The Pope, Islam, and reciprocity

Thanks to Michael for linking to the Commonweal interview with Fr. Madigan.  At one point, discussing the issue of "reciprocity," Fr. Madigan says:

There are many calls in Europe to restrict the rights of Muslim citizens and immigrants until full and equal rights are accorded Christians in Muslim majority countries-Saudi Arabia is the case usually cited. Some commentators have interpreted the Holy See’s recent references to reciprocity as a concern and a demand for reciprocal rights as a condition of further dialogue, and an encouragement for Western governments to use Muslim citizens’ rights and freedoms as leverage to achieve reforms.

Such a strategy can be reconciled neither with the gospel nor with explicit Catholic teaching about the basis of religious freedom being rooted in the dignity of each person.

This seems quite right to me.  That is, the fact (and, unfortunately, it is a fact) that few Muslim nations accord anything like religious freedom to their citizens certainly would not justify Western nations violating the human-dignity-grounded religious freedom of Muslims living in those nations.  It is worth making clear, though, that neither the Pope nor the Holy See has ever suggested that such violations would or could be justified.  Instead, the Pope and the Holy See have -- quite rightly, in my view -- challenged Muslim nations, and urged all of us to challenge Muslim nations, to respect the human rights of their citizens (Muslim and non-Muslim alike).  Fr. Madigan is right to note that we should not demand reciprocity as a "condition" for dialogue; that said, we should, I think, continue to make clear our view that this dialogue is less likely to be productive if Muslim nations fail to respect their citizens' religious freedom.