by Nirmala Carvalho

The encyclical Gaudium et Spes encourages the Church to dialogue with other religions . To combat the fundamentalism that afflicts India, it is necessary to be open with each other and share religious experiences. In national symposium dedicated to the Second Vatican Council and the social doctrine of the Church , bishops and priests have emphasized the role of the Indian Church in paving the way to dialogue. AsiaNews presents the third part of the results of the meeting .

Mumbai (AsiaNews) - Even though it is "the cradle of many religions of the world," India is remembered for the people who "are being persecuted and killed in the name of God." After the problem of poverty and violence against women, at the national symposium in October, the Commission for Theology and the doctrine of the Catholic Bishops of the Latin rite ( CCBI - Lr ) discussed religious violence and dialogue as the only way to "reduce the danger of nationalism , fundamentalism and judgmental attitudes towards minority religions ."

A country marred by communalism and religious strife

India has been the birthplace of several of the world religions and she has been noted for her hospitality to people of what religious persuasion she belongs.  But her history shows that people have at times been persecuted and even killed in the name of God. 

At the Symposium, we listened to panelists with different faith persuasions speaking of the need of interreligious dialogue even as Gaudium et Spes no. 92 had encouraged the Church to enter into dialogue with those of other religious traditions.  Evangelization is a sharing of God experience among all who acknowledge God as the origin of all authentic religious experience.  In proclamation we share what God has done for us in Jesus; in dialogue we listen to what God has done in others.  Such dialogue lessens the danger of communalism, fundamentalism and judgemental attitudes towards under religions. Such sharing creates greater understanding of the other, an appreciation of differences and facilitates living together as brothers and sisters.     

What can our contribution be?

• First of all, we will appreciate the good in these religions.  We keep in mind the words of Vatican II: "The Catholic Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in these religions. She regards with sincere reverence those ways of conduct and of life, those precepts and teachings which, though differing in many aspects from the ones she holds and sets forth, nonetheless often reflect a ray of that Truth which enlightens all men. Indeed, she proclaims, and ever must proclaim Christ "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6), in whom men may find the fullness of religious life, in whom God has reconciled all things to Himself." (N. A. no. 2).  Having the mind of Jesus we appreciate mind anyone can recognize whatever is true,  honourable, just, pure lovely and gracious (Phil 4:8) in our society and culture.
• We are grateful for the many initiatives to establish dialogue which are taking place today.  But we plead for even more of this dialogue, the four-fold dialogue of life, of action, of theological exchange and of religious experience. We realize that living as we do in the midst of people of different religious traditions, we as members of the Symposium have a unique opportunity of engaging in the dialogue of life.

 

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