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THY4 - U2 - LESSON 2 - Final PDF

This document discusses religious pluralism and the importance of interreligious dialogue. It notes that due to migration, many non-Christian religions can now be found throughout the world, especially in urban areas. The Catholic Church believes that interreligious dialogue and proclamation of Christ are both important parts of evangelization. Dialogue seeks to build understanding between faiths through respectful exchange, while proclaiming Christ shares the desire to make Him known. Both activities are distinct but complementary parts of the Church's mission.

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189 views22 pages

THY4 - U2 - LESSON 2 - Final PDF

This document discusses religious pluralism and the importance of interreligious dialogue. It notes that due to migration, many non-Christian religions can now be found throughout the world, especially in urban areas. The Catholic Church believes that interreligious dialogue and proclamation of Christ are both important parts of evangelization. Dialogue seeks to build understanding between faiths through respectful exchange, while proclaiming Christ shares the desire to make Him known. Both activities are distinct but complementary parts of the Church's mission.

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xxpinkywitchxx
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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THEOLOGY 4:

• LIVING THE CHRISTIAN VISION IN THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD:

Harmony with the Human Community:


Dialogue with Religion

NAME (Instructor)

UST – Institute of Religion


“Today due to frequent and extensive migrations from
East to West, a growing number of non-Christians are
settling in the Christianized West, especially in urban
centers, where temples, pagodas, and mosques dot the
landscape cheek by jowl with churches and synagogues”

Because of mega-migration and mega-urbanization


different religions can be found all over the world. Multi-
culturality is a reality and so thus multi-religiosity.
Religion is the heart of a culture.

One of religion’s functions is to address issues of meaning.

“The arbitrariness of suffering causes people to want an explanation; the world


should make sense, it should have some ultimate meaning.”

Religion exists even in the contemporary times

Migration move people to one place to another that results to plurality of beliefs,
religions and worldviews.
Dialogue in Asia is important in crossing the bridge of differences between and
among religions.
Interreligious dialogue and proclamation, though not on
the same level, are both authentic elements of the
Church's evangelizing mission. Both are legitimate and
necessary. They are intimately related, but not
interchangeable: true interreligious dialogue on the part
of the Christian supposes the desire to make Jesus Christ
better known, recognized and loved; proclaiming Jesus
Christ is to be carried out in the Gospel spirit of dialogue.
The two activities remain distinct but, as experience
shows, one and the same local Church, one and the same
person, can be diversely engaged in both. Pontifical
Council for Interreligious Dialogue, Dialogue and
Proclamation, no. 77.
Asia is a home of different
religions. There exists a variety
and diverse religions in Asia
such as Hinduism, Buddhism,
Christianity, Confucianism,
Islam, Jainism, Judaism,
Shintoism, Taoism, and
Zoroastranism. Asia is the
birthplace of the major
religions such as Christianity,
Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism
Religious Pluralism vs Religious Relativism
“In today’s world, the religious
others are in our midst, studying,
living and working among us and
with us.”
• Religious pluralism is “a
philosophical perspective on the
world that emphasizes diversity
rather than homogeneity,
multiplicity rather than unity,
difference rather than sameness.”
Scriptures and Church’s Teaching
on Interreligious Dialogue
Jesus commanded his
apostles not to go to the
Samaritan but instead go
to the lost sheep of
Israel (Mt. 105-6).
However, there are
instances that Jesus was
friendly to non-Jews.
He admired the faith of the
centurion (Mt 8:10) and The Good Samaritan’s act
commended the faith of a differs from that of the priest
Canaanite woman (Mt. 15: and the levite (Lk. 10:29-37).
28).

A Samaritan returned and


gave thanks from the ten The Apostles are to witness
lepers who were healed (Lk. for Christ from Jerusalem,
17:11-19). The Acts of the Samaria until they the ends
Apostle tells us the story of of the earth (Acts 1:8).
the followers of The Way.
In St Paul’s speech to Athens
(Acts 17:22-23) he announces
the Unknown God whom they
worship without knowing and
in the following verses he
states that God is near to
every people and are called
God’s offspring (Acts 26-28).
Religious plurality is therefore present not only in Asia
but all over the world.

“It is first of all a search for and recognition of the presence and
activities of the Holy Spirit to be evangelized, and in this humble
and attentive process of listening, the evangelizers become
evangelized, and the evangelized become evangelizer.”

People of other faith must be respected and in no way


that Christians must think of converting them in their
relationship with them.
The Catholic Church rejects nothing which is
true and holy in these religions. She looks
with sincere respect upon those ways of
conduct and of life, those rules and teaching
which, though differing in many particulars
from what she holds and sets forth,
nevertheless often reflect a ray of that Truth
which enlightens all men. Indeed, she
proclaims and must ever proclaim Christ, "the
way, the truth, and the life" (Jn 14:6), in
whom men find the fullness of religious life,
and in whom God has reconciled all things to
Himself. Vatican II, Nostra Aetate, no. 2.
Not only in Asia that we will find
different religions, but also in
Western countries and that
“Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs
and Buddhist rub shoulders on
every street.”
Dialogue and Proclamation, 9.
In the context of religious
plurality, dialogue means "all It includes both witness and
positive and constructive the exploration of respective
interreligious relations with religious convictions. It is in
individuals and communities this third sense that the
of other faiths which are present document uses the
directed at mutual term dialogue for one of the
understanding and integral elements of the
enrichment", in obedience to Church's evangelizing mission.
truth and respect for freedom.
Divine Providence does not deny the helps necessary for
salvation to those who, without blame on their part, have not
yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God. Whatever good or
truth is found amongst them is looked upon by the Church as
preparation for the Gospel.

Some there are who, living and dying in this world without
God, are exposed to final despair. To promote the glory of God
and procure the salvation of all of these, the Church, mindful
of the command of the Lord: “Preach the Gospel to every
creature,” fosters the missions with care and attention. (LG 16)
The Church must be present in these groups
through her children, who dwell among them
or who are sent to them. For all Christians,
wherever they live, are bound to show forth,
by the example of their lives and by the
witness of the word, that new man put on at
baptism and that power of the Holy Spirit by
which they have been strengthened at
Conformation. Thus other men, observing
their good works, can glorify the Father (cf.
Matt. ES:16) and can perceive more fully the
real meaning of human life and the universal
bond of the community of mankind.
In order that they may be able to
bear more fruitful witness to
Christ, let them be joined to those
men by esteem and love; let them
acknowledge themselves to be
members of the group of men
among whom they live; let them
share in cultural and social life by
the various. undertakings and
enterprises of human living; let
them be familiar with their
national and religious traditions;
let them gladly and reverently lay
bare the seeds of the Word which
lie hidden among their fellows.
Further, 1. The dialogue of life – People strive to live their life in harmony and
peace with their neighbors of other faith sharing with each other as
Dialogue friends their joys and sorrows, hopes and dreams.
and
2. The dialogue of action – When people of different faiths work
Proclamati together to act and collaborate for integral development and
on no 42 liberation of people.
mentions 3. The dialogue of theological exchange – Those who are specialists
the deepen each other’s religious heritages, and appreciate each other’s
different religious values
forms of 4. The dialogue of religious experience – Persons rooted in their own
dialogue. religious traditions, share their spiritual riches such as prayer and
contemplation, faith and ways of searching for God.
Dialogue in a Multi-Religious World
“Religious • “It is first of all a search for and
pluralism is recognition of the presence
an and activities of the Holy Spirit
undeniable to be evangelized, and in this
humble and attentive process
phenomenon of listening, the evangelizers
of the become evangelized, and the
twenty first evangelized become
century.” evangelizer.”
“Asians have many and
diverse ways of life that
have nurtured and
sustained them for many
millennia in the past and
for many ages to come.
Asians have their own
system of meaning,
including religion, the core
of their way of life.”
Javier, Dialogue: Our Mission Today, 27.

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