Interfaith and Inter-Cultural Dialogue

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Interfaith and Inter-Cultural Dialogue

• The Muslim Perspectives
• Maguid A. Maruhom

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In Response to . . . .

• Building the Culture of Peace
• - Shaping the Vision
• - Living the Dream
• 1. Why is this essential?
• 2. Can interfaith dialogue contribute ?
• 3. Is collaboration of different faiths possible?
• 4. How is it possible, what makes it possible?

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Quick Scan on Present Realities Where we are.

• A fast changing, modernizing and globalizing
  society with mix population (race, culture,
  faith, etc.)
• Deeply rooted misunderstanding between people
  (historical, breed misconceptions and stereotypes
  and causing bigotry, prejudice, discrimination,
  intolerance, etc., influenced interpretation of
  scripture).
• Religion had been used as engine of conflict and
  violence (in the past and until now).
• Humanity is faced with common enormous social
  environmental challenges (relational problem,
  moral, victimizes all, threatens dignity, life
  and existence, caused by culture).
• Faith and morality is side-lined in the
  development of social structures and quest for
  solutions.

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Relational Problems in Society (bringing
injustices conflicts)

• 1. Cultural (invented way of life)
• 2. Personal (weaknesses strengths,
• conditioned by culture)
• 3. Structural (political, economic, social
• policies institutions)
• - Conclusion Parable of the Boat

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Humanitys Response

• Journey together and struggle of people of
  different faiths facing similar
  problems/difficulties in shaping a pluralist
  culture shared by all and responsive to the root
  causes of present social and environmental
  challenges of society.
• Through the paradigm called Unity in Diversity
  
• - How is this possible?

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Defining Interfaith/Inter-Cultural Dialogue

• Talking and listening activity of two or more
  individuals or groups that involves faith
  culture (no debate, no proselytizing).
• Promote understanding on differences and
  commonness, particularly issues relating to faith
  and culture.
• Promote enrichment of ones faith through
  listening on faith and life experience of others.
• Promote understanding and consciousness on
  causes of problems of society.
• Promote respect, tolerance, fellowship,
  solidarity collaboration of people of different
  faiths and cultures.
• Promote peace and harmonious co-existence and the
  common good.

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Interfaith Dialogue Methodlogy

• The methodology does not aim to unify religious
  traditions on particular religious, ethical, or
  theological norms.
• Rather it simply creates frameworks in which a
  wide range of communities can find organic ways
  of working with one another for the common good.

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Levels of Interfaith Dialogue (As to Purpose)

• Interfaith dialogue that seeks to address
  problems of understanding for the purpose of
  promoting respect, tolerance, trust for one
  another and reconciliation.
• Interfaith dialogue that seeks to promote
  understanding and solidarity to respond to local
  issues affecting peace and development and for
  joint advocacy on common issues (conflict
  transformation).
• Interfaith dialogue that seeks to promote
  understanding and solidarity to respond to
  morality issues, social justice and social change
  for the common good (addressing the problem of
  culture).

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Interfaith Dialogue for Understanding
Solidarity

• We have people who share common challenges,
  searching for solution, yearning for change.
• We are deeply committed inspired by truth from
  teachings of our religious traditions (Majority
  of the people of the world had religion,
  particularly in Asia)
• Common understanding of ethical and moral values
  inspired by our faiths.
• Christians are inspired by the wisdom of Vatican
  II.
• Muslims are inspired by practices of the Prophet
  of Islam.
• We share common spiritual understanding of one
  common God and of human responsibility and
  accountability., among others
• We share the vision for peace and justice in the
  notion of the Kingdom of God or Darusalam for
  Muslims.
• Theologically, our religious teachings have many
  things in common because they come from a common
  origin (the Abrahamic faith).

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"Religious Pluralism is the view that all
religions are equally valid as ways to God. Just
as there are many paths up Mt. Fuji, so there are
many paths to God. Differences among the
religions are superficial they all lead to the
same goal. Rick Rood
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Similarities

• God (oneness, essence attributes, love,
  justice, compassion)
• Integrity of creation (interrelation)
• Humanity (spirit in man, strengths and
  weaknesses, human responsibility and
  accountability, one humanity, etc.)
• Relation with environment
• Moral values and principles (social justice,
  love, equality, freedom, sacredness of life,
  human dignity rights, compassion, meekness,
  honesty, kindness, service, charity, etc.)
• Democracy equality the notion of a just
  social order
• Notion of the Kingdom of God (encompassing
  justice, abundance, love, fullness of life ,
  peace)
• Cultural values (bayanihan, hospitality,
  kindness, service, food, etc.)
• - Many similarities responsive to our common
  challenges that we
• can unite on.(the clash of cultures and
  civilizations is a
• myth).

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Differences

• Doctrinal matters (Trinity Christian
  sacraments, Muslim pillars of Islam, manner of
  praying, religious rituals, etc.)
• Cultural matters (baptismal, courtship, marriage
  and divorce, clothing, death, etc.)
• Interpretation of historical facts. (war of
  conquests, crusade, colonization, the empires,
  bringing ignorant of each other, misconceptions,
  stereotypes, prejudice, etc.)
• - Respect for Diversity and Tolerance.
• - Quran injunction on respect of faith of
  others and
• upholding freedom of thought and religion.
• - Vie for righteousness.

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Process in Interfaith Dialogue

• Intra-people or Intra-faith Dialogue
• - Re-examination of present realities
  (analysis)
• - Re-reading of history (reading between
  lines)
• - Re-interpretation of scripture (rational,
  relevance)
• - Human responsibility accountability
• - Conversion (from exclusivity to
  inclusivity, love,
• peace, justice, respect, tolerance, etc.)

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Process in Interfaith Dialogue

• Developing Leadership (Integral way)
• - Prophetic leadership
• - Deeper commitment
• - Consciousness and capability
• - Catalysts for change (grow like yeast)
• - Organizing interfaith core of leaders
  (team)
• - Action plans
• - Organize interfaith dialogue bodies

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Process in Interfaith Dialogue

• Organizing Interfaith Dialogue Bodies
• - Meeting regularly
• - Fellowship activities(dining together
  socialization)
• - Praying together as one
• - Sharing of faith and experiences of life
• - Discussion of social issues (local
  global)
• - Planning joint advocacies

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Process in Interfaith Dialogue

• Joint Advocacy (side by side)
• - Social Justice and moral issues
• - Human rights
• - Good Governance
• - Environment Care and Protection
• - Security and Peace and Order
• - Other social and environmental Issues

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Process in Interfaith Dialogue

• Networking
• - Link with other groups for joint advocacy
• - Link with others for resources
• - Networking for deepening
• - Organize dialogues with other groups

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Process in Interfaith Dialogue

• Sustainability Growth
• - Development of deeper commitment
• - Integration of the social and spiritual
  aspects
• - Development of common values principles
• - Development of common dream or vision
• - Winning some your advocacies
• - Replication and growing like yeast
  (involving the
• grassroots)

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Affirmation and Last Words

• The journey of people of different faith to
  struggle together for change or reform using
  their faiths, talents, energy, resources and time
  is not only necessary but surely possible.
• This should continue to nourish our hopes to make
  our journey together possible.
• Critical factor consciousness on causes of our
  social challenges and development of a common
  vision for society based on inspiration of our
  faiths and shared values and principles that
  leads to the shaping of a common culture of
  peace.
• This could be the only possible solution to the
  enormous social environmental challenges we
  face together and the chance for humanity and his
  world to survive.
• Thank you