Cooperative efforts between the U.S. Catholic bishops and leaders of other faiths such as Hinduism and Islam have resulted in several dialogues and the publication of numerous documents in recent weeks.
“It is my hope that the guides on interreligious education will be of practical help to educators and the lay faithful,” said Auxiliary Bishop Barry Knestout of Washington, D.C.
He emphasized the importance of religious groups “speaking to their own students about the teachings and practices” of other faith communities.
Bishop Knestout co-chaired an April 11-12 meeting of Catholic and Muslim scholars preparing for final edits on educational documents about each other's beliefs.
At the meeting, a draft version of “Understanding Islam: A Guide for Catholic Educators” was presented. The document includes a brief discussion of the history of Islam, its key teachings and contemporary issues. Muslim participants at the meeting said that the document contains historical inaccuracies that need to be corrected and asked that more core Islamic values be incorporated to correctly show Islam as a living, dynamic tradition.
A draft version of “Understanding Catholicism: A Guide for Muslim Educators” was also presented at the meeting. Catholic participants asked that the document be altered to better portray the central teachings of the Trinity and Incarnation as they are understood by Catholics rather than by the Muslim faith. Utilizing the comments offered by the drafting committees, both religious groups will complete the final editing of their projects in coming months.
“These materials should ensure a respectful and accurate presentation of the beliefs and practices of both Catholicism and Islam,” said Bishop Knestout.
Ecumenical and interreligious discussions have been part of the U.S. bishops’ efforts to reach out to those who hold different beliefs in both the United States and North America.
During his 2008 visit to Washington, Pope Benedict XVI called for dialogue among members of different faiths in order to build solidarity, influence the culture and ultimately “discover the truth.”
In recent years, the bishops have helped plan and host meetings and discussions with members of various faiths. The U.S. bishops’ Secretariat of Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs recently attended an annual meeting between Vaishnava Hindus and an ecumenical body of Christians. The April 13-14 meeting in Potomac, Md., focused on “the hiddenness of God” as presented in Christian mystical theology and in the Hindu text “Bhagavad Gita.” Both religious groups share the belief that God is hidden but perceivable in creation. Encountering God’s presence in creation, man is called to return his love. In Christianity, the ultimate revelation of God’s presence takes place in the Incarnation.
In addition, the U.S. dialogue between the United Methodist Church and the Catholic Church has produced a joint statement on environmental stewardship. Released April 20, the statement, “Heaven and Earth Are Full of Your Glory,” highlights the shared belief by Catholics and Methodists that their celebration of the Eucharist is tied to the glory of God through creation.
The dialogue between the two churches, co-chaired by Bishop William Skylstad, retired bishop of Spokane, and Methodist Bishop Timothy Whitaker of the UMC Florida Conference, is part of an effort to build unity in recent years.
Noting “the unity of God’s work of creation and redemption,” the statement emphasizes the Eucharist’s “intrinsic connection with the renewal of creation.” It points out that bread and wine, derived from natural elements, play a central role in the Eucharist and the salvation it offers. The statement calls on both Methodists and Catholics to practice stewardship in a way that links prayer and the life of the Church.
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Our good Bishops time would be better spent teaching the Catechism to Catholics. They have failed to do this for 50 years.
This ‘ecuminism’ exercise is just a way to keep busy instead of doing their primary jobs.
I must agree with Fred that while ecumenism is important, teaching the truths of the Catholic faith as embodied in the Catechism are even more important. In his book “Catechisms and Controversies” the late Msgr. Michael Wrenn did a wonderful job of delineating the problems that have developed as a result of poor catechesis in the U.S. since Vatican II. Our bishops need first to be good pastors, guiding us into all truth.
I would suggest that interreligious dialogue and teaching the catechism to Catholics are not mutually exclusive activities. The Church, through the bishops, and do both. It’s important to remember that though the ministry of Jesus was primarily directed toward the Jews, this did not prevent him from talking with and performing miracles for Romans.
I agree with Fred. To that I’ll add: I’d rather the bishops spent time convincing Islam to be more tolerant of Christians and not chop their heads off. This hasn’t been accomplished despite all this “dialoguing.”
To Fred and John: the Church has been very active in getting catechesis back on track since at least the early 1990’s, a point that ssems to not have hit the radar of many of us who have been appalled at what happened in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s.
Your desire is on the right track; but factually, you have missed what has been happening for the last 20 years.
I agree with Fred, John and That Hat Lady. Problems in handing down the Deposit of Faith left to us by the apostles, has not just been short-circuited within the last 20 years, or even the last 50 years. It’s been like this almost for centuries.
Why is it that Catholics laugh, when reminded of how Bible-illiterate they are? Why is it that our government leaders, such as Nancy Pelosi, and Ted Kennedy (who at the end of his life sent a letter to Pope Benedict, via President Obama, saying how much good he did for our country), call themselves “Catholics” in good standing, and nothing happens to correct the representation?
There is a disconnect. That Hat Lady makes a good point about the bishops spending time on this. Right now, in Iran, a pastor named Yousef Nodokani, is in prison, where he’s been for over 3 years, just for refusing to renounce his faith in Jesus. They have not yet hung him, because an organization called The American Center for Law and Justice (Jay Seculo, a Christian attorney) is publicizing what’s been happening to this 32 year old pastor, for a long time now.
But bishops need to FOCUS on teaching the Christian Deposit of Faith (and I mean those matters that have eternal value, not visions and apparitions that may or may not be true or working another 15 years rewriting our liturgy to conform to Latin) OR we may, here in America, lose our religious freedom, and even turn more Muslim.
Does everyone know that to be politically correct, in England, 2 Sharia Law courts were allowed, for Muslims to feel comfortable? Well, now, there are 88 Sharia Law courts in England, and if we Catholics think our bishops are mysognistic (looking down on women), they are card-carrying women’s lib supporters, compared to Sharia Law!
Folks - we need to encourage our bishops to FOCUS on teaching Catholics, and reaching out to fellow Christians. Or the USA may go the way of England, and Canada. No longer Christian.
The National Day of Prayer is Thursday, May 3 from 12 noon-1PM, for Christians across America. I pray that Catholic churches will be open during that time, so that all of us can gather (no liturgy, no church staff has to even be there), just to PRAY, for our country to repent and turn our hearts to Jesus, Our Father and the Holy Spirit.
Let’s all ask our pastors to allow us to be in church during that time, like when we all used to gather from 12-3PM, on Good Friday, during the days in America when ALL business CLOSED, even banks. Remember?
How can anyone dialogue with the evil antithesis of Christianity?
To Bob Rowland -Jesus did what you asked, with the Samaritan woman at the well. “Blessed are the feet that those that bring the Good News” “Faith comes by HEARING, and hearing by the word of God.” We can’t only be with other Catholics, or other Christians, for that matter.
The problem as I see it is that our bishops (and the priests under their leadership) are not equipping average Catholics to spread the Good News, which should be their goal. They ought to FOCUS on teaching the faithful that come to Mass Sunday after Sunday, what has eternal value, helping us grow in faith and knowlege of Jesus, and of our Triune Godhead.
It comes down to priorities. The reason bishops are now scrambling to save Religious Freedom in the US, is because their priorities, up until now, have been skewed. While it’s never too late to change and correct our course, bishops need to zero in on what’s important, putting ALL their resources towards that.
Fraternizing with other Religions as a goal, or on an ongoing basis, is NOT important now. A once a year lunch is fine. But to have dialog? Bishops can’t even manage to teach their own, let alone people of other faiths. Our country is at a cross-roads. Bishops need to stay the course, and LEAD their own, and NOW. Bishops need a God-honoring vision, and it’s not a time for “same old, same old”. Look where that got us.
Catholicism is based on truth and this guide to understanding Islam is fiction. The American Bishops make themselves look foolish. Their guide is a denial of the the suffering and death of countless Coptic Christians and their Bishops and priests. American Bishops have not studied the Koran or lived in Islamic countries.They know nothing of Sharia law and how it treats non Muslims. Suggest spending their time in prayer and educating Americans.
Re: Fred and fans - First of all, ecumenism and interreligious dialogue are two different things with two different goals. Ecumenism is Christian to Christian. Interreligious is Christian to non-Christian.
That being said, you demonstrate the lack of formation you lament. Read the catechism, and you will find both ecumenism and interreligious dialogue. The former is essential to the Church, it is a part of our core mission. Consider:
“The unity of the church does not come cheap. All of us need to pray for that unity and at times also to suffer for it.” -Archbishop Charles Brown, 2012
“The path toward this unity must be seen as a moral imperative, response to a precise call of the Lord.” - Pope Benedict XVI, 2011
“The Church does not fear dialogue because truth is not afraid of dialogue.” -Patriarch Bartholomew I, 2010
“This unity ... is not something added on, but stands at the very heart of Christ’s mission… it belongs to the very essence of this community.” - Pope John Paul II, 1995
As for interreligious, how can you proclaim the Gospel if you do not speak the language? Logic dictates it, to say nothing of respect for those who respect God.
If the bishops spent their time encouraging Catholic education, it would necessarily include education about ecumenism and interreligious dialogue. Anything less would be negligent.
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