PrinciplesandGuidelinesforInterfaithDialogue

HowtoDialogue

WearegratefultoScarboroForeignMissionSocietyfortheirgeneroussharingoftheseresources

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ContentsDialogueDecalogue

2-4ThreeGoalsofInterreligiousDialogue

5PrinciplesTowardsBetterInterfaithRelations

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FourLevelofInterreligiousDialogue

6FiveTypesofInterreligiousDialogue

6InterfaithLessonsIHaveLearned

7TenRulesforInterfaithDialogue

8-9Rights,ResponsibilitiesandSkillsofDialogue

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DialogueDecalogueDr.LeonardSwidlerisahighlyrespectedAmericanscholarinthefieldofinterfaithdialogue.Dr.Swidlerhaspublishedthissetofteninter-religiousprincipleswhichhavebecomeaclassic.Belowpleasefindthis“dialoguedecalogue”inbothShortandLongversions.

SHORTVERSIONFIRSTPRINCIPLETheprimarypurposeofdialogueistolearn;thatis,tochangeandgrowintheperceptionandunderstandingofreality,andthentoactaccordingly.SECONDPRINCIPLEInter-religious,inter-ideologicaldialoguemustbeatwo-sidedprojectwithineachreligiousorideologicalcommunityandbetweenreligiousorideologicalcommunities.THIRDPRINCIPLEEachparticipantmustcometothedialoguewithcompletehonestyandsincerity.FOURTHPRINCIPLEIninter-religious,inter-ideologicaldialoguewemustnotcompareouridealswithourpartner’spractice,butratherouridealswithourpartner’sideals,ourpracticewithourpartner’spractice.FIFTHPRINCIPLEEachparticipantmustdefinehimself…Conversely,theinterpretedmustbeabletorecognizeherselfintheinterpretation.SIXTHPRINCIPLEEachparticipantmustcometothedialoguewithnohard-ançl-fastassumptionsastowherethepointsofdisagreementare.

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SEVENTHPRINCIPLEDialoguecantakeplaceonlybetweenequals…Bothmustcometolearnfromeachother.EIGHTHPRINCIPLEDialoguecantakeplaceonlyonthebasisofmutualtrust.NINTHPRINCIPLEPersonsenteringintointer-religious,inter-ideologicaldialoguemustbeatleastminimallyself-criticalofboththemselvesandtheirownreligiousorideologicaltraditions.TENTHPRINCIPLEEachparticipanteventuallymustattempttoexperiencethepartner’sreligionorideology‘fromwithin’;forareligionorideologyisnotmerelysomethingofthehead,butalsoofthespirit,heart,and‘wholebeing,’individualandcommunal.

LONGVERSIONFIRSTPRINCIPLETheessentialpurposeofadialogueistolearn,whichentailschange.Attheveryleast,tolearnthatone’sdialoguepartnerviewstheworlddifferentlyistoeffectachangeinoneself.Reciprocally,changehappensforone’spartnerasshe/helearnsaboutoneself.SECONDPRINCIPLEDialoguemustbeatwo-sidedproject:bothbetweenreligious/ideologicalgroups(Inter-andIntra-).Intra-religious/ideologicaldialogueisvitalformovingone’scommunitytowardanincreasinglyperceptiveinsightintoreality.

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THIRDPRINCIPLEItisimperativethateachparticipantcomestothedialoguewithcompletehonestyandsincerity.Thismeansnotonlydescribingthemajorandminorthrustsaswellaspotentialfutureshiftsofone’stradition,butalsopossibledifficultiesthatshe/hehaswithit.FOURTHPRINCIPLEOnemustcompareonlyher/hisidealswiththeirpartner’sideals,andher/hispracticewiththeirpartner’spractice.Nottheiridealswiththeirpartner’spractice.FIFTHPRINCIPLEEachparticipantneedstodescribeher/himself.Forexample,onlyaMuslimcandescribewhatitreallymanstobeanauthenticmemberoftheMuslimcommunity.Atthesametime,whenone’spartnerindialogueattemptstodescribebacktothemwhattheyhaveunderstoodoftheirpartner’sself-description,thensuchadescriptionmustberecognizabletothedescribedparty.SIXTHPRINCIPLEParticipantsmustnotcometothedialoguewithanypreconceptionsastowherethepointsofdisagreementlie.Aprocessofagreeingwiththeirpartnerasmuchaspossible,withoutviolatingtheintegrityoftheirowntradition,willrevealwheretherealboundariesbetweenthetraditionslie;thepointwhereshe/hecannotagreewithoutgoingagainsttheprincipleoftheirowntradition.SEVENTHPRINCIPLEDialoguecanonlytakeplacebetweenequals,whichmeansthatpartnerslearnfromeachother–parcumpariaccordingtotheSecondVaticanCouncil–anddonotmerelyseektoteachoneanother.EIGHTHPRINCIPLEDialoguecanonlytakeplaceonthebasisofmutualtrust.Becauseitispersons,andnotentirecommunities,thatenterintodialogue,itisessentialforpersonaltrusttobeestablished.Toencouragethisitisimportantthatlesscontroversialmattersarediscussedbeforedealingwiththemorecontroversialones.NINTHPRINCIPLEParticipantsindialogueshouldhaveahealthylevelofcriticismtowardtheirowntraditions.Alackofsuchcriticismimpliesthatone’straditionhasalltheanswers,thusmakingdialoguenotonlyunnecessary,butunfeasible.Theprimarypurposeofdialogueistolearn,whichisimpossibleifone’straditionisseenashavingalltheanswers.TENTHPRINCIPLETotrulyunderstandanotherreligionorideologyonemusttrytoexperienceitfromwithin,whichrequiresa“passingover”,evenifonlymomentarily,intoanother’sreligiousorideologicalexperience.

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ThreeGoalsofInterreligiousDialogue

1. Toknowoneselfevermoreprofoundlyandenrichandroundoutone’sappreciationofone’sownfaithtradition

2. Toknowtheotherevermoreauthenticallyandgainafriendlyunderstandingofothersastheyareandnotincaricature

3. Toliveevermorefullyaccordinglyandtoestablishamoresolidfoundationforcommunityoflifeandactionamongpersonsofvarioustraditions

(LeonardSwidler,TowardaUniversalTheologyofReligion,p.26)

PrinciplesTowardsBetterInterfaithRelations

1. Weconfessourfailuresandlackoflove,respectandsensitivitytopeopleofotherfaithsinthe

past.Weintendtoforgiveoneanother,seektheforgivenessofothersandcommitourselvestoanewbeginning.

2. Weaffirmthatgoodinterfaithrelationscanopenthewaytobetterinterethnicrelationsandpeacethroughouttheworld.

3. Werecognisebuildingtruecommunity(koinonia),bothamongpersonsandvariousethnicandreligiouscommunities,asourprimaryobjective.Weneedtodevelopaglobaltheologythatwillbeappropriatefortheunfoldingsenseofaglobalisedworld.

4. Weaffirmtheimportanceofpromotingacultureofdialoguewithinandamongallreligiouscommunitiesandindigenoustraditions.

5. Wecondemnviolenceandterrorismasbeingagainstthespiritofalltruereligionandwepledgeourselvestoremovingtheircauses.

6. Weshallrespecttheintegrityofallreligionsandensurethattheyhavethefreedomtofollowtheirownbeliefsandpractices.

7. Webelievethatthedifferentreligionsareenrichedbyidentifyingagendasinwhichtheycancollaborate,suchasmakingpeace,protectingtheenvironment,eradicatingpovertyandensuringthehumandignityofall.

8. Weaffirmthatitisimportantforusalltolistentoandlearnfromotherreligionssothatwecanvaluereligiouspluralityasafactorthatenrichesourcommunities.

9. Weendeavourtoliveoutandexplainthetruthsofourownreligioninamannerthatisintelligibleandfriendlytopeopleofotherfaiths.

10. Culturaldiversityaswellasreligiousdiversityinourcommunitieswillbeaffirmedasasourceofenrichmentandchallenge.

PreparedbytheRtRev.KennethFernandofortheNetworkofInterfaithConcernsoftheAnglicanCommunion

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FourLevelsofInterreligiousDialogue

1 Thedialogueoflife,wherepeoplestrivetoliveinanopenandneighborlyspirit,sharingtheirjoyandsorrows,theirhumanproblemsandpreoccupations.

2 Thedialogueofaction,inwhichpersonsofallreligionscollaboratefortheintegraldevelopmentandliberationofpeople.

3 Thedialogueoftheologicalexchange,wherespecialistsseektodeepentheirunderstandingoftheirrespectivereligiousheritages,andtoappreciateeachother’sspiritualvalues.

4 Thedialogueofreligiousexperience,wherepersons,rootedintheirownreligioustraditions,sharetheirspiritualriches,forinstancewithregardtoprayerandcontemplation,faithandwaysofsearchingforGodortheAbsolute.

(M.ThomasThangaraj,TheCommonTask:ATheologyofChristianMission,AbingdonPress,Nashville,1999,pp.95,96

FiveTypesofInterreligiousDialogue

1. Informational:Acquiringofknowledgeofthefaithpartner’sreligioushistory,founding,basic

beliefs,scriptures,etc.2. Confessional:Allowingthefaithpartnerstospeakforanddefinethemselvesintermsofwhat

itmeanstoliveasanadherent.3. Experiential:Dialoguewithfaithpartnersfromwithinthepartner’stradition,worshipand

ritual–enteringintothefeelingsofone’spartnerandpermittingthatperson’ssymbolsandstoriestoguide.

4. Relational:Developfriendshipswithindividualpersonsbeyondthe“business”ofdialogue.5. Practical:Collaboratetopromotepeaceandjustice.

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InterfaithLessonsIHaveLearned

JamesFlemingisanIrish,RomanCatholicpriestwithextensiveexperienceinMuslim-Christiandialogue.Listedbelowaresomeofthelearningshehasaquiredinhismorethan20yearsofinterfaithwork:

1. Relatetoothersasequalpartnersinthesearchfortruth

2. Recognizethatlisteningaswellasspeakingisnecessaryforagenuineconversation.RememberthewordsofSt.FrancisofAssisi:“PreachtheGospelalways,andwhennecessaryusewords.”

3. Treasurethesenseofwonderthatcomeswithencounteringthenew,theunusualandthe

surprising.Recordsuchexperiencesinajournalifpossible

4. Behungryforknowledgeabouttheotherperson’scultureandreligion.Learntounderstandwhatothersactuallybelieveandvalue.Andallowthemtoexpresstheirbeliefsandvaluesintheirownterms.Thisdoesmeanthatwecannot,withexperienceandknowledge,challengeotherpeople’sculturalvalues

5. Behonestinsharingyourbeliefsanddonottrytowaterthemdowntoaccommodate.Other

peopleseethroughthisandloserespectforyou

6. Donotmispresentordisparageotherpeoples’beliefsandpractices

7. Beawareofyourownneedforongoingconversiontoyourownprofessedbeliefs.Remember,itisnotourjobtoconvertotherstoourbeliefs,buttobefaithfultoourown

8. Respondtoothersasagift,notasathreat

9. Besensitivetovulnerablepeopleanddonottrytoexploitthem

10. Rememberthatit’sourdifferencesthatcanmakeadifference,sorejoiceintherichnessof

ourdiversities

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TenRulesforInterfaithDialogueTheseclearandhandyguidelinesforinterfaithetiquetteemphasizevaluessuchaslistening,respectfulpresence,flexibilityandopennessaswellasthecapacityforself-reflectionandself-critique.

1. Haveagoodgraspofyourowntradition-Whenengagingindialogueapersonneedstobringwiththemadeeplylivedexperienceoftheirowntraditiontobeabletoshareitsfruitswithothers.

2. Cometodialogueinordertolearnandgrow,nottochangetheother-Eachpersonwhoentersintodialogueneedstocomewithanopennesstolearnandtochangeintheirownattitudesandperceptions,notoutofadesiretochangetheother.Inthisway,allthosewhoparticipatewillbechangedinsomewayasaresultofthedialogue.

3. Bewillingalsotohelpyourownfaithcommunitytogrowandchange-Sincedialogueisacorporateactivity,itisnecessarythateachpersonentersintodialoguenotonlyacrossfaithlinesbutalsowithothermembersoftheirownfaithcommunity,tosharewiththemthefruitsofinterfaithdialogue.Inthisway,thewholecommunitycaneventuallylearnandchange,gainingevermoreperceptiveinsightintoreality.

4. Behonestandsincereandassumethatothersareequallyhonestandsincere-Realdialogueisbuiltonmutualityandtrust.

5. Respectthereligiousexperienceandidentityofothersandanticipatethattheywilldothesameforyou.-Eachdialoguepartnercanbestdefinewhatitmeansforthemtobeanauthenticmemberoftheirowntradition.Thisdoesnotprecludeapersonchanging,deepening,expandingandmodifyingtheirself-definitionandunderstandingasaresultofdialogue.Conversely,theoneinterpretedshouldbeabletorecognizethemselvesintheinterpretationofothers.

6. Don’tassumeinadvancewherepointsofagreementordisagreementwillexist-Listenwithempathyandsympathyandavoidpresumptionsaboutwhattheotherwillsay.Seehowmuchisheldincommonwhilemaintainingtheintegrityofyourowntradition.Ifthereisarealpointofdisagreement,itneedstoberespected.However,itmaybeatadifferentpointthanthatwhichwasoriginallyexpected.

7. Bepreparedtoparticipateindialogueonanequalfooting-Eachpartnerneedstocomepreparedtolearnfromtheotherandtosharetheirownunderstandingonanequalbasis.Thereisnosuchthingasone-waydialogue.

8. Beself-reflectiveandpreparedtocritiqueyourowntradition-Indialogue,apersonneedstocombinehealthyself-criticismwithanabilitytoholdtoone’sreligioustraditionwithintegrityandconviction.Alackofsuchself-criticismimpliesthatone’sowntraditionalreadyhasallthecorrectanswersandthatonehasnothingtolearn.Suchanattitudemakesdialoguenotonly

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unnecessarybutalmostimpossible.

9. Strivetoexperiencetheother’sfaith‘fromwithin’andbepreparedtoviewyourselfdifferentlyasaresultofan‘outside’perspective-Areligionisnotmerelysomethingofthehead,butalsoofthespirit,heartand‘wholebeing’,individualandcommunal.JohnDunnespeaksof‘passingover’intoanother’sreligiousexperienceandthencomingbackenlightened,broadenedanddeepened.

10. Trytobeawareoftheculturalconditioningandhistoricalmemorywebringtodialogue-Inwesternculture,forexample,weneedtotakeaccountofthefactthatweareheirstothevaluesoftheRenaissanceandEnlightenment.Someparticipantsindialoguemaycomewithpainfulmemoriesofpastinjustices.Itisimportanttobeawareofhowhistoricalmemoryandculturalinfluencesmayimpactonourdialogue.

Resources:L.Swidler,TheDialogueDecalogue:GroundRulesforInterreligiousDialogue’,JournalofEcumenicalStudies,(20:1,Winter1983.)P.CunninghamandA.Starr(eds.),‘SharingShalom’—aprocessforinterfaithdialogue

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Rights,ResponsibilitiesandSkillsofDialogueInthischart,Americaninterfaitheducator,PatriceBrodeur,demonstratesthatfortruedialoguetooccur,itneedstotakeplacewithinaprotectiveenvironmentofmutuallyacceptedrightsandresponsibilities,rootedintwofundamentalvalues:respectforthehumanpersonandtrustintheprocessofdialogue.September14,2011ByPatriceBrodeurFortruedialoguetooccuritneedstotakeplacewithinaprotectiveenvironmentofmutuallyacceptedrightsandresponsibilities,rootedintwofundamentalvalues:respectforthehumanpersonandtrustintheprocessofdialogue.Dialogueworksbestwhentheparticipantsarewillingtodevelopcertainskillsthatfacilitatetheprocess.FivepeoplefromfivedifferentreligioustraditionsexploretheirrelationsatthisUnitedReligionsInitiativegathering.Rights

1. Eachpersonhastherighttodefinehim/herselfwithoutbeinglabeledbyothers2. Eachpersonhastherighttoexpresshisorherbeliefs,ideasandfeelings3. Eachpersonhastherighttoaskquestionsthathelphim/herunderstandwhatsomeoneelsehassaid4. Eachpersonhastherightnottochangeorbeforcedtochange5. Eachpersonhastherighttoexpectthatwhatissaidwillbeheldinconfidence

Responsibilities

1. Eachpersonmustbewillingtoseriouslyquestionhis/herassumptionsabout‘theother’2. Eachpersonmustallowthesamerightofself-expressionthats/heexpectsforhim/herself3. Eachpersonshouldaskquestionsthatrespecttheother’srightofself-definition,evenintimesof

conflictordisagreement4. Eachpersonmustaccepttheothersasequalpartnersinthedialogue,andacknowledgethedignityof

thetraditionsrepresented5. Eachpersonmustagreetoholdwhatotherssayinconfidence

Skills

1. Eachpersonshouldbeabletoevaluateandarticulatehis/herownattitudes,valuesandpositionsonissueswithinthecontextofhis/hertradition

2. Eachpersonshouldlearnhowtobemoresensitivetowhattheotherissaying3. Eachpersonshouldlearnhowtorespondtoquestionsinwaysthathelpothersunderstand4. Eachpersonshouldlearntodealwithdifferentpointsofviewwhilemaintaininghis/herownintegrity5. Eachpersonshouldlearntodealwithothersfromapositionofmutualtrust,basedonanexpectation

thatotherscometothedialogueinaspiritofhonestyandsincerity

Reprintedfrom“Descriptionofthe‘GuidelinesforInterfaithCelebrations,’”inJournalofEcumenicalStudies,Vol.34,number4(Fall1997),pp.559-560.ThechartwastheresultofseveralyearsofdialogueamongJewish,Christian,andMuslimseminariansinaprogramentitledSeminariansInteracting,sponsoredbytheNationalConferenceforCommunityandJustice.