German Catholic theologian and priest Oliver Wintzek has published an op-ed arguing that Islam can be understood as an “alternative form of Byzantine Christianity” and that Muslims should be viewed as Christians’ “younger brothers and sisters.” Wintzek also rejects portraying Islam as a “political ideology” incompatible with Germany’s constitution and dismisses warnings about the “Islamization” of Germany. He concludes by calling for Christians and Muslims to come closer together, suggesting they could do so over “döner and baklava,” which he says are also part of Germany. Neither originated in Germany: döner comes from the Ottoman/Turkish culinary tradition, while modern baklava was developed in the Ottoman world. Over the past decade, Germany has suffered at least 18 major Islamist terrorist attacks, according to a 2026 study.