Vatican City - Still under a cloud for recent remarks about Islam, Pope Benedict called on Thursday for tolerance of other religions and cultures and said a rebirth of faith could help foster this openness in western countries.
The German Pontiff told Berlin's new ambassador to the Vatican that the Roman Catholic Church would never force anyone to accept the teachings of Jesus Christ.
Muslim leaders worldwide have criticized Benedict for a speech two weeks ago hinting that Islam had been spread by the sword and brought only evil to the world. The Pope has expressed regret at the uproar four times but has not withdrawn his words.
"Tolerance and cultural openness must characterize meetings with other people," he told Ambassador Hans-Henning Horstmann, who was presenting his credentials at the papal summer residence at Castelgandolfo, south of Rome.
"The Church does not impose itself, because the faith in Jesus Christ that it proclaims can only occur in freedom."
Quoting a sermon he gave during his recent trip to Bavaria, Benedict said the world needed a tolerance "that includes reverence for God, a reverence for what is sacred to others."
"This reverence can only be regenerated in the Western world if belief in God grows again," he added.
Benedict warned against confusing tolerance with outright indifference to others, saying: "Real tolerance always requires respect for other people, who are creations of God and whose existence has been reaffirmed by God."
The Pope said the Holy See, while naturally concerned about the fate of Christians around the world, wanted to work "with all people of good will to serve people, their dignity, their integrity and their freedom."
Benedict also used the occasion to reiterate his opposition to abortion, civil unions and embryonic stem cell research and urged Berlin not to replace the current religion classes in state schools with what he called "value-free" ethics classes.
He also urged Germany not to expel Christian asylum seekers who suffer religious persecution in their home countries, which the Vatican has said occurs in some majority Muslim states.