to the next topic.