about interreligious issues

1. Dialogue – Catholic structure and terminology
Interfaith, interreligious, ecumenical
Vatican: Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue,
Commission for Religious Relations with Jews within
the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity
England and Wales – Committee for Catholic Jewish
Relations and Committee for Relations to Other
Religions
Locally: Coordinator in each Diocese (Cambridge
belongs to East Anglia)

2. Meeting God in Friend and Stranger. Fostering
respect and mutual understanding between the
religions
New teaching document –
www.catholicchurch.org.uk/interreligious
At the core: A summary on the Catholic theology of
interreligious dialogue
Message to Catholics: Interreligious dialogue is a
duty!

3. Dialogue can take many forms:
o Religious Experience
o Action
o Life
o Theological Exchange
“mutual understanding and enrichment”
Learning from each other – openness about own
faith (and own judgements)

4. Shared challenge – religion becoming ‘private’
and relativism
Catholic view:
•Duty to seek truth – freedom of religion follows
•“Signs of the times” – globalisation
•Continuation of the work of Jesus
All involved: A good knowledge of their own
faith, and a willingness to overcome prejudice
(their own as well as those of others!)

5. Theology
Nostra Aetate (“In our times”) – Second Vatican
Council (1962-65)
Developed from Jewish-Catholic (“our dearly
beloved brothers” – “olive tree image”) to
interreligious
Statements on special relationships with each
religion
In all teaching: Jesus Christ as the central “good
news” of Christianity and the conviction that God
wants the same good end for all people

6. Dialogue is needed!
Because the Church continues a dialogue
God has begun and continues (signs of the
times)
Because there are “practical” outcomes
Because of what is true and holy in other
religions can be an inspiration for Christians
Because of the spirituality of difference

7. Because it is part of sharing the good news without
expectations: “honest witnessing and sincere
listening”
Because we are brothers and sisters (the same plan
for all, the same rights and dignities, and our
shared questions)
John Paul II: unity that is
“radical, fundamental and decisive”

8. Shared prayer
Same motivation – but a prayer reflects the tradition
it is set in
Respect for differences and need for shared prayers –
to grief, to celebrate, to share experiences
Assisi Peace Prayers: “We don’t come to pray
together, but we come together to pray”:
Opportunities:
Multi-faith pilgrimages, “respectful presence” at
each other’s places of worship, shared responses to
events (e.g. Holocaust remembrance)

9. Daily life
Marriages between religions
- can be the ideal of a dialogue of life
- ways can be found to adapt the ceremony
- many marriage and family values are
shared
-in need (and deserving of!) continued
support
Involvement at all levels
- Through the structures of the Church
(youth work, education)
- By making resources available

10. Involvement at all levels (continued)
- By taking up offers offer dialogue – government,
forums, organisations…
- Religious orders
-Schools (within and to the outside, learning from
and learning about)
- Chaplaincies
- Using cooperation that already exist with other
churches

11. Dialogue
 Expresses the Hope of the Church
 Shows how the Church sees herself
 Is open, honest and without expectations
 Forms a part of all the Church’s work