Abstract
The author discusses the nature and aims of interreligious dialogue, both from the standpoint of theological developments in the Roman Catholic magisterium and in terms of concrete initiatives to develop interreligious relations. Special attention is given to Vatican II’s Nostra Aetate and its implications. The author describes bilateral (Christian-Buddhist, Christian-Jewish, Christian-Muslim, etc.), trilateral and multilateral dialogues, as well as the benefits and drawbacks of these different approaches. Some specific examples of such dialogue are given, in particular those in which the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue has been involved. The author understands interreligious dialogue as a service to the truth, aiming to preserve and promote freedom, justice, and peace for the benefit of the whole of humanity.
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Notes
- 1.
The document is cited following the official translation; cf. Francesco Gioia, ed., Interreligious Dialogue: The Official Teaching of the Catholic Church from the Second Vatican Council to John Paul II (1963–2005) (Boston: Pauline, 2006), nos. 1–19. Today a more gender sensitive translation would be used.
- 2.
See, for example, Walter Nicgorski, Cicero’s Practical Philosophy (Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 2012).
- 3.
Paul VI , Encyclical Letter Ecclesiam Suam, AAS 56 (1964): 609–59, no. 64. The Italian, presumably the language in which Paul VI wrote this letter, reads: “Noi daremo a questo interiore impulso di carità, che tende a farsi esteriore dono di carità, il nome, oggi diventato comune, di dialogo.” Nota bene: the Latin original reads colloquium for the Italian dialogo, and the paragraph numbers for the official English and Italian translations do not correspond to each other. This quotation appears in ES 66 of the Italian version.
- 4.
Ibid., no. 65. The Italian, at paragraph 67 due to a difference in numbering, reads: “La Chiesa deve venire a dialogo col mondo in cui si trova a vivere. La Chiesa si fa parola; la Chiesa si fa messaggio; la Chiesa si fa colloquio”. The Latin version hardly reflects the poetic force of the Italian: “Iamvero Ecclesiae in colloquio veniendum est cum hominum societate, in qua vivit; ex quo fit, ut eadem veluti speciem et verbi, et nuntii, et colloquii induat.” On the impact of Ecclesiam Suam on Vatican II, see John W. O’Malley, S.J., What Happened at Vatican II (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2008), 172, 203–204, 250; for its influence on the documents of Vatican II and in particular on Nostra Aetate, see Gavin D’Costa, Vatican II: Catholic Doctrines on Jews & Muslims (Oxford: University Press, 2014), 128–130; I also address these issues in my “Vatican II and Interfaith Dialogue” in Interfaith Dialogue, ed. Edmund Chia, (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2016), 3–15.
- 5.
For what follows see Michael L. Fitzgerald, “Nostra Aetate, a Key to Interreligious Dialogue,” Gregorianum 87, no. 4 (2006): 700–713.
- 6.
John Paul II, Apostolic Constitution Pastor Bonus, AAS 80 (1988): 841–912.
- 7.
Pastoral Attention to Traditional Religions in Asia, America and Oceania (21 November 1993), no. 6; cf. Gioia, Interreligious Dialogue, no. 1022.
- 8.
After the refusal by the pope, Deedat published his tractate His Holiness Plays “Hide and Seek” with Muslims (Durban : Islamic Propagation Centre International, 1985).
- 9.
Secretariat for Non-Christians , Dialogue and Mission, AAS 76 (1984): 814–828, no. 13; cf. Gioia, Interreligious Dialogue, no. 820. Though usually referred to by its shortened title, the full title of this document is The Attitude of the Church toward Followers of Other Religions: Reflections and Orientations on Dialogue and Mission.
- 10.
Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, Dialogue and Proclamation, AAS 85 (1992): 414–446, no. 49; cf. Gioia, Interreligious Dialogue, no. 973.
- 11.
For all the speeches before, during and after Assisi see Bulletin Secretariatus pro non christianis 64 (1987); for analysis of this and subsequent events, see Jason Welle, O.F.M., “The Evolution of the Assisi Gathering: To Humanism and Beyond?” Journal of Ecumenical Studies 48, no. 3 (2013): 377–390.
- 12.
On the first Summit see Thomas Michel, S.J., “Mount Hiei Day of Prayer for Peace,” Bulletin. Secretariatus pro Non Christianis 66 (1987): 297–306, and 231, containing a message from Pope John Paul II.
- 13.
Cf. Gioia, Interreligious Dialogue, no. 786. For a report on the meeting see Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, Recognize the Spiritual Bonds Which Unite Us (Rome: PCID, 1994), 99–101.
- 14.
For a report on this meeting see Hans Ucko, ed., The Spiritual Significance of Jerusalem for Jews, Christians and Muslims (Geneva: World Council of Churches, 1994).
- 15.
For a succinct report see Islamochristiana 22 (1996): 224–225.
- 16.
Central Committee for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 and Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, Towards a Culture of Dialogue. Interreligious Assembly, Vatican City, 25–28 October 1999 (Vatican City, 2000).
- 17.
Ibid., 80.
- 18.
Ibid., 81.
- 19.
See Michael L. Fitzgerald, “Le christianisme et les autres religions à la lumière de Nostra Aetate,” in La mission aujourd’hui. Mélanges pour le centième anniversaire de Mgr Jan Van Cauwelaert, ed. Henri Derroitte, Benoit Lannoo, and Eric Manhaeghe (Anvers: Halewijn, 2014), 138–149.
- 20.
Cf. Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and Pontifical Council for the Family, Marriage and Family in Today’s World: International Interreligious Colloquium 1994 (Vatican City, 1995).
- 21.
Cf. Pro Dialogo 112 (2003): 107–112.
- 22.
Cf. Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, Peace: a Single Goal and a Shared Intention (Vatican City, 2002).
- 23.
Cf. Michael L. Fitzgerald, “Report on WCRP VI: Healing the World: Religions for Peace,” Pro Dialogo 88 (1995): 28–32; for the discourse of Pope John Paul II on this occasion, see ibid., 5–7.
- 24.
Secretariat for Non-Christians, Dialogue and Mission, no. 13.
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Fitzgerald, A.M.L. (2018). Nostra Aetate: Dialogue and Dialogues. In: Latinovic, V., Mannion, G., Welle, O.F.M., J. (eds) Catholicism Engaging Other Faiths. Pathways for Ecumenical and Interreligious Dialogue. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98584-8_3
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