Roman Document on Interreligious Dialogue Announced
Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue announced that a document on interreligious dialogue was underway.
In the opening address for the plenary meeting of his dicastery, which was held in Rome from June 4 to 7, the French Cardinal admitted “having hesitated many years as to the timeliness of such a document.” “The time has come,” he said, “to give to pastors and to the faithful some general directives, which, obviously, will have to be adapted to local situations.”
The prelate stressed that the main duty of the plenary assembly would be to elaborate the “guide lines” for interreligious dialogue. He hoped there would be sufficient matter to write a document which would aim “at helping Catholics, and maybe even other Christians, to behave with people and communities of other religions with both truth and love.” In his eyes, it is important to prepare the faithful to “share their spiritual convictions and to take others’ into consideration.” Indeed, we must “realize that all believers have a common patrimony: faith in one only God, in the sacredness of life, the necessity of fraternity, and the experience of prayer which is the language of religion,” he added.
Lastly, the president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue underlined that the directives would be based on the ten commandments which are “as it were, a universal grammar, which any believer can use in his relation with God and neighbor.” (Sources: Apic/Imedia)
Our Comment
Cardinal Tauran is in perfect conformity with the “spirit of Assisi” promoted by John Paul II. His address on June 4 can be compared to the statements made by Benedict XVI’s predecessor concerning the common patrimony in which Catholicism is put on a par with all the religions: “all Christians must find what already unites them, even before their full communion is achieved. This is apostolic and missionary unity, missionary and apostolic unity (sic). Thanks to this unity we can together come close to the magnificent heritage of the human spirit that has been manifested in all religions.” (Redemptor Hominis, n° 12) We may see also: “The various religious traditions are called to place their patrimony at the service of all, to build together the common house, united in justice, peace, equity, and solidarity.” (Message of January 25, 2002 to Cardinal Kasper on the occasion of European meetings between Jews and Catholics)
On the other hand, we are surprised that Cardinal Tauran gave a monotheistic definition of universal belief (“faith in one only God”), without any consideration for Hindus, Buddhists, Shintoists, or Taoists…
