THEOLOGY 4 • Asia is a home of different religions; here exists a variety
and diverse religions in Asia such as Hinduism, Buddhism,
DIALOGUE WITH RELIGION
UNIT 2 LESSON 2
WHAT IS DIALOGUE?
• The theological definition of dialogue differs from the
technical definition found in communication books
wherein it:
- Doesn’t talk about participants in the process
- Doesn’t talk about the negotiation of meaning
• Theological definition: giving of self in love
- Love is the underlying dynamic of dialogue
- Other related values like respect, humility and
openness should necessarily come in
SIGNIFICANCE OF DIALOGUE IN ASIA
• Premise: Christianity is a minority in Asia; therefore, we
have to live harmoniously by entering into dialogue
• We have to pull our resources together, at some point, to
address social problems
• Christians helping alongside Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus
and so on
SIGNIFICANCE OF DIALOGUE IN SELF-LEARNING
• With dialogue, we learn a lot about ourselves, and as a
result, we learn about others as well
• According to Pope John Paul II or Pope Benedict, there is
a result when you are open to dialogue
- The more that you are open to your partner in dialogue,
the more you appreciate who you are as a Catholic
- Conversion is not a big deal when you are engaging in
dialogue, it’s more about discovering what is common
between us, what values we share with our partner
DIALOGUE IN A MULTI-RELIGIOUS WORLD
• Religious pluralism is an undeniable phenomenon of the
twenty first century.”
- It is first of all a search for and recognition of the
presence and activities of the Holy Spirit to be
evangelized, and in this humble and attentive process
of listening, the evangelizers become evangelized, and
the evangelized become evangelizer
• “Asians have many and diverse ways of life that have
nurtured and sustained them for many millennia in the past
and for many ages to come. Asians have their own system
of meaning, including religion, the core of their way of
life.” Javier, Dialogue: Our Mission Today, 27.
DIALOGUE WITH RELIGION
• “Today due to frequent and extensive migrations from East
to West, a growing number of non-Christians are settling
in the Christianized West, especially in urban centers,
where temples, pagodas, and mosques dot the landscape
cheek by jowl with churches and synagogues”
• Because of mega-migration and mega-urbanization
different religions can be found all over the world
• Multi-culturality is a reality and so thus multi-religiosity
Christianity, Confucianism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism,
Shintoism, Taoism, and Zoroastranism
• Asia is the birthplace of the major religions such as
Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism
Religion is the heart of culture
One of religion’s functions is to
address issues of meaning
The arbitrariness of suffering
causes people to want an
explanation; the world should
make sense, it should have
some ultimate meaning
Religion exists even in the
contemporary times
Migration move people from
one place to another that
results to plurality of beliefs,
religions, and worldviews
Dialogue in Asia is important in
crossing the bridge of
differences between and
among religions
INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE VS. PROCLAMATION
• Interreligious dialogue and proclamation, though not on the
same level, are both authentic elements of the Church's
evangelizing mission; both are legitimate and necessary
- They are intimately related, but not interchangeable
• True interreligious dialogue on the part of the Christian
supposes the desire to make Jesus Christ better known,
recognized and loved
• Proclaiming Jesus Christ is to be carried out in the Gospel
spirit of dialogue
- The two activities remain distinct but, as experience
shows, one and the same local Church, one and the
same person, can be diversely engaged in both
RELIGIOUS PLURALISM VS.
RELIGIOUS RELATIVISM
• In today’s world, the religious others are in our midst,
studying, living, and working among us and with us.
• RELIGIOUS PLURALISM: a philosophical perspective on
the world that emphasizes diversity rather than
homogeneity; multiplicity rather than unity; difference
rather than sameness
- Religious plurality is therefore present not only in Asia
but all over the world
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People of other faith must be respected and in no
way that Christians must think of converting
them in their relationship with them
SCRIPTURES & CHURCH’S TEACHING ON
INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE
• Jesus commanded his apostles not to go to the Samaritan
but instead go to the lost sheep of Israel (Mt. 105-6)
- However, there are instances that Jesus was friendly to
non-Jews
• He admired the faith of the centurion (Mt 8:10) and
commended the faith of a Canaanite woman (Mt. 15: 28)
• The Good Samaritan’s act differs from that of the priest and
the levite (Lk. 10:29-37)
• A Samaritan returned and gave thanks from the ten lepers
who were healed (Lk. 17:11-19)
- The Acts of the Apostle tells us the story of the
followers of The Way
• The Apostles are to witness for Christ from Jerusalem,
Samaria until the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8)
• In St Paul’s speech in Athens (Acts 17:22-23), he
announces the Unknown God whom they worship without
knowing and in the following verses he states that God is
near to every people and are called God’s offspring (Acts
26-28)
• The Catholic Church rejects nothing which is true and holy
in these religions
- She looks with sincere respect upon those ways of
conduct and of life, those rules and teaching which,
though differing in many particulars from what she
holds and sets forth, nevertheless often reflect a ray of
that Truth which enlightens all men
- Indeed, she proclaims and must ever proclaim Christ,
"the way, the truth, and the life" (Jn 14:6), in whom
men find the fullness of religious life, and in whom
God has reconciled all things to Himself (Vatican II,
Nostra Aetate, no. 2)
DIALOGUE & PROCLAMATION
• In the context of religious plurality, dialogue means "all
positive and constructive interreligious relations with
individuals and communities of other faiths which are
directed at mutual understanding and enrichment"
- In obedience to truth and respect for freedom
• It includes both witness and the exploration of respective
religious convictions
- It is in this third sense that the present document uses
the term dialogue for one of the integral elements of
the Church's evangelizing mission
• Divine Providence does not deny the helps necessary for
salvation to those who, without blame on their part, have
not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God
- Whatever good or truth is found amongst them is
looked upon by the Church as preparation for the
Gospel
• Some there are who, living and dying in this world without
God, are exposed to final despair
- To promote the glory of God and procure the salvation
of all of these, the Church, mindful of the command of
the Lord: “Preach the Gospel to every creature” fosters
the missions with care and attention (LG 16)
• The Church must be present in these groups through her
children, who dwell among them or who are sent to them.
For all Christians, wherever they live, are bound to show
forth, by the example of their lives and by the witness of
the word, that new man put on at baptism and that power
of the Holy Spirit by which they have been strengthened at
Conformation
- Thus, other men, observing their good works, can
glorify the Father (cf. Matt. ES:16) and can perceive
more fully the real meaning of human life and the
universal bond of the community of mankind
• In order that they may be able to bear more fruitful witness
to Christ:
- Let them be joined to those men by esteem and love
- Let them acknowledge themselves to be members of
the group of men among whom they live
- Let them share in cultural and social life by the various
undertakings and enterprises of human living
- Let them be familiar with their national and religious
traditions
- Let them gladly and reverently lay bare the seeds of
the Word which lie hidden among their fellows
THE DIFFERENT FORMS OF DIALOGUE
1. THE DIALOGUE OF LIFE
• People strive to live their life in harmony and peace with
their neighbors of other faith sharing with each other as
friends their joys and sorrows, hopes and dreams
2. THE DIALOGUE OF ACTION
• When people of different faiths work together to act and
collaborate for integral development and liberation of
people
3. THE DIALOGUE OF THEOLOGICAL EXCHANGE
• Those who are specialists deepen each other’s religious
heritages, and appreciate each other’s religious values
4. THE DIALOGUE OF RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE
• Persons rooted in their own religious traditions, share their
spiritual riches such as prayer and contemplation, faith and
ways of searching for God.
THREE GOALS OF INTERRELIGIOUS
DIALOGUE (LEONARD SWIDLER)
1. To know oneself ever more profoundly, and enrich and
round out one’s appreciation of one’s own faith tradition
2. To know the other ever more authentically and gain a
friendly understanding of others as they are and not in
caricature
3. To live ever more fully accordingly and to establish a more
solid foundation for community of life and action among
persons of various traditions
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 PRINCIPLES OF DIALOGUE
1. The primary purpose of dialogue is to learn; that is, to change
and grow in the perception and understanding of reality, and
then to act accordingly
• Before engaging in dialogue, you would have a totally
different perspective; after the discourse, you gain a new
perspective
• Example: before engaging in dialogue, you know little
about Buddhism
2. Interreligious, inter-ideological dialogue must be a two-sided
project within each religious or ideological community and
between religious or ideological communities
• Both of you have to desire to come to the dialogue
• It cannot be one-sided
3. Each participant must come to the dialogue with complete
honesty and sincerity
• If love is the underlying dynamic of dialogue, then, the
related values have to come in also (honestly, sincerity,
humility, and openness)
4. In interreligious, inter-ideological dialogue we must not
compare our ideals with our partner’s practice, but rather our
ideals with our partner’s ideals, our practice with our partner’s
practice
• Ideals are always invisible; these are unearthed by dialogue
• Example: Buddhist Nuns – their version of the Eucharist is
feeding the entire community; wakes up at 3-4 AM to
harvest the very first sprout at the rice fields and cook this
into a porridge which will serve as the breakfast of the
community
- Catholic: our version of eucharist is involving the
eucharistic elements (mass)
- The Buddhists’ practice of the eucharist showcases
values like industry, generosity, sharing, and charity –
these are all values that we share and is also seen in
our (Catholic) version of the Eucharist
• Through the dialogue, ideals were unearthed, which was
shared as far as the Eucharist is concerned
• The participants of the conference would discuss on the
level of ideals only without questioning the practice
- You cannot compare/equate/involve ideals and
practice together/to each other because we (Catholics
and Buddhists) come from different traditions
- Therefore, our Eucharist came from the Apostles’
tradition handed down from generation to generation;
the Buddhists’ tradition differs, but their way of
showing industry, generosity, and sharing are coming
from somewhere
- Ideal vis a vis ideal
- Practice vis a vis practice
5. Each participant must define himself and must be able to
recognize themselves in the conversation
• We must know our place in the conversation, where you
are coming from; and conversely respect the place of your
partner in dialogue (where she is coming from)
• What culturally binds you to that tradition dictates your
practices
6. Each participant must come to the dialogue with no hard and
fast assumptions as to where the points of disagreement are
• No biases; leave all prejudices behind
• What the Lord said to Moses: “Take the shoes off your feet
because the ground where you standeth is holy.”
- If you treat the venue of dialogue as holy, then, you
have to leave all your prejudices behind; be led by the
Spirit.
• The Lord has a fondness for people in the fringes, people
who are marginalized, and He puts them to center stage
- How the Lord treated Centurion: His servant was ill
and the Lord wanted to approach/go to him; but
Centurion did not think that he is not worthy and said
“It is enough that You say the word and it will be
done.” Then, the Lord said to the Jews, “I have never
seen such faith among you.”
- The Samaritan woman by the well: the Lord knew that
the woman was a divorcee and with no permanent
husband. With this, the Lord earned the trust of the
woman. Fast forward – the Lord said, “Look, you draw
water from this well but it dries up. If you draw water
from me, your well will never dry up”.
• THY 2: We have to realize that people around us draw from
our well. But the Lord says “Don’t draw water from other
wells. Draw water from me, so that you would not be
depleted.”
7. Dialogue can take place only between equals; both must
come to learn from each other
8. Dialogue can take place only on the basis of mutual trust
9. Persons entering into interreligious, inter-ideological dialogue
must be at least minimally self-critical of both themselves and
their own religious or ideological traditions
• You have no business engaging in dialogue if you feel that
your religion is superior than the other religions
- Therefore, you need to be minimally self-critical
• If you feel superior, then dialogue will not occur; you will
just impose on other religions and try to correct others
• Resolution: engage in lived/sustained dialogue
- The more we communicate, the more we enlarge our
commonality or common field of experience
- Become friends first
10. Each participant eventually must attempt to experience the
partner’s religion or ideology ‘from within’; for a religion or
ideology is not merely something of the head, but also of the
spirit, heart, and ‘whole being,’ individual and communal
• Example: When the Lord was approached by the first two
disciples Andrew and Peter, who were the apostles of John
the Baptist. But after the Baptism at the Jordan River, St.
John the Baptist told them to follow Him (Jesus), not me.
- “He is the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the
world. He must increase, I must decrease.”
- So, they asked the Lord, “Master where do you stay?”
and the Lord said, “Come and see.”
- By saying come and see, it’s opening out Himself to
the very first disciples
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 TRIADIC THEORY OF SIGNS FIVE TYPES OF
(CHARLES SANDERS PEIRCE) INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE (IRD)
• REPRESENTAMEN: form which the sign takes (not 1. INFORMATIONAL
necessarily material) • Acquiring of knowledge of the faith partner’s religious
• OBJECT: to which the sign refers history, founding, basic beliefs, scriptures, etc.
• INTERPRETANT: idea, interpretation in mind • To strictly gain information

2. CONFESSIONAL
• Allowing the faith partners to speak for and define
themselves in terms of what it means to live as an adherent
• You relate your experience to each other
- How you grew in faith; talk about how your practice
the holy eucharist

3. EXPERIENTIAL
• Dialogue with faith partners from within the partner’s
SELECTIVE PERCEPTION THEORY tradition, worship and ritual
• SELECTIVE PERCEPTION THEORY: also known as • Entering into the feelings of one’s partner and permitting
selective exposure, is the theory that an audience’s that person’s symbols and stories to guide
interpretation of media is dependent on their personal • Invite or let them participate in your liturgy
beliefs
- The public willingly chooses to consume media that 4. RELATIONAL
aligns with their principals • Develop friendships with individual persons beyond the
• Selective perception is a process by which one only “business” of dialogue
perceives what he/she feels is right, completely ignoring - Forget for the time being the business of dialogue, and
the opposing viewpoints start developing friendships
- In other words, he sees the picture only as he wishes
to see, and not what the actual picture is 5. PRACTICAL
- Many situations in real life attribute to this concept • Collaborate to promote peace and justice
• The aspect of perception comprising selective exposure, • Religions coming together to come up with possible
selective attention, and selective retention, which enables solutions
individuals to see, hear, and believe only what they want to
• SELECTIVE EXPOSURE: the practice of exposing oneself
to people and messages that confirm one's existing beliefs,
values, or attitudes
• Composed of three interrelated theories of communication
and often a source of conflict of dialogue
• Involves selective exposure, selective perception, and
selective retention
- SELECTIVE EXPOSURE: willingly exposing oneself
to something; choosing what you are exposed to; you
will form your own world view, you will have a basis
of perceiving certain situations
- SELECTIVE RETENTION: what you deem important
you retain in your memory bank
• Example: in Papua New Guinea, you need to address the
lamb of God as the pig of God because for them a pig is
sacred and lambs are unfamiliar to them

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