Dialogue: A Common Mission of All Religions

ABSTRACT:
Dialogue with our neighbors of other faiths is the only way we can continue our works of human promotion and human rights. To refuse relationships with other religions is to invite suspicion, enmity and fear. Even if ours is the most noble and humanitarian cause, we cannot expect that all our neighbors of other faiths will perceive it that way.

REALITY:
An interreligious dialogue is often misconceived as intellectual discussions amongst scholars. However, the term could also mean "interreligious relations" or "interreligious cooperation." In other words, what is prescribed is not just about academic discourses but about genuine interactions, relationships and partnerships with other religions. For that to become a reality, the respective players have to take some basic steps. More so, Christian religions must open up to the possibility of an inter-religious dialogue to promote solidarity among religions.

REFLECTION:
Christian religions do not bind in solidarity with other religions is because of superiority complex. Often, Christians think that they are no longer in need of integrating with other faith. The classical adage, “extra ecclesiam nulla salus” turned to be arrogant because the Church itself also needs to be saved. Thus, Christianity must humbly recognize that other faith could also lead the world to salvation for as long as it promotes the values demanded for salvation. More so, unity among all the peoples is necessary because of the belief that all will return to one and the same God, whatever name He might be called.

RESPONSE:
Therefore, it must be regarded that religions are legitimate means of salvation, but that ultimately this salvation is brought about through God’s might through human cooperation. All religions have an equally deep faith. We thus approach every other faith and its adherents reverently through “dialogue“, having God as the absolute center of such relationship which aims at unity and integrity in the area of fraternity, if not in belief. This must be rooted in the conviction that even though religions have varied ways of praising, worshipping, they still adore the same Deity though in different names.


CONCLUSION:
Furthermore, while remaining faithful to the traditions of our respective religions; the Religions in the world have opted to place priority on the dialogue in their mission. For, only through a dialogue will the Religions discover what it means to be truly Religious as well as truly human related to each other. For instance, by way of dialogue, the Church will be able to baptize people in the Jordan of world’s religiousness as well as to pass through the Calvary of world’s poor. Thus, only then will the Church truly inculturate and be able to walk the Emmaus of the world’s cultural matrix as one of her very own. Such is the mission of religions in the world.