MISSIO AD GENTES
Dialogue in the Non-Christian Context

Asia is the cradle of several great world religions and many ancient civilizations. Rich in culture and deep in religious traditions, Asia is a vast continent having three-fourths of the world’s population, a significant portion of which is youth, and hence, a growing and promising continent. Cultural affinity, religious similarity, economic and ecclesial cooperation have steadily been contributing towards the formation of an Asian consciousness, that is unique in nature, content, concerns and aspirations. The Characteristic note of this Asian consciousness is unity in diversity. Among the manifold factors that molded the lives and cultures of Asian people, the great world religions played a significant role. Religions in Asia are living religions, incessantly inspiring the lives of the people, influencing the society, especially the family and shaping their cultural convictions. Religion in Asia is a way of life. It is a realization. Religion is basically an attitude of mind and heart, an inner direction of being that enriches from within and envelopes everything that we do and that we are. It is in this context that we need understand the meaning and future prospects of dialogue in the non-Christian context. Asia has to bear witness to Jesus in the context of great world religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism and Islam. Unity-diversity dynamics must prepare the paths for the dialogue of religions, shape the relevant forms of bearing witness to Jesus and streamline the new perspectives in Mission in Asia.

Religious consecration being essentially ecclesial and evangelization-oriented, we religious in Asia living in the midst of various world religions and their spiritual heritage, we need constantly enter into meaningful dialogue with our immediate neighbors. This approach of dialogue is well outlined in the encyclical Redemptoris Missio (4.56). Inter religious dialogue is a meeting of heart and mind between followers of different religions. It is communication between two believers in the religious level. Dialogue is a peaceful and creative recognition, listening to what others are saying about themselves, about their faith, about their religious experiences. We find meaning in another’s faith because God does reach out to other people through ways unknown to us. Thus dialogue is a part of the evangelizing mission of the church.

At the heart of dialogue is the work of the spirit. Genuine openness is an essential condition for an effective dialogue. Dialogue is primarily a spiritual activity itself turning out to be a religious experience. As East is known for its primacy of the Spirit, dialogue in Asia cannot bear fruit but in constant touch with the Spirit. Hence a deep and abiding spirituality is essentially and extremely important in any dialogue with non-Christian religions. Church in general, and Religious Institutes in particular, must give leadership in enriching dialogue with a spirituality suitable to the genius of the continent. We religious shall give preference to interiority-oriented apostolates, focussing on prayer and contemplation, Ashram attitudes and inculturated worship, always promoting a proclamation of animating Christian presence in the midst of other religions.

In order to work for a meaningful dialogue we have to bring about the following attitudinal changes in us:

Accept the diversity of religions as a rich grace of God; hence better knowledge of other religions. This will enable us to appreciate their identity, create more meaningful exchanges, and help towards working out a better harmony and understanding. If difference is a positive grace, we have to respect other traditions. Authentic dialogue demands that we respect the similarities and differences in other religions. Holy Father said in Assisi: "only in mutual acceptance of the other and in resulting mutual respect, made more profound by love, resides the secret of the humanity finally reconciled" (L’Osservatore Romano, January 13, 1993, p. 2.) We must genuinely be poised to engage in different types of dialogue: -the area of relations across religious frontiers at the level of daily life in the family, in the workplace or in social activities; inter-religious cooperation, in social and developmental activities; theological discussions, leading towards a new theology of religious pluralism; and finally and most fruitfully, the sharing in of religious experiences and spiritualities of other religions. Formation of a collective will in the interreligious context to fight against the religious fanaticism and fundamentalism of all religions. All religions having a transforming mission in the world, should work together for the promotion of human values especially of world peace. As the essence of every religion is integration (yoga) and harmony, within and without, our dialogal activities have to aim at an ecological harmony in the entire universe. Dialogue will help us understand that deep down in the diversity there is a unity in every fibre of being, from nature to man. Unity-diversity dynamics in dialogue will hopefully contribute towards a new ecological vision and spirituality. Finally a meaningful dialogue will take place in the non-Christian context if the wonder of conversion works in us. Conversion means mainly conversion of convictions, conversion of heart, conversion of attitudes. This miracle of conversion must take place in the church, a genuine conversion of attitudes, a deliberate shedding of our triumphalism, arrogance and undue superiority. Church has to recapture her primaeval primacy of the spirit and get more enriched by the spirit of the Risen Lord thus transforming herself more into an ecclesia that is gently inspiring than violently conquering. Religious institutes shall also have to follow this path of conversion. Inner depth and inspiring power of our consecrated existence are of utmost importance. Sufficient touch of mysticism is a must for the success of dialogue in Asia. We have to come out of our safe and secure structures, opt for simpler styles of life and cultivate humbler attitudes. Institution-dominated religious life must give way to a person-oriented and spirit-guided religious life. New types of prophetic religious communities have to emerge in the context of dialogue. I would even go a step further and suggest that we need perhaps give shape to a new form of religious life that can express eloquently and share the Good News more effectively, a community with a compelling inner call incessantly inspired by the law of the Spirit than the letter of the law. Consecrated life in our pluralistic context shall draw a lot of inspirations from our basic attitude of dialogue with the non-Christian religions.

Let me conclude this short note: Hailing from the apostolic church of St. Thomas Christians of India with age old Oriental traditions, and having an Eastern cultural heritage of India as I am, I would like to conclude this with a reference to the Resurrection of our Lord, which is God’s salvific event par excellence. Dialogue of tomorrow shall draw more inspiration from the meaning and content of this central event. The most common summary of the early church’s missionary message was that it was witnessing to the resurrection of the Lord. It was a message of joy, hope and freedom that the believers shared with others. An attitude of theosis, of divinization in the spirit of the Oriental churches would enrich our approach of dialogue in the non-Christian context, especially in the Asian context with its tendency and taste for mysticism. Hence, Missio ad Gentes is quite simply our sharing the fruits of the Risen Lord and radiating the power of His Spirit. Dialogue will bear abundant fruits if our religious communities in the non-Christian context become authentic Good news of God’s love, peace and joy, inspiring than dominating, journeying joyfully together in the same spirit of the Risen Christ.