Australian Soul:
Being faithful Religious in diversity
Catholic Religious Australia National Assembly
taken from the keynote address (part 2)
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
In the social context of the 21st century, there are several challenges to be faced:
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religious diversity
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decline of the old supports as well as the old enemies
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is this a Christian society? If yes, what does it mean and what kind of hospitality do we offer?
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how to be Christian in a multi-faith world/society.
1. What are the religious goals in a multi-faith society?
convert to our view vs promote understanding and respect - how universal are our views of the ideal, the human, God's will?
the responsible use of power asks, if we can, must we?
just relations with minorities, those who differ, poses the challenge of the "other"
2. Faithful in diversity
The key issue here is: How are we to relate to those who differ? Do we make them like us (how much like us?) or do we share (but which differences are critical? and difference denial can become a problem).
The next question is: Faithful to what?: creed, ritual, experiential fidelity, religious identity, the images of expectation set in youth (which Prof Bouma sees as a real problem), one's own experience of God in life.
Questions for discussion
What fidelity is critical to you?
How does diversity challenge something you cherish?
How do you theologise diversity?
Prof. Bouma proposed three religious orientations to difference:
exclusivism - we are right, all the others are wrong
inclusivism - our difference is included in our position
it is all in the Quran
Jesus is Lord of All
we include you in our temple
successionism - what is good in yours we kept or improved. The rest ...
multi-faith - many paths, many forms; coexistence, cooperation, competition, leave it to God
He then stated: What I know ...
Religious difference is real and OK
will not go away
not to be transcended by yet another
not a disease to be healed
not a threat to be repressed
is a rich cultural resource
internal differences often greater than between groups differences, eg Anglicans, Sydney vs Adelaide
There are limits to religious tolerance
limits to multicultural diversity
yes, we are to be open, respectful - but not without judgement or care
Some religious beliefs/practices are toxic
injurious to our ability to live together
injurious to human well being
injurious to peace, justice
He gave an example of toxic theologies, using anger and retribution which sees God as angry, preaches a dehumanising us-and-them mentality and supports apocalyptic theologies that promote hopeless causes.
It sets up opposition between compassion and a purity/legalistic approach in which compassion promotes cooperation and peace while purity/legalism heads towards exclusion and conflict.
Questions for discussion:
How do we deal with the disrespectful side of inclusivism in dialogue?
What answer do you have to exclusivist positions?
Can we just let others be?
3. Religious dialogue / cooperation
learn about the other, appreciate, respect
clarify own position
not to convert, change others
develop capacity to work together
This will be done through
visits to sacred sites, places of worship
working on projects/learning about challenges
seeking to influence policy
discussions of issues
He proposed that for dialogue to work, we
must respect each other
must listen and be open (Jesus at the Well)
attend to how we demand that they become like us before we accept them, by
respecting their process of change
respecting their scholarship
respecting their spirituality
must state our own position, being fully "self" - not watered down and not pretending to be what we are not. Too often, Christians are inarticulate,offensively obsequious and ashamed of or shy about who they are.
In posing the question: What do you know about Sikhs, Baha'is, Pagans? Prof Bouma said the PWR would offer an opportunity to meet and to learn.
He said there was a place for confidence - of God, self and other - for fear erodes confidence and generates anger and wariness.
Questions for discussion:
What appeals to you about dialogue?
What scares you about dialogue?
With what religions/spiritualities are you comfortable/uncomfortable?
Prof. Bouma concluded with a brief look at living in "post-Christendom" where
Christianity is no longer normal - but neither is the secular - and
we live in a marketplace where choice prevails and identities change. In this marketplace, choosing is not permanent, choice is often partial and there is no stock standard Islam, Christianity or other beliek.
Being faithful today means
Being a person of faith alongside others
making/sharing space for others
Being a person of a particular faith
nowing it, enjoying it
being articulate and listening
Being faithful in your own way
taking responsibility for self
negotiating creatively
And he came back to being faithful to what? creed, ritual, experiential fidelity, religious identity, the images of expectation set in youth, one's own experience of God in life.
Australian Soul:
21st century religious and spiritual challenges to Catholic Religious in Australia
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Prof Bouma offered the upcoming 
