India: Seminar on Christian-Muslim Relations

The Jesuit Secretariat for Service of Faith in Delhi and the Islamic Studies Association in Delhi organised a webinar on 'Christian-Muslim Dialogue: Global Challenges and Opportunities' on 19 January.

The webinar was presented by Professor Heru Prakosa SJ, who is one of the six new Consultors to the Commission for Religious Relations with Muslims at the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. He also serves as Counsellor for Dialogue with Islam at the Secretariat for Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue of the Jesuits. He teaches at the Faculty of Theology at Sanatana Dharma University in Jogyakarta, Indonesia.

Having vast experience in the field of Christian-Muslim studies, Fr Heru provided a panoramic view of and a wider perspective on various experiences, challenges, concerns and opportunities in the present context for interreligious dialogue. He focused on the openness of the Church to other religions and pointed to the key text Nostra Aetate, which, he said, opened the door for other religions and created room for dialogue. He referred to the letter 'A Common Word' signed by Muslim scholars to the then Pope Benedict XVI and 27 other Christian leaders, felt to be an important document from the Muslim side. He also reminded his listeners of the looming shadows cast on humanity by war and violence in the name of religion.

Fr Heru highlighted three main challenges and opportunities in the context of dialogue between Christians and Muslims. First and foremost is context. Fr Heru drew the attention of his listeners to Latin American theology to show how one could develop dialogue in Asia. Theologian Gustavo Gutierrez showed that theology should start with contextual historical processes and be oriented towards committed spiritual and pastoral actions of Christians in a particular context. In other words, Gutierrez understands and does theology as critical reflection on praxis in the light of the Word of God. In the light of Gutierrez's reflections, we can affirm that in a theological process, one discovers the deeper aspirations and desires of people and is forced to confront their struggles and sufferings, since praxis says a great deal about people, their deepest convictions and who they are striving to become.

In the Asian context of widespread poverty, diversity of religions and multiplicity of cultures, dialogue is a new way of being the Church (Ecclesiam Suam, 1964), said Fr Heru. In such a context, reciprocal communication, mutual friendship and respect, as well as joint efforts for the common good, all in the service of a common search for the fuller realisation of the truth, must inspire us further to deepen our commitment to Christian-Muslim relations.

Secondly, Fr Heru touched upon the spiritual legacy of Louis Massignon and his mentor Blessed Charles de Foucauld for Christian-Muslim relations. Both these pioneers rediscovered their faith in the light of the religious life of Muslims. They "shouted the gospel from the roof-tops", using the phrase of Foucauld, by their 'kenosis': lives given in service of Muslims.

Thirdly, Fr Heru called upon his listeners to build partnerships for shared goals towards the common good. He focused on religious collaboration in academia and dialogue. This collaboration can help address issues such as poverty, injustice and terrorism.

A lively exchange of thoughts and reflections confirmed that the lecture was well received by Fr Heru's listeners. Fr Joseph Victor Edwin SJ, Secretary of the Islamic Studies Association, moderated the session. He pointed out that for sustained dialogue between Christians and Muslims, practitioners of dialogue must nurture a critical or historical understanding of religions as well as an understanding of each religion as its believers themselves understand it.

Link: https://religionandsecurity.org/