The Catholic View on Dialogue between the Religion – Theory and Practice 2) Practice: Resources and support for interreligious dialogue Practical tips and ideas 1)Theory Teaching document 2010 “Meeting God in Friend and Stranger. Fostering Respect and Mutual Understanding between the Religions” (Bishops of England and Wales )

Meeting God in Friend and Stranger “[As religion is so close to people’s heart] any activity that promotes respect and better understanding among believers must contribute to peace, at a time when justice and peace are so threatened.” o Interreligious dialogue as a real challenge o Church as the sign and instrument of communication with God and one another o Importance of ecumenical work

Structure of the Document 1.What is Interreligious Dialogue? 2.The Changing Face of Britain 3.Dialogue in the Teaching of the Catholic Church 4.Prayer and Worship 5.Interreligious Marriage 6.(At the Local Level)

1. What is Interreligious Dialogue? “…means not only discussion, but also includes all positive and constructive interreligious relations with individuals and communities of other faiths which are directed at mutual understanding and enrichment” (Dialogue and Mission) Requires openness There are “rays” and “seeds” of truth in other religions

Chapter 3: Dialogue in the Teaching of the Catholic Church “Interreligious dialogue, which is part of the Church’s evangelising mission, requires an attitude of understanding and a relationship of mutual knowledge and reciprocal enrichment, in obedience to the truth and with respect for freedom” (Dominus Iesus) Benedict XVI: first priority dialogue with Christians, second dialogue with other religions

Nostra aetate Firstly relationships with the Jews, in the light of the Holocaust, but also as a celebration of connectedness (olive tree image) “Our dearly beloved brothers” (John Paul II) Full acceptance of Judaism (Secretariat for Relations with the Jews joined with Secretariat for Christian Unity)

3. Dialogue in the Teaching of the Catholic Church (2) “In all its teaching, the Catholic Church keeps a careful balance between insisting that God truly wills the eternal salvation of all people, and insisting with equal force Christ is the one and only means and mediator of salvation.”  Unity of the human race  The need to be open to all that is true and holy in other religions  Call to dialogue

3. Dialogue in the Teaching of the Catholic Church (3) Unity “The differences are a less important element, when confronted with the unity which is radical, fundamental and decisive” (John Paul II) All people are created in the image of God, only one plan for humankind All have equal rights and dignity Religious freedom: Right and obligation to pursue the truth (Dignitatis Humanae) Equality as a precondition for dialogue Equal validity of participants, not of beliefs Shared questions

Openness to what is true and holy o “a ray of the one truth”, “seeds of the word” o No superiority of Christians: “What Christians have received is totally unmerited on their part. It is an assertion rather of the bountiful goodness of God” o Presence of saving grace in other religions: Those who do not know of the Church, but search for God and try to follow God through their conscience, and those who “have not yet attained to the express recognition of God yet who strive, not without divine grace, to lead an upright life”

o The Spirit is at work in all religions o Through the same spirit, we are “deeply related” and at the same time “sadly distant” o The Church has an active role in the salvation of all people, it is not just passively related o Special relationship to each religion o Dialogue with all religions is “appropriate and fruitful” Openness to what is true and holy (continued)

Call to dialogue o The call by the Church is a response to the call to the Church o Signs of the times: modern communication and immigration o Dialogue is not optional, but intrinsic to the Church EVANGELISING Wide definition (Christ- like) PROCLAMATION Christ has risen DIALOGUE Honest witnessing and sincere listening

Dialogue o Pope Paul VI: “Dialogue of salvation”, through Christ, by the Holy Spirit active in the world o Church’s task to carry this dialogue on and make it accessible to all o Loving your neighbour and interreligious dialogue continues this o Pragmatic motivation: Danger of terrorism, extremism o Motivation of entering into God’s story with humankind – Holy Spirit as motivator and common ground

Dialogue (continued) oFirst step: convergences and divergences o Second step: Recognising and confronting God’s Otherness in the Otherness of other religions o Can only take place between people who know about their religions: “There must be no abandonment of principles or false irenicism, but instead a witness given and received for mutual advancement” (RM) o It is an expression of Christian hope and needs to be carried out with “prudence and charity” (NA) o Should be ecumenical: ‘facing outwards together’

Forms of dialogueForms of dialogue  Dialogue of Life  Dialogue of Action  Dialogue of Theological ExchangeTheological Exchange  Dialogue of Religious Experience

Dialogue (continued) “includes all positive and constructive interreligious relations with individuals and communities of other faiths which are directed at mutual understanding and enrichment” o Roots in scripture, although ‘defensive’ voices can be louder o Old testament: Covenant with all survivors of the flood, appreciation of ‘foreigners’ (e.g. Nineveh) o New testament: Jesus’ inclusive work

Chapter 4: Prayer and worship “Every authentic prayer is called forth by the holy spirit” (John Paul II) o Need for shared prayer – marriages, funerals, natural disaster, human conflict, invitations to each other’s places of worship o Not Christian, but same movement: prompted by the Spirit, through Christ to the Father o Lex orandi, lex credendi: we cannot pray together as we have different beliefs o Praying for one another, in presence of and in solidarity with each other: “We don’t come to pray together, but we come together to pray”

Chapter 4: Prayer and worship (continued) Opportunities for this:  Visits to services of other religions, people of other religions in Christian services (“respectful presence”)  “Multi-faith pilgrimage”  Shared response to events (e.g. Holocaust remembrance) o Respect for each other’s religious identities, but not necessarily agreement through presence o Danger of syncretism to be avoided o Shared symbolic gestures can be powerful

Chapter 5: Interreligious Marriage o All marriage: intended and blessed from the beginning, lifelong and exclusive union with the orientation on the birth and upbringing of children o Christian marriage as a sacrament o Other religions have marriage and family values at their heart, which are threatened by values of our time o Intercultural marriages can deepen faith and be an enrichment o Respect for both partners’ religious feelings, openness, adapted ceremonies, continued support for their married life

Opportunities for engagement o Vatican greetings/bidding prayers/cards at religious festivals o Invitations to speakers after mass o Parent/toddler groups, Men’s/Women’s groups, Groups for the elderly o Preparation for communion/confirmation o Visits to places of worship

Opportunities for engagement (continued) o Twinning” with places of worship o Tackling problems together/exchanging volunteers (e.g. food banks, “places of welcome”) o Inviting religious leaders/members of nearby congregations to parish events o Catholic schools – staff and students from other religions o Meeting God in Friend and Stranger – study groups and workshops o Series “Other religions” with speakers from each/podcasts