The Church in Dialogue: Walking With Other Believers [Paperback]

Francis Cardinal Arinze (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 379 pages
• Publisher: Ignatius Pr (August 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0898702992
• ISBN-13: 978-0898702996
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,066,579 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Dialog vs proselytize, April 17, 2000

By 

Frederick A. Costello (Herndon, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Church in Dialogue: Walking With Other Believers (Paperback)

Cardinal Arinze, a Nigerian, is the head of the Catholic Church's Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialog. This collection of his speeches shows his deep commitment to positive, inter-religious dialog. The key ideas in the book are contained in Chapter 10 (Inter-Religious Dialog: Problems, Prospects and Possibilities), Chapter 21 (Building Trust in Modern Pluralist Societies: The Role of Religion) and Chapter 25 (An Authentic Response to the Call of Christ in His Church). The other chapters add little to the ideas contained in these three.

Dialog is not disguised proselytism or merely tolerance or the mutual exchange of information. It is not an academic exercise or a search for a single religion based on the lowest common denominator. It is not intended to foster syncretism, religious relativism, or indifferentism. It is a means of making progress in movement towards God and becoming more receptive to God's saving action. It is a sincere search for truth. Dialog is to be conducted with mutual respect and sincerity. This reviewer has always learned from, been inspired by, and enjoyed religious conversations with people whose faith is strong and active, no matter what their denomination.

The Cardinal gives examples of clearly fruitful dialogs. Sometimes the dialog leads to cooperative social action, such as the pro-life activities of Catholics and Muslims. Sometimes the dialog leads to praying for the same objective, even if the prayers are said apart from each other as they were in Assisi. Such dialog is occurring at the grass-roots level as well as at the administrative level.

Dialog is also fruitful in inculturation, the combining of the local culture with religious beliefs and practices. The means of expressing religious beliefs and practices must adapt to the local culture. The local culture must adapt when the culture contradicts the religious beliefs and practices. Ending the sacrifice of humans among the Aztecs is one example of the latter.

Dialog must allow for the different definition of terms, such as God, soul, and perfection. It must overcome suspicion that has been engendered by past harmful actions. Mutual trust must be re-built, as must the basis for the mutual trust: respect for the religions, sincere interest, and the respect for the conscience of the other.

The Cardinal shows that dialog is not in conflict with the mission of the Church to "make disciples of all nations," as Christ commanded. The dialog is a means of teaching. Conversion occurs due to a grace from God, not by force of the actions of people. Are we, therefore, hoping for a conversion to Catholicism? No, each party to the conversation should be hoping that God's will be done.

Perhaps the greatest argument in favor of dialog is the danger of no dialog. Mistrust will grow into open hostility and international, regional or just personal warfare among the religious, violating the dignity and fundamental rights of individual people.

Cardinal Arinze's book presents the history of the dialogs between religions, the principles to use in the dialogs, the problems to be expected, and possible future developments.