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9. Interreligious Dialogue Print E-mail
Written by Consolata.org   
Tuesday, 07 February 2006
77. Enucleation of the orientation

Interreligious Dialogue is a fundamental attitude of the missionary who wishes to enter into relationship with the peoples, the great religions, the traditional ones and those which are the religious expression of the modern world, without ever giving up the explicit announcement of the Gospel. ID also allows the missionary to deepen with all peoples the meaning of life and of the transcendent, within the theology of religions.

This dialogue, takes place at all levels (of life, works, among experts, and through spiritual experiences), and allows us to live in solidarity with humanity in the search of the truth and the qualities of life, and invites us to overcome exclusivist attitudes in the concept of salvation.

ID is a traditional part of our missionary methodology and, at the same time, is a confirmation of one of the priorities that we have chosen in our most recent mission openings. It should be practiced in all our regions.

ID contributes to overcoming attitudes of war and fundamentalism.

78. Aspects which motivate the orientation

In the Institute we are discovering more and more the importance of ID as something that is to be deepened and developed in all the regions, not only in the new mission openings.

1. In various regions there are already well structured centers and some good experiences of ID with the world religions as well as the traditional ones.

2. There is a growing awareness among the missionaries that through ID it is possible to develop a closer collaboration among religions, which leads to a common strategy to face the problems which afflict humanity and to a search for a world ethic.

3. There is a need to overcome the difficulty of believing that in other religions there are elements of truth and of goodness.

4. Peace in the world depends on respect and mutual understanding among religions.

79 Practical Proposals

1. In our assemblies for continental planning, a concrete plan of ID should be prepared that each Region will put into effect.

2. In our regions we are to begin or strengthen existing groups of ID in those places where there is a consistent phenomenon of migration.

3. In our basic and ongoing formation there should be study and deepening of the phenomenology, theology and methodology of ID.

4. The Institute should make known through our publications, and especially through Documentation IMC, the significant experiences of ID which are carried out in our regions, as well as the studies on ID that are produced by our centers.

5. Accompany and support our specific activities of ID, both the traditional ones, as well as the more recent ones.

6. We should have appreciation for those confreres who have specialized in the study of religions.