Human Development
Inter-religious dialogue
Description:
True dialogue involves the opening of heart and mind to another person, it presupposes that each side desires to learn something from the other. This implies recognizing common humanity, taking a risk and being sensitive to differences, to the variety of human life. Dialogue between religions does not necessarily imply syncretism, the conscious or unconscious selection and fusing of parts of more than one faith to create a new religion. Rather such dialogue can be the means of enriching and strengthening an individual's faith in his own religion; and a realization that others' views may be closer to the basic tenets of his religion than are his own, and more appropriate to present-day needs. It can be a creative interaction resulting in spiritual freedom from narrow and inward looking attitudes inherited along with, but not truly part of, his faith; often such attitudes may be of social rather than religious origin. In fact, there is some question as to the validity of a faith which is unable to appreciate or which is ignorant of other beliefs.Faith is thus tested, refined and sharpened by deeper knowledge of other faiths, a knowledge which may be increased not only in formal discussion but by communal living with people of other religions. The notion of dialogue may thus be extended to all levels - social, intellectual and political as well as personal. So long as there is no dilution of conviction or mere intellectual sophistry, there may be all round enrichment, a discovery of a new dimension of truth. The result is mutual trust and peaceful negotiation where negative attitudes and conflict might otherwise have prevailed.