We are happy to present in this Oasis News a new primer on Interreligios Dialogue prepared by Fr. Sebastiano D’Ambra, PIME, the new executive secretary of the CBCP’s Commission for Interreligious Dialogue. This primer is published by the Claretian Publications. Fr. D’Ambra in the introduction of this primer says:
The year of interreligious dialogue in 2020 promoted by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) in preparation to the 2021 special time of celebration of the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines is a great occasion to revisit the mission of interreligious dialogue
The primer can help Catholics, as well as Christians of different denominations, Muslims and people of other religions to have a better understanding of the mission of interreligious dialogue. Thus, while Catholics are called to renew their faith, they are also invited to rediscover the importance to journey together in solidarity with people of different faiths, cultures and religions. In the context of the Philippines, this invitation becomes an urgent sign of the times for the Christians to be able to overcome fears and prejudices built along the centuries especially toward the Muslims and to also have a better understanding and respect of the culture and tradition of the indigenous people.
The special goal of this primer is to help Catholics to clarify some common questions related to interreligious dialogue. They are also urged to live the spirit of interreligious dialogue if they go to other countries for work or for any other activity. I believe that, the question and answer approach used in this primer can help in many ways. It is also important that Christians, in this special time of the celebration of the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines, will make a special effort to remove prejudices accumulated from generation to generation to be guided always by the “New Commandment” of Jesus: the commandment of love… We find a new affirmation of the importance of the Culture of Dialogue in the recent document: “On Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together” signed on February 4, 2019 in Abu Dhabi by His Holiness Pope Francis and Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmad Al-Tayyeb in which they say that they “Declare the adoption of Culture of Dialogue as the path, mutual cooperation as the code of conduct, reciprocal understanding as the method and standard”. To inspire us to move toward “Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together”. Thus, encouraged by the Pontifical Council on Interreligious Dialogue, and the Episcopal Commission for Interreligious dialogue of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), we are challenged to deepen the spirit of the Culture of Dialogue. Our challenge today is to give a deeper meaning to the “Culture of Dialogue” that guides us to deepen the spirit of our dialogue with God, the Dialogue with the Self, the Dialogue with Others, and the Dialogue with Creation. In this process, we understand better the dialogue with others and sustain a sincere dialogue with people of other religions called “INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE”. It helps us to move toward mutual cooperation as a code of conduct; reciprocal understanding as the method and standard”. This primer directly answers questions commonly raised related to intercultural and interreligious dialogue to develop a better attitude towards people of other cultures and religions, especially the Muslims. In this way the prejudices will be gradually removed and, hopefully, together we can develop a real “Culture of Dialogue” with all, starting from our family, community, as well as in our relations with all in society, including the relations with people of other religions, especially Muslims in the Philippines. This is the “New encounter” that we have to build together convinced that all of us are part of the same human family, created and loved by God, our Creator. This primer will also help us to understand more how globalization today can be a new challenge to reflect on what is more sustainable for humanity. The spiritual aspiration of every human being cannot be answered only by “development without heart”. It is our mission to “encounter” people of different religions rediscovering the spiritual needs of all human beings and build together the “Culture of Dialogue as a Path to Peace.”