Why we need witness. The structure of Christian revelation and the method of religious dialogue , «Oasis» 7 (2008)

Exposed to the Gaze and the Questions of the Other

Card. Jean-Louis Tauran

 

For thirteen years I had the privilege of serving Pope John Paul II as Secretary for the Relations of the Holy See with other States. At the end of their mission the ambassadors used to pay a visit to say farewell. I remember that one of them, who was a Muslim, made this private observation to me: ‘you know, the thing that has most struck me during the three years that I have spent with you is not your vision of the international situation, however valid it may be – it is to have seen the Pope at prayer during the ceremonies’. This episode seems to me to be emblematic in addressing the subject that has been entrusted to me, namely ‘witness and inter-religious dialogue’. The sharing of spiritual experiences between people, witness to faith, is perhaps the most suitable way by which to nourish dialogue between believers. This ‘exchange of gifts’ between believers can also remind everyone that prayer is the shared language of all religions.

To bear witness to one’s faith is clearly the first duty of every believer. For Christians, at any rate, this duty is undoubted. One need only cite the Gospel according to St. Luke which relates the words that Jesus addressed to his apostles shortly before his Ascension: ‘Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning with Jerusalem’ [Lk 24:46-48]. Believers and their communities are called to offer their witness as religious men and women in this multi-religious and multicultural world, as happened at the beginnings of Christianity. What could be more varied than the Palestinian society in which Jesus lived and taught! It seems to me that three certainties should inspire this witness:

● having clear ideas about the contents of one’s religion;
● living in a way that is consistent with one’s beliefs;
● and not being afraid to express one’s faith in words.

All inter-religious dialogue presupposes first and foremost the clear identity of the participants; one does not engage in dialogue basing oneself on ambiguity. The catechesis and teaching offered in Catholic schools and universities should, for example, always lay stress on the contents of faith so as to enable our faithful to dialogue in truth with the members of the other religions with whom they live in society.

Clearly one is not dealing here with making each one of us an ‘expert’ in religion: one does not teach God; one bears witness to Him. One is dealing with becoming credible witnesses to the faith that we profess. In inter-religious dialogue we are exposed to the gaze of the other. Thus when we Christians ask the other ‘tell me about your God and how you express your faith into daily life’, we know that soon our interlocutor will ask us the same question. Inter-religious dialogue, more than being a dialogue between religions is, in fact, a dialogue between believers, and to be authentic it requires that those who engage in it have an inner life and spirituality. On this point, in his letter Novo millennio ineunte, John Paul II saw holiness as a pastoral priority of the Church for the third millennium: ‘I have no hesitation in saying that all pastoral initiatives must be set in relation to holiness’ [n. 30]. Lastly, we must have the coherence and the inner freedom to never hesitate in proclaiming and making people see He in whom we believe. Recently, Pope Benedict XVI, when addressing the members of the Roman Curia, observed that the person who discovers Jesus and his message cannot keep them to himself: ‘In Jesus Christ the great Light has arisen for us, the great Light: we cannot keep it covered, but, rather, we must raise it to the stand so that it throws light on all those in the home’ [cf. Mt 5:15].

It is interesting to observe how much inter-religious dialogue can contribute to an exploration of one’s own beliefs and give one’s own faith new dimensions. If all believers managed to be witnesses to God, without doubt the religions of the world would no longer provoke fear, as, instead, often happens. They would be seen much more clearly as sources of understanding and brotherhood.

The nature of inter-religious dialogue thus appears to us more clearly. This is not a matter of a simple conversation between friends whose task is to be courteous and to avoid disturbing subjects. Nor is one dealing with a negotiation that always ends with a solution to a problem. One is dealing here with promoting every kind of positive and constructive relationship with the individuals and communities of other religions, ‘which is directed towards mutual understanding and mutual enrichment, in full respect of truth and freedom’ [Dialogo e annuncio, n. 9].

Inter-religious dialogue thus becomes an opportunity to explore one’s own religious beliefs. Every encounter must become dialogue and transform me: without concealing my beliefs, I am at every moment led to review my prejudices and explore the reasons for my hope, which is based upon my faith and which always makes me confess that the fullness of revelation has been brought by Jesus Christ, the only mediator between God and men [cf. 1Tm 2:4-6].

Inter-religious dialogue, therefore, always begins with respect for the other, his person and his beliefs. It makes me see him as someone who has values. It leads me to wish to know him further.

Two documents published by our Council (1) set out four ways in which such dialogue is achieved in concrete term:

● the dialogue of life, made up of openness and good neighbourliness;
● the dialogue of works, made up of cooperation with a view to achieving an improvement in conditions of life and work;
● the theological dialogue, which tries to deepen understanding of the participants’ respective religious heritages;
● the dialogue of religious experiences, which refers to prayer and contemplation.

Thus inter-religious dialogue does not only reside in mutual respect. It is a propitious opportunity to bear witness to, and to speak about, one’s own faith to people who belong to other religions. To answer questions, perhaps, to solicit them; to correct erroneous information; to dissipate prejudices…are equally services rendered to one’s own faith. Thus dialogue also becomes an important service to make this faith known about, to live it in a coherent way and thus make it credible. To wear a distinctive sign that identifies me as belonging to a community should not be seen as an ‘aggression’ in relation to the believers of other denominations. Sincerity and frankness are indispensable in creating trust. The purpose of this kind of dialogue is not to conceal one’s own beliefs so as to please the other or to look for the lowest common denominator, but, rather, to take advantage of what differentiates us and at times opposes us as an instrument that is able to create better understanding and mutual enrichment. Pope John Paul II, when addressing the plenary assembly of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue on 15 May 2005, stated: ‘In the apostolic letter Novo millennio ineunte I had occasion to observe that the millennium that has just begun is to be placed in the perspective of a “more evident cultural and religious pluralism”’ [n. 55]. Dialogue is thus important and must continue because it is ‘part of the Church’s evangelising mission’, with ‘special links’ to the proclaiming of Christ and at the same time, distinct from it, without confusion and manipulation [Redemptoris missio, 55]. In promoting such dialogue with the followers of other religions every kind of religious relativism and indifferentism should be avoided, with an attempt being made to offer everyone, with respect, the joyous witness of the ‘hope that is in us’ [cf. 1Pt 3:15]. Pope John Paul II’s successor, Pope Benedict XVI, observed that ‘the proclaiming of, and bearing witness to, the Gospel are the first service that Christians can render to each person and the whole of mankind, called as they are to communicate the love of God to everyone, who manifested Himself to the full in the only Redeemer of the world, Jesus Christ’ [Address on the occasion of the fortieth anniversary of the Decree Ad Gentes, 11 March 2006].

To end this article I would like to return to the courtesy visit that the Muslim ambassador made to me, touched as he was by the image of a Pope at prayer, a Pope who was a great spiritual man. And I ask myself whether inter-religious dialogue does not begin first of all with respect for the prayer of the other so as to then understand better what or He who ‘dwells’ there. After all, inter-religious dialogue is achieved between believers who know the importance of prayer. They know that it can change the hearts of men. Every man who prays before his God cannot but inspire respect and it is specifically at the moment that he prays that he is as the apex of his person. It is at that moment that we can understand each other in our shared destiny of creatures of God and in our difference. This does not mean to say that ‘all religions are the same, let’s pray together!’ It means that all those who are looking for God and serve Him have the same dignity! We must, therefore, help each other, beyond what separates us, and we should never forget the words of the prophet: ‘He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? [Mi 6:8].

(1) L'atteggiamento della Chiesa verso i seguaci di altre religioni (Segretariato per i non Cristiani, 1984); Dialogo e annuncio, Pontificio Consiglio per il Dialogo Interreligioso e Congregazione per l'Evangelizzazione dei Popoli, 1991). 
 

 

To quote this article

Card. Jean-Louis Tauran, Exposed to the Gaze and the Questions of the Other , «Oasis» [on-line], 7 | May 2008, on-line since 15 May 2008 visited on 18 May 2012.
URL: http://www.oasiscenter.eu/node/2407