'Interfaith dialog aims to foster global peace'
Pope Benedict XVI has sent Mgr. Khaled Akasheh, head officer for Islam on the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, to attend the two-day second International Conference of Islamic Scholars (ICIS), which officially opened Tuesday in Jakarta. He shared his views on interfaith dialog with The Jakarta Post's Ridwan Max Sijabat. Question: What does interfaith dialog mean to the Catholic Church? In the context of religious plurality, dialog means all positive and constructive interreligious relations with individuals and communities of other faiths which are directed at mutual understanding and enrichment. It aims at encouraging mutual understanding between believers and reciprocal enrichment, the establishment of fraternal relations, in order to build together a common house in the world. How does the Catholic Church pursue interfaith dialog? Following the 1965 Second Vatican Council which worked out Nostra Aetate (our present times) concerning relations with other religions, the Catholic Church has taken initiatives to look after relations of the Church with people of other religions to make the world a safe and peaceful place to live in. All religions have been called on to strengthen dialog to build a global peace. The Vatican has enhanced bilateral ties with other countries at the international level and enhanced cooperation with local religious institutions and organizations to share common problems and help settle them. How do you assess the current Pontiff's commitment to interfaith dialog? I am particularly pleased to inform you on the firm engagement of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI in interreligious dialog in general and in dialog with Muslims in particular. The Pope has given an assurance the Church wants to continue to build bridges of friendship with followers of all religions. The Pope has expressed his joy to Muslims at seeing the progress made by dialog at regional and global levels. In dialog with Muslims, he referred to them as "dear friends" and "dear and esteemed Muslim friends." Besides, the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialog has special commissions for religious relations with Jews and Muslims, set up the Islamic-Catholic Liaison Committee and held regular colloquia with Muslims in the Middle East to encourage them to come closer. Is the Pope planning to visit Muslim countries to strengthen interfaith dialog? I am not in the commission dealing with the Pope's foreign trips. But the Holy Father will surely do it if it is considered important and urgent, as his predecessor Pope John Paul II did many times in the past. The Pope is scheduled to pay a foreign trip to predominantly Muslim Turkey in September. How about dialog with Indonesia? Besides the enhancement of bilateral ties, the Vatican, especially the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialog, has forged a dialog with Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah, two streamlined Muslim organizations in the country. This conference is a good dialog to build a mutual understanding and respect between the two religions. For instance, the Catholic Church appreciated the two Muslim organizations which condemned the accidents (terrorist attacks) in Indonesia and overseas. What is your opinion of the hard-line groups in Indonesia? Fundamentalism is a negative phenomenon and has numerous reasons for emerging. It could surely emerge in reaction to injustice, social disparity, discrimination and so on. Of the most importance is it must be learned as to seek a peaceful and comprehensive settlement. What do you think of the so-called "Islamophobia" in this country? Not only Muslims, Christians have been also suffering from Christianophobia. Religious institutions and their leaders should take initiatives to hold dialogs, both internally and through interfaith fora, to prevent hard-line groups from emerging and to heal such phobia and sectarian conflicts in the society. The Jakarta Post Headline News June 22, 2006 __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com Quotes : " Spirituality is essentially a journey within. You need no preparations, no luggage to carry - nothing absolutely. What you need is just : LOVE ! And this Love, can only come as an after effect of self-actualization, achieved though the practice of meditative way of life." - Anand Krishna - Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://asia.groups.yahoo.com/group/mayapadaprana/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://asia.docs.yahoo.com/info/terms
