Witnesses to the One Lord

1. Introduction

• The Lord’s Prayer as an expression of real but imperfect unity

Often when Christians gather to pray, despite their differences, they find unity in reciting the Lord’s Prayer. This prayer unites them in the praise of the Father, as they ask that His name be hallowed, as they pray that His will may be done, and as they engage in a common mission praying that the Kingdom of God may come.

It can be observed that the fruit of this prayer is not confined to Christians. Holiness can be found also in those who do not profess faith in Jesus Christ; it is not only Christians who seek God’s will and desire to fulfill it; the values of the Kingdom can be found outside the visible boundaries of the Church.

The fact that it is possible to share words and desires with people who do not profess the same faith makes us realize that unity can coexist despite differences in belief. Consequently we are dealing with an imperfect unity. This was perhaps the reason why at my school, when I was a young boy attending a non-Catholic school, the Catholics usually did not join in the prayers, not even to recite the Our Father. This is still the case in some Christian circles.

1.2       The scandal of division

The fact that Christians are divided is indeed a scandal. It is something that is naturally remarked upon by people of other religions. Instead of exclaiming: “See how they love one another!” they are more likely to say: “See how they dispute amongst themselves.” When the Qur’an speaks about Christians, it almost always alludes to their divisions. One example will suffice. In Surat Maryam, after the story of the Annunciation and the birth of Jesus the text concludes:

Such was Jesus, son of Mary. [This is] a statement of the Truth about which they are in doubt…. But factions have differed among themselves (Q 19:34. 37).

It is certainly necessary therefore to do all that is possible to fulfill the will of Jesus expressed in his prayer:

May they be one, Father, as you are in me and I am in you.  May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me (Jn 17:21).

1.3       The need for common witness

The above quotations underline the need for common witness and the need for Christians together, in so far as it is possible, to develop relations with people of other religions. The Directory for the Application of the Principles and Norms of Ecumenism, brought out by the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity in 1993, states:

In today’s world contacts between Christians and people of other religions are increasing. These contacts are radically different from those between Churches and ecclesial communities. The latter have as their aim the reconstitution of the unity that Jesus Christ wished for among all his disciples; they are righty called ecumenical. In point of fact, interreligious contacts are influenced by ecumenical contacts. The opposite is also true: through interreligious relations Christians are led to deepen their unity. Such contacts constitute an important part of ecumenical cooperation (210).

Interreligious relations can therefore rightly be said to be a stimulus for the development of an ecumenical attitude. Interreligious dialogue is a locus of ecumenical dialogue.

2. A Comparison between Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue

The above quotation, while it notes the connection between ecumenism and interreligious dialogue, underlines the differences between them. Whereas the spirit that animates these two activities and the methods used are similar, they do not have the same aim. These two points deserve further examination, but they will be taken in the reverse order.

2.2       A different aim

The aim of ecumenism is the restoration of the unity willed by Christ for all his disciples. It is obvious that what is intended here is a unity in diversity, without any attempt to abolish the particular rites and practices of individual Churches and ecclesial communities. There should be, nevertheless, sufficient unity of faith for the members of the different communities to recognize one another, not only with respect but as being in communion. It is this communion in faith which is the foundation for communion in practice.

In interreligious relations this community of faith is necessarily lacking. This does not mean that there is nothing in common between Christianity and other religions, in particular with religions such as Judaism and Islam which hold belief in one God who is the Creator and the Judge of all. Yet these religions do not recognize Jesus as the Son of God, the one Lord and Saviour. If they did, they would cease to be what they are and would become expressions of Christianity. So the aim of interreligious dialogue cannot be to seek the unity of all religions (this is the aim of ‘universalistic’ movements which end up creating another religion; an example would be the Baha’i movement). The aim of interreligious dialogue is in some ways more modest, namely to foster harmony and peace among the followers of different religions. Yet it goes further than this:

Interreligious dialogue is not aimed solely at mutual understanding and friendly relations. It reaches a deeper level, that of the spirit, where exchange and sharing include mutual witness to what each one believes and a common discovery of respective religious convictions. Through this dialogue, Christians and others are invited to deepen their religious commitment and to respond, with ever-greater sincerity, to the personal call of God and the free gift that He makes to each (Dialogue and Proclamation 40).

It is for this reason that interreligious dialogue can rightly be called a dialogue of salvation. The fact that, in the Christian understanding of salvation, the personal call of God and the free gift of Himself, “always pass through the mediation of Jesus Christ and the work of his Spirit” (ibid.), does not invalidate this deep aim of interreligious dialogue.

            2.3       Similarity in spirit and methods

If the aims of ecumenism and interreligious dialogue are radically different, do these two activities then have nothing in common? It can be stated categorically that they show much similarity in the spirit that animates them and they often use similar means.

With regard to the animating spirit, without going into great detail, it would be possible to point to respect, love and humility as essential elements of this spirit.

Respect comes from the conviction that God does not work only in the hearts of individuals

but also in the rites and traditions of the communities to which these individuals belong. We must admit that this respect has not always been shown. When the Declaration Nostra Aetate of Vatican II stated: “The Church has also a high regard for the Muslims” (NA 3), this provoked amazement among many Catholics. Religious traditions deserve our respect because they bear witness to the efforts to seek answers to “the unsolved riddles of human existence” (NA 1) which have puzzled the minds and hearts of human beings since the dawn of time. They are also worthy of respect because of the human and spiritual values which they hold. In ecumenical terms we could think of the liturgical and spiritual traditions of the Oriental Churches, the great attention to the Word of God in different Protestant communities, the lively prayer of Pentecostals. With regard to other religions we could remind ourselves that Paul VI, in his encyclical Evangelii Nuntiandi, noted that these religions possess “a splendid patrimony of religious writings” and that they “have taught generations of men how to pray” (EN 53).

This respect leads to practical consequences. It implies that care be taken when speaking about other people. Vatican II’s Decree on Ecumenism insists that every effort should be made “to avoid expressions, judgments and actions which do not represent the condition of our separated brethren with truth and fairness and so make mutual relations with them more difficult” (UR 4). This can certainly be applied to our relations with people of other religions and, hopefully, to their relations with us.

Respect, however, does not mean indifference or a spirit of laissez-faire. When love is allied to respect, other Christians and people of other religions are treated as brothers and sisters, as members of the one human family which is called to go forward together. John Paul II, in his encyclical letter Ut Unum Sint, proposed some ways of applying this spirit of “universal fraternity”. He mentioned communities that at one time had been rivals but now help each other mutually, for instance with regard to places of worship, in enabling access to higher studies, in approaching civil authorities on behalf of those who are suffering persecution, in restoring the good name of those who have incurred defamation (cf. UUS 42). All this can be applied, mutatis mutandis, to interreligious relations. The document Dialogue and Proclamation specifies that a fraternal spirit leads to altruistic behaviour: “There is need to stand up for human rights, proclaim the demands of justice, and denounce injustice not only when their own members are victimized, but independently of the religious allegiance of the victims. There is need also to join together in trying to solve the great problems facing society and the world, as well as in education for justice and peace” (DP 44).

This appeal is addressed in the first place to Christians, to local Churches, but it is hoped that it will also be heard by other religious communities.

Finally, humility, which is an indispensable requirement for good ecumenical and interreligious relations. However convinced we may be that our religious tradition teaches us the truth – and as Christians we profess that Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life – we are aware that we ourselves have not fully grasped this truth. As long as we remain in this world, we are but pilgrims. We are conscious of our limits as human beings, that we are by no means perfect. This holds good for us as individuals but also for our communities that are in constant need of renewal and reform. Above all we are conscious that it is God who governs our universe, and that our role is to follow the suggestions of the Holy Spirit. The certain conviction that the Spirit is guiding us is a source of courage and leads to perseverance. When we meet with obstacles, with misunderstandings, we can derive comfort from the fact that we are subject to God. We realize that  “All, both Christians and the followers of other religious traditions, are invited by God to enter into the mystery of his patience, as human beings seek his light and truth”, since “only God knows the times and stages of the fulfillment of this long human quest” (DP 84).

With regards to the methods use in ecumenism, The Ecumenical Directory contains a chapter entitled Communion of life and spiritual activity among the baptized and a further chapter on Ecumenical collaboration, dialogue and common witness. The documents on interreligious dialogue distinguish four types of dialogue: dialogue of life, dialogue of action, dialogue of discourse and dialogue of religious experience. In some ways these two ways of distinguishing different activities coincide, although great differences remain.

It could be thought that communion of life and the dialogue of life are one and the same thing, but the key-word in the title of the chapter in the Directory is “baptized”. Sharing baptism puts Christians in a particular situation. Common prayer becomes possible, whereas among the followers of different religions it remain problematic.  For Christians orders of service can be prepared where the participants will recite or sing the same words. Common orders of service for interreligious meetings raise a host of problems. Normally it is better to have people of each religion present reciting a prayer in succession while the others listen respectfully. Again, among Christians, when certain conditions obtain, it is possible to share in sacramental worship, and in particular the Eucharist. For people of other religions to share in Christian worship or for Christians to join in the worship of a non-Christian religion would be condemned as being a form of communicatio in sacris. The most one can do is to assist respectfully at the worship. This should not be despised, however, as it comes into the category of the dialogue of religious experience. It can indeed lead to greater consciousness of the spiritual riches of the respective religious traditions.

Ecumenical cooperation can come in many forms. The Directory mentions biblical work in common, the preparation of liturgical texts, theological studies and formation undertaken together, humanitarian aid and the care for the environment, acting together in the field of health-work and also with regard to social communications. The first items on this list are dependent on a sharing of belief, and it would therefore be difficult to apply them to interreligious cooperation, but when one turns to the service of the world around us, it can be seen that such interreligious cooperation becomes possible.

In a multi-religious society, where religious education must necessarily include transmission of knowledge of the different traditions, it is desirable that these traditions work together, for instance in the preparation and execution of the necessary educational programmes. In the same way, religious traditions can unite in upholding common values or in common actions on behalf of the poor and needy.  The possibilities of cooperation are indeed immense. What is needed is obviously the desire to engage in common actions and to do so requires a high degree of mutual trust.

Dialogue can itself help to create the climate necessary for such cooperation. The Ecumenical Directory provides some indications regarding ecumenical dialogue which are also relevant to interreligious dialogue. Dialogue requires listening and responding, seeking to understand and to make oneself understood. So it means being ready to ask questions, but also to receive questions. It means expressing myself and also paying attention to what others say about me. Each person sharing in the conversation should be ready to clarify further his or her own position, to modify personal viewpoints and way of living and acting, out of a genuine love of the truth. Reciprocity and a common commitment are essential elements of dialogue, as is also the awareness of the essential equality of the partners in dialogue (cf. Ecumenical Directory, 172).

There are certainly fundamental differences between ecumenical and interreligious dialogue, given the difference in their aims, as mentioned above. While in ecumenical dialogue the aim is to arrive at a common profession of faith, in interreligious dialogue the aim is simply to clarify ideas in order to achieve greater understanding, thus eliminating prejudices and simplistic reductions of the truth.

3. Possibilities for an ecumenical approach to interreligious dialogue

Having compared, in some measure at least, ecumenism and interreligious dialogue, it can now be shown how interreligious dialogue can be a way to ecumenical dialogue. This will be illustrated theoretically, following the four types of dialogue already mentioned, and then by providing some examples.

3.1       The dialogue of life

The ‘dialogue of life’ is understood as being “where people strive to live in an open and neighbourly spirit, sharing their joys and sorrows, their human problems and preoccupations” (DP 42). This takes place at the human level when people engage in relations primarily as human beings. Yet religious motives can strengthen the desire to reach out to people who belong to different religious traditions.

It is worth while underlining the word ‘strive’ used in the description given above. The dialogue of life is not always easy. Differences, whether cultural or religious, can create a tendency to live in a ghetto, separating oneself from others or at least confining relations to a superficial level. Initiatives are needed in order to create a climate in which every person feels at ease, such as celebrations of the feasts of the different communities, a welcome celebration for newcomers to the area or a farewell ceremony for those who are leaving. There are almost unlimited variations along this line.  

At this level the differences among Christians would not seem to weigh at all. If, for example, Christians are living in an area where there are Muslims, or Buddhists, or both, they will meet them simply as Christians rather than as Anglicans, Catholics or Methodists. This is true at least for the opening of communications. If there is a desire to create more formal relations in a village or an area of town, it might be good to hold a prior concertation among the various Christian groups.

  3.2.     Dialogue of action

Dialogue of life often leads to common action but of a spontaneous nature, such as going to the help of a sick person or, in a village setting, repairing damage caused by a storm. When initiatives are taken to achieve something of a more permanent nature, then we move to the level of the dialogue of action. Common action in fact requires a considerable amount of dialogue since it is necessary to come to an agreement on what needs to be done, and how it should be done, and who will be responsible for the action.

The Ecumenical Directory speaks of many different types of cooperation which can easily be adapted to interreligious cooperation. There is first of all sharing in programmes established by a particular religious tradition. There can also be an effort to coordinate independent initiatives. Finally initiatives can be taken together by common accord (cf. The Ecumenical Directory 163).

An example could be the care of orphans left as a result of AIDS. Catholics may be doing this, but employing nurses who happen to be Muslims, with the help of a rich business-man who belongs to another Christian denomination. Would the Catholics run the orphanage while leaving others to provide instruction about AIDS? Or would there be an attempt to include everyone in the organizing committee since the orphans in fact belong to all the different religious communities?

Since the majority of religious organizations have their own structures and sources of finance it is easier to work independently. A deliberate effort is needed to bring together people belonging to different religious traditions. This requires, one might say, an ecumenical instinct. What is certain is that if the Christians are united when they approach others to work with them, they will probably have less difficulty in arousing a positive response.

3.3       The dialogue of discourse

The different kinds of cooperation just enunciated are relevant also for more formal and academic type of dialogue. In this case also it is true that it is easier for a single ecclesial entity, or academic institution, to organize a conference, inviting people of other Christian denominations to participate on the Christian side. Often the organizing body may be ecumenical in nature, a national or regional council of churches, for example, because such councils frequently give more attention to interreligious relations. Fortunately, in many places the Catholic Church is a full member of these councils and so can be engaged in the preparation of the conference right from the very beginning.

Such ecumenical cooperation in forming the Christian partners for a formal interreligious dialogue is easier when the arguments to be discussed are social in nature. When matters of faith are to be discussed, a certain embarrassment can be caused if the Christians do not agree amongst themselves. Yet such differences can also arise when ethical questions are treated. Nevertheless, since the aim of interreligious dialogue is not to come to come to full agreement in matters of faith, the fact that the partners on one side of the dialogue do not all agree may be of less importance. In fact, openness about differences on one side may encourage a similar openness on the other side and prevent a monolithic approach to questions.

3.4       The dialogue of religious experience

The dialogue of religious experience normally requires persons “rooted in their own religious traditions”. They come together to “share their spiritual riches, for instance with regard to prayer and contemplation, faith and ways of searching for God or the Absolute” (PD 42).

It is perhaps in this type of dialogue that ecumenical cooperation will be most difficult. Of course, if the sharing takes the form of an academic exchange on respective spiritual traditions, there is no reason why different Christian traditions should not be presented. If, however, the type of sharing includes the presence at an act of worship, this will normally be an act of worship of a particular community. The members of other Christian communities can nevertheless be invited to attend respectfully, together with their partners of other religions. For example, it may be profitable for a Buddhist to attend on one occasion a Catholic service and on another an Anglican or Methodist act of worship, just as Christians could be interested in attending worship according to the Theravada tradition on one occasion, a Zen meditation or a Tibetan service on another occasion. What is important is that the participants have the possibility afterwards of sharing their reactions.

4. Some examples of ecumenical cooperation

Following on this theoretical presentation, here are a few examples of ecumenical cooperation drawn from experience within the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (PCID).

4.1       Cooperation between the PCDI and the World Council of Churches (WCC)

Since the end of the 1970s, when the Secretary and Under-Secretary of the PCID were invited by the WCC’s Sub-Unit for Dialogue with Living Faiths and Ideologies to take part in a meeting in Chiang Mai, Thailand, there have been many contacts between these two offices.

In 1979 the leaders of the Sub-Unit were invited to assist at the first Plenary Assembly convoked by the PCID. The reciprocal invitations have continued and a working meeting of the staffs has become an annual event.

A further step was to engage in joint projects. The first was a study on interreligious marriages. Questionnaires were elaborated and sent out; the documents produced by different Christian bodies were studied; and a joint document was written (cf. Pro Dialogo 96 (1997) pp. 324-339). The document remained general in character, partly because it dealt with all types of interreligious marriages and partly because it could not cover the legislative positions of every distinct Christian tradition. Nevertheless it offers a useful presentation of the problems raised by such marriages and underlines their possible contribution to inter-religious relations.

The second project concerned interreligious prayer. This was staged in three steps. First an enquiry into the practice of interreligious prayer in different Churches; secondly a consultation of experts in this field; and finally a consultation of a theological nature. The results of the two consultations and some of the papers presented were published concurrently in the WCC’s Current Dialogue and the PCID’s Pro Dialogo 98 (1998). As in the previous study on interreligious marriage, Christians will not find in this publication the position of their particular denomination, but rather useful material to guide them if they wish to engage in prayer with people of other religions.

A third common project concentrated on Africa, in a desire to underline the riches of the spiritual traditions of Africa as a contribution to the world spiritual heritage.

Another joint project, conducted together with the World Evangelical Alliance, produced a document on the ethical requirements of respectful evangelization.

4.2       The Islam in Europe Committee

An ecumenical initiative, the Islam in Europe Committee was set up by the Conference of Churches in Europe (KEK), in which the principal Churches in Europe are represented (except the Catholic Church) and the Council of Episcopal Conferences of Europe (CCEE). PCID’s head of the Islam desk is invited to the meetings of this Committee as an observer.

The aim of the committee is to provide help to the various Churches that are all facing the challenge of the increasing Muslim presence in Europe. It had the advantage, even before the enlargement of the European Union, of including the Churches of Eastern Europe.

The following are some of the topics examined by the committee: the study of Islam during the formation period for future priests and ministers; marriages between Christians and Muslims; reciprocity in interreligious relations (a document which aroused some controversy). The committee is similar to other ecumenical organizations in that it enjoys no authority other than the quality of its work. It proposes reflections for the consideration of the individual Churches who then act upon them as they think fit.

The committee has been actively engaged in direct dialogue with Muslims. At the time of the attack on the World Trade Centre in New York on 11 September 2001 they were holding a meeting in Sarajevo. These meetings give Muslims the opportunity of encountering the great variety of Christian traditions.

4.3       Journées d’Arras

There is another ecumenical group in Europe concerned with Christian-Muslim relations. This is an informal meeting of interested persons that takes place annually. The first such meeting was held in Arras, in Northern France, and it has kept the name ever since, although each year the meeting, usually held in the week after Pentecost, is held in a different country. Each time a particular theme is examined, but the essential part of the meeting consists of an exchange of information on the state of Christian-Muslim relations in the different countries represented.

            4.4       PROCMURA

In Africa different Protestant Churches in the 1970s set up a structure to assist Christian communities in their relations with Muslims. Initially called the Islam in Africa Project, it eventually took the title Project for Christian-Muslim Relations in Africa (PROCMURA). Its headquarters are in Nairobi. It remains a Protestant organization but collaboration with Catholics is actively sought. Such collaboration does indeed take place, but it could be intensified.

4.5       The Forum Bishops/ ‘Ulama

To give an example from a different Continent, Asia, the region of Mindanao, in the Southern Philippines, has seen a long conflict between certain Islamic groups and the army. In order to encourage negotiations, rather than fighting, religious leaders decided to come together. At first it was the Catholic bishops who met with Muslim leaders, but then the meetings were opened up to bishops of other Churches. The desire is that such meetings should take place also at a lower level, namely that of parish priests, ministers and local imams.

5. Interreligious relations as a way to Christian Unity

Some people, struck by the scandal of divisions among Christians, would say that priority must be given to ecumenism. Once there is unity among Christians, then relations could be developed with people of other religions.

Without lessening the importance of ecumenism, this position would appear to be wrong for two reasons. The first is that the building up of good interreligious relations cannot wait because the world is becoming more and more intercultural and interreligious. There is practically no part of the world where people of different religions are not living side by side. It is important that they get to know one another, understand one another better and respect one another. For example, Saudi Arabia, the heartland of Islam, has many millions of foreign workers, many of whom are Christians. It is important that their situation be brought to the attention of Christian and Muslim leaders so that their rights, including the right to religious freedom, be respected.

A second reason is that relations with people of other religions help Christians to understand better and appreciate more their own faith. They come to see how extraordinary is the primary element of that faith, namely that God has so loved the world that he has sent within it his only Son to be the Brother, Lord and Saviour of all human beings. The contact with other faith-systems, and with people who are influenced by these systems, helps Christians to discern what is essential to the Christian faith and what is of lesser importance. It is through going back to the roots of their faith that Christians will find the path to unity in diversity. This is surely the will of Christ.

Often when Christians gather to pray, despite their differences, they find unity in reciting the Lord’s Prayer. This prayer unites them in the praise of the Father, as they ask that His name be hallowed, as they pray that His will may be done, and as they engage in a common mission praying that the Kingdom of God may come.

It can be observed that the fruit of this prayer is not confined to Christians. Holiness can be found also in those who do not profess faith in Jesus Christ; it is not only Christians who seek God’s will and desire to fulfill it; the values of the Kingdom can be found outside the visible boundaries of the Church.

The fact that it is possible to share words and desires with people who do not profess the same faith makes us realize that unity can coexist despite differences in belief. Consequently we are dealing with an imperfect unity. This was perhaps the reason why at my school, when I was a young boy attending a non-Catholic school, the Catholics usually did not join in the prayers, not even to recite the Our Father. This is still the case in some Christian circles.

1.2       The scandal of division

The fact that Christians are divided is indeed a scandal. It is something that is naturally remarked upon by people of other religions. Instead of exclaiming: “See how they love one another!” they are more likely to say: “See how they dispute amongst themselves.” When the Qur’an speaks about Christians, it almost always alludes to their divisions. One example will suffice. In Surat Maryam, after the story of the Annunciation and the birth of Jesus the text concludes:

Such was Jesus, son of Mary. [This is] a statement of the Truth about which they are in doubt…. But factions have differed among themselves (Q 19:34. 37).

It is certainly necessary therefore to do all that is possible to fulfill the will of Jesus expressed in his prayer:

May they be one, Father, as you are in me and I am in you.  May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me (Jn 17:21).

1.3       The need for common witness

The above quotations underline the need for common witness and the need for Christians together, in so far as it is possible, to develop relations with people of other religions. The Directory for the Application of the Principles and Norms of Ecumenism, brought out by the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity in 1993, states:

In today’s world contacts between Christians and people of other religions are increasing. These contacts are radically different from those between Churches and ecclesial communities. The latter have as their aim the reconstitution of the unity that Jesus Christ wished for among all his disciples; they are righty called ecumenical. In point of fact, interreligious contacts are influenced by ecumenical contacts. The opposite is also true: through interreligious relations Christians are led to deepen their unity. Such contacts constitute an important part of ecumenical cooperation (210).

Interreligious relations can therefore rightly be said to be a stimulus for the development of an ecumenical attitude. Interreligious dialogue is a locus of ecumenical dialogue.

2. A Comparison between Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue

The above quotation, while it notes the connection between ecumenism and interreligious dialogue, underlines the differences between them. Whereas the spirit that animates these two activities and the methods used are similar, they do not have the same aim. These two points deserve further examination, but they will be taken in the reverse order.

2.2       A different aim

The aim of ecumenism is the restoration of the unity willed by Christ for all his disciples. It is obvious that what is intended here is a unity in diversity, without any attempt to abolish the particular rites and practices of individual Churches and ecclesial communities. There should be, nevertheless, sufficient unity of faith for the members of the different communities to recognize one another, not only with respect but as being in communion. It is this communion in faith which is the foundation for communion in practice.

In interreligious relations this community of faith is necessarily lacking. This does not mean that there is nothing in common between Christianity and other religions, in particular with religions such as Judaism and Islam which hold belief in one God who is the Creator and the Judge of all. Yet these religions do not recognize Jesus as the Son of God, the one Lord and Saviour. If they did, they would cease to be what they are and would become expressions of Christianity. So the aim of interreligious dialogue cannot be to seek the unity of all religions (this is the aim of ‘universalistic’ movements which end up creating another religion; an example would be the Baha’i movement). The aim of interreligious dialogue is in some ways more modest, namely to foster harmony and peace among the followers of different religions. Yet it goes further than this:

Interreligious dialogue is not aimed solely at mutual understanding and friendly relations. It reaches a deeper level, that of the spirit, where exchange and sharing include mutual witness to what each one believes and a common discovery of respective religious convictions. Through this dialogue, Christians and others are invited to deepen their religious commitment and to respond, with ever-greater sincerity, to the personal call of God and the free gift that He makes to each (Dialogue and Proclamation 40).

It is for this reason that interreligious dialogue can rightly be called a dialogue of salvation. The fact that, in the Christian understanding of salvation, the personal call of God and the free gift of Himself, “always pass through the mediation of Jesus Christ and the work of his Spirit” (ibid.), does not invalidate this deep aim of interreligious dialogue.

            2.3       Similarity in spirit and methods

If the aims of ecumenism and interreligious dialogue are radically different, do these two activities then have nothing in common? It can be stated categorically that they show much similarity in the spirit that animates them and they often use similar means.

With regard to the animating spirit, without going into great detail, it would be possible to point to respect, love and humility as essential elements of this spirit.

Respect comes from the conviction that God does not work only in the hearts of individuals

but also in the rites and traditions of the communities to which these individuals belong. We must admit that this respect has not always been shown. When the Declaration Nostra Aetate of Vatican II stated: “The Church has also a high regard for the Muslims” (NA 3), this provoked amazement among many Catholics. Religious traditions deserve our respect because they bear witness to the efforts to seek answers to “the unsolved riddles of human existence” (NA 1) which have puzzled the minds and hearts of human beings since the dawn of time. They are also worthy of respect because of the human and spiritual values which they hold. In ecumenical terms we could think of the liturgical and spiritual traditions of the Oriental Churches, the great attention to the Word of God in different Protestant communities, the lively prayer of Pentecostals. With regard to other religions we could remind ourselves that Paul VI, in his encyclical Evangelii Nuntiandi, noted that these religions possess “a splendid patrimony of religious writings” and that they “have taught generations of men how to pray” (EN 53).

This respect leads to practical consequences. It implies that care be taken when speaking about other people. Vatican II’s Decree on Ecumenism insists that every effort should be made “to avoid expressions, judgments and actions which do not represent the condition of our separated brethren with truth and fairness and so make mutual relations with them more difficult” (UR 4). This can certainly be applied to our relations with people of other religions and, hopefully, to their relations with us.

Respect, however, does not mean indifference or a spirit of laissez-faire. When love is allied to respect, other Christians and people of other religions are treated as brothers and sisters, as members of the one human family which is called to go forward together. John Paul II, in his encyclical letter Ut Unum Sint, proposed some ways of applying this spirit of “universal fraternity”. He mentioned communities that at one time had been rivals but now help each other mutually, for instance with regard to places of worship, in enabling access to higher studies, in approaching civil authorities on behalf of those who are suffering persecution, in restoring the good name of those who have incurred defamation (cf. UUS 42). All this can be applied, mutatis mutandis, to interreligious relations. The document Dialogue and Proclamation specifies that a fraternal spirit leads to altruistic behaviour: “There is need to stand up for human rights, proclaim the demands of justice, and denounce injustice not only when their own members are victimized, but independently of the religious allegiance of the victims. There is need also to join together in trying to solve the great problems facing society and the world, as well as in education for justice and peace” (DP 44).

This appeal is addressed in the first place to Christians, to local Churches, but it is hoped that it will also be heard by other religious communities.

Finally, humility, which is an indispensable requirement for good ecumenical and interreligious relations. However convinced we may be that our religious tradition teaches us the truth – and as Christians we profess that Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life – we are aware that we ourselves have not fully grasped this truth. As long as we remain in this world, we are but pilgrims. We are conscious of our limits as human beings, that we are by no means perfect. This holds good for us as individuals but also for our communities that are in constant need of renewal and reform. Above all we are conscious that it is God who governs our universe, and that our role is to follow the suggestions of the Holy Spirit. The certain conviction that the Spirit is guiding us is a source of courage and leads to perseverance. When we meet with obstacles, with misunderstandings, we can derive comfort from the fact that we are subject to God. We realize that  “All, both Christians and the followers of other religious traditions, are invited by God to enter into the mystery of his patience, as human beings seek his light and truth”, since “only God knows the times and stages of the fulfillment of this long human quest” (DP 84).

With regards to the methods use in ecumenism, The Ecumenical Directory contains a chapter entitled Communion of life and spiritual activity among the baptized and a further chapter on Ecumenical collaboration, dialogue and common witness. The documents on interreligious dialogue distinguish four types of dialogue: dialogue of life, dialogue of action, dialogue of discourse and dialogue of religious experience. In some ways these two ways of distinguishing different activities coincide, although great differences remain.

It could be thought that communion of life and the dialogue of life are one and the same thing, but the key-word in the title of the chapter in the Directory is “baptized”. Sharing baptism puts Christians in a particular situation. Common prayer becomes possible, whereas among the followers of different religions it remain problematic.  For Christians orders of service can be prepared where the participants will recite or sing the same words. Common orders of service for interreligious meetings raise a host of problems. Normally it is better to have people of each religion present reciting a prayer in succession while the others listen respectfully. Again, among Christians, when certain conditions obtain, it is possible to share in sacramental worship, and in particular the Eucharist. For people of other religions to share in Christian worship or for Christians to join in the worship of a non-Christian religion would be condemned as being a form of communicatio in sacris. The most one can do is to assist respectfully at the worship. This should not be despised, however, as it comes into the category of the dialogue of religious experience. It can indeed lead to greater consciousness of the spiritual riches of the respective religious traditions.

Ecumenical cooperation can come in many forms. The Directory mentions biblical work in common, the preparation of liturgical texts, theological studies and formation undertaken together, humanitarian aid and the care for the environment, acting together in the field of health-work and also with regard to social communications. The first items on this list are dependent on a sharing of belief, and it would therefore be difficult to apply them to interreligious cooperation, but when one turns to the service of the world around us, it can be seen that such interreligious cooperation becomes possible.

In a multi-religious society, where religious education must necessarily include transmission of knowledge of the different traditions, it is desirable that these traditions work together, for instance in the preparation and execution of the necessary educational programmes. In the same way, religious traditions can unite in upholding common values or in common actions on behalf of the poor and needy.  The possibilities of cooperation are indeed immense. What is needed is obviously the desire to engage in common actions and to do so requires a high degree of mutual trust.

Dialogue can itself help to create the climate necessary for such cooperation. The Ecumenical Directory provides some indications regarding ecumenical dialogue which are also relevant to interreligious dialogue. Dialogue requires listening and responding, seeking to understand and to make oneself understood. So it means being ready to ask questions, but also to receive questions. It means expressing myself and also paying attention to what others say about me. Each person sharing in the conversation should be ready to clarify further his or her own position, to modify personal viewpoints and way of living and acting, out of a genuine love of the truth. Reciprocity and a common commitment are essential elements of dialogue, as is also the awareness of the essential equality of the partners in dialogue (cf. Ecumenical Directory, 172).

There are certainly fundamental differences between ecumenical and interreligious dialogue, given the difference in their aims, as mentioned above. While in ecumenical dialogue the aim is to arrive at a common profession of faith, in interreligious dialogue the aim is simply to clarify ideas in order to achieve greater understanding, thus eliminating prejudices and simplistic reductions of the truth.

3. Possibilities for an ecumenical approach to interreligious dialogue

Having compared, in some measure at least, ecumenism and interreligious dialogue, it can now be shown how interreligious dialogue can be a way to ecumenical dialogue. This will be illustrated theoretically, following the four types of dialogue already mentioned, and then by providing some examples.

3.1       The dialogue of life

The ‘dialogue of life’ is understood as being “where people strive to live in an open and neighbourly spirit, sharing their joys and sorrows, their human problems and preoccupations” (DP 42). This takes place at the human level when people engage in relations primarily as human beings. Yet religious motives can strengthen the desire to reach out to people who belong to different religious traditions.

It is worth while underlining the word ‘strive’ used in the description given above. The dialogue of life is not always easy. Differences, whether cultural or religious, can create a tendency to live in a ghetto, separating oneself from others or at least confining relations to a superficial level. Initiatives are needed in order to create a climate in which every person feels at ease, such as celebrations of the feasts of the different communities, a welcome celebration for newcomers to the area or a farewell ceremony for those who are leaving. There are almost unlimited variations along this line.  

At this level the differences among Christians would not seem to weigh at all. If, for example, Christians are living in an area where there are Muslims, or Buddhists, or both, they will meet them simply as Christians rather than as Anglicans, Catholics or Methodists. This is true at least for the opening of communications. If there is a desire to create more formal relations in a village or an area of town, it might be good to hold a prior concertation among the various Christian groups.

  3.2.     Dialogue of action

Dialogue of life often leads to common action but of a spontaneous nature, such as going to the help of a sick person or, in a village setting, repairing damage caused by a storm. When initiatives are taken to achieve something of a more permanent nature, then we move to the level of the dialogue of action. Common action in fact requires a considerable amount of dialogue since it is necessary to come to an agreement on what needs to be done, and how it should be done, and who will be responsible for the action.

The Ecumenical Directory speaks of many different types of cooperation which can easily be adapted to interreligious cooperation. There is first of all sharing in programmes established by a particular religious tradition. There can also be an effort to coordinate independent initiatives. Finally initiatives can be taken together by common accord (cf. The Ecumenical Directory 163).

An example could be the care of orphans left as a result of AIDS. Catholics may be doing this, but employing nurses who happen to be Muslims, with the help of a rich business-man who belongs to another Christian denomination. Would the Catholics run the orphanage while leaving others to provide instruction about AIDS? Or would there be an attempt to include everyone in the organizing committee since the orphans in fact belong to all the different religious communities?

Since the majority of religious organizations have their own structures and sources of finance it is easier to work independently. A deliberate effort is needed to bring together people belonging to different religious traditions. This requires, one might say, an ecumenical instinct. What is certain is that if the Christians are united when they approach others to work with them, they will probably have less difficulty in arousing a positive response.

3.3       The dialogue of discourse

The different kinds of cooperation just enunciated are relevant also for more formal and academic type of dialogue. In this case also it is true that it is easier for a single ecclesial entity, or academic institution, to organize a conference, inviting people of other Christian denominations to participate on the Christian side. Often the organizing body may be ecumenical in nature, a national or regional council of churches, for example, because such councils frequently give more attention to interreligious relations. Fortunately, in many places the Catholic Church is a full member of these councils and so can be engaged in the preparation of the conference right from the very beginning.

Such ecumenical cooperation in forming the Christian partners for a formal interreligious dialogue is easier when the arguments to be discussed are social in nature. When matters of faith are to be discussed, a certain embarrassment can be caused if the Christians do not agree amongst themselves. Yet such differences can also arise when ethical questions are treated. Nevertheless, since the aim of interreligious dialogue is not to come to come to full agreement in matters of faith, the fact that the partners on one side of the dialogue do not all agree may be of less importance. In fact, openness about differences on one side may encourage a similar openness on the other side and prevent a monolithic approach to questions.

3.4       The dialogue of religious experience

The dialogue of religious experience normally requires persons “rooted in their own religious traditions”. They come together to “share their spiritual riches, for instance with regard to prayer and contemplation, faith and ways of searching for God or the Absolute” (PD 42).

It is perhaps in this type of dialogue that ecumenical cooperation will be most difficult. Of course, if the sharing takes the form of an academic exchange on respective spiritual traditions, there is no reason why different Christian traditions should not be presented. If, however, the type of sharing includes the presence at an act of worship, this will normally be an act of worship of a particular community. The members of other Christian communities can nevertheless be invited to attend respectfully, together with their partners of other religions. For example, it may be profitable for a Buddhist to attend on one occasion a Catholic service and on another an Anglican or Methodist act of worship, just as Christians could be interested in attending worship according to the Theravada tradition on one occasion, a Zen meditation or a Tibetan service on another occasion. What is important is that the participants have the possibility afterwards of sharing their reactions.

4. Some examples of ecumenical cooperation

Following on this theoretical presentation, here are a few examples of ecumenical cooperation drawn from experience within the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (PCID).

4.1       Cooperation between the PCDI and the World Council of Churches (WCC)

Since the end of the 1970s, when the Secretary and Under-Secretary of the PCID were invited by the WCC’s Sub-Unit for Dialogue with Living Faiths and Ideologies to take part in a meeting in Chiang Mai, Thailand, there have been many contacts between these two offices.

In 1979 the leaders of the Sub-Unit were invited to assist at the first Plenary Assembly convoked by the PCID. The reciprocal invitations have continued and a working meeting of the staffs has become an annual event.

A further step was to engage in joint projects. The first was a study on interreligious marriages. Questionnaires were elaborated and sent out; the documents produced by different Christian bodies were studied; and a joint document was written (cf. Pro Dialogo 96 (1997) pp. 324-339). The document remained general in character, partly because it dealt with all types of interreligious marriages and partly because it could not cover the legislative positions of every distinct Christian tradition. Nevertheless it offers a useful presentation of the problems raised by such marriages and underlines their possible contribution to inter-religious relations.

The second project concerned interreligious prayer. This was staged in three steps. First an enquiry into the practice of interreligious prayer in different Churches; secondly a consultation of experts in this field; and finally a consultation of a theological nature. The results of the two consultations and some of the papers presented were published concurrently in the WCC’s Current Dialogue and the PCID’s Pro Dialogo 98 (1998). As in the previous study on interreligious marriage, Christians will not find in this publication the position of their particular denomination, but rather useful material to guide them if they wish to engage in prayer with people of other religions.

A third common project concentrated on Africa, in a desire to underline the riches of the spiritual traditions of Africa as a contribution to the world spiritual heritage.

Another joint project, conducted together with the World Evangelical Alliance, produced a document on the ethical requirements of respectful evangelization.

4.2       The Islam in Europe Committee

An ecumenical initiative, the Islam in Europe Committee was set up by the Conference of Churches in Europe (KEK), in which the principal Churches in Europe are represented (except the Catholic Church) and the Council of Episcopal Conferences of Europe (CCEE). PCID’s head of the Islam desk is invited to the meetings of this Committee as an observer.

The aim of the committee is to provide help to the various Churches that are all facing the challenge of the increasing Muslim presence in Europe. It had the advantage, even before the enlargement of the European Union, of including the Churches of Eastern Europe.

The following are some of the topics examined by the committee: the study of Islam during the formation period for future priests and ministers; marriages between Christians and Muslims; reciprocity in interreligious relations (a document which aroused some controversy). The committee is similar to other ecumenical organizations in that it enjoys no authority other than the quality of its work. It proposes reflections for the consideration of the individual Churches who then act upon them as they think fit.

The committee has been actively engaged in direct dialogue with Muslims. At the time of the attack on the World Trade Centre in New York on 11 September 2001 they were holding a meeting in Sarajevo. These meetings give Muslims the opportunity of encountering the great variety of Christian traditions.

4.3       Journées d’Arras

There is another ecumenical group in Europe concerned with Christian-Muslim relations. This is an informal meeting of interested persons that takes place annually. The first such meeting was held in Arras, in Northern France, and it has kept the name ever since, although each year the meeting, usually held in the week after Pentecost, is held in a different country. Each time a particular theme is examined, but the essential part of the meeting consists of an exchange of information on the state of Christian-Muslim relations in the different countries represented.

            4.4       PROCMURA

In Africa different Protestant Churches in the 1970s set up a structure to assist Christian communities in their relations with Muslims. Initially called the Islam in Africa Project, it eventually took the title Project for Christian-Muslim Relations in Africa (PROCMURA). Its headquarters are in Nairobi. It remains a Protestant organization but collaboration with Catholics is actively sought. Such collaboration does indeed take place, but it could be intensified.

4.5       The Forum Bishops/ ‘Ulama

To give an example from a different Continent, Asia, the region of Mindanao, in the Southern Philippines, has seen a long conflict between certain Islamic groups and the army. In order to encourage negotiations, rather than fighting, religious leaders decided to come together. At first it was the Catholic bishops who met with Muslim leaders, but then the meetings were opened up to bishops of other Churches. The desire is that such meetings should take place also at a lower level, namely that of parish priests, ministers and local imams.

5. Interreligious relations as a way to Christian Unity

Some people, struck by the scandal of divisions among Christians, would say that priority must be given to ecumenism. Once there is unity among Christians, then relations could be developed with people of other religions.

Without lessening the importance of ecumenism, this position would appear to be wrong for two reasons. The first is that the building up of good interreligious relations cannot wait because the world is becoming more and more intercultural and interreligious. There is practically no part of the world where people of different religions are not living side by side. It is important that they get to know one another, understand one another better and respect one another. For example, Saudi Arabia, the heartland of Islam, has many millions of foreign workers, many of whom are Christians. It is important that their situation be brought to the attention of Christian and Muslim leaders so that their rights, including the right to religious freedom, be respected.

A second reason is that relations with people of other religions help Christians to understand better and appreciate more their own faith. They come to see how extraordinary is the primary element of that faith, namely that God has so loved the world that he has sent within it his only Son to be the Brother, Lord and Saviour of all human beings. The contact with other faith-systems, and with people who are influenced by these systems, helps Christians to discern what is essential to the Christian faith and what is of lesser importance. It is through going back to the roots of their faith that Christians will find the path to unity in diversity. This is surely the will of Christ.