part 2 - ANTHROLOPOGICAL REASONS
John Paul II teaches:
The Church's relationship with other religions is dictated by a twofold respect:
- Respect for man (sic!) [men and women] in his [their] quest for answers to the deepest questions of his life [their lives] ... (RM, 29)
- and respect for the action of the spirit in man [human beings]. (RM, 29)
So there is an anthropological or philosophical dimension, and a theological dimension. The latter can be further divided into general theology, and specifically Christian theology ...
ANTHROPOLOGICAL
History:
- Under the onslaught of European colonisation the world religions other than Christianity seemed to fall into a state of torpor if not mortal decline.
- Following spectacular missionary expansion in the 18th and 19th centuries, some Christian missionaries believed that the 20th century would be the "Christian century", that most if not all people would abandon these moribund religions and embrace Christianity. [1]
- Secularists and humanists believed that further advances in science and technology would resolve all the unanswered questions, the credulity of religious belief would no longer be needed, and all religions including Christianity would disappear.
None of these scenarios eventuated.
- During the 20th century other world religions experienced a revival, contributing to the overthrow of colonial masters, helping forge the identity of the new nation states (e.g. Israel, Pakistan), and they continue to have a huge impact on people's consciousness and therefore geo-politically.
- Far from taking over the world, the institutionalised forms of Christianity experienced serious decline in the public domain in the so-called "West", but continues to be strong current of influence which politicians curry, and is vibrant and vital in the "South".
- Two world wars, the threat of nuclear annihilation, the many other conflicts during the 20th century, recognition of the impact of environmental degradation and the effects of climate change - all served to de-rail secularism's dream of untrammelled progress, and the vacuum left by the failure of modernity and the abandonment of traditional religious observance is filled with burgeoning interest in spirituality e.g. the bookshelves stocked with titles on spirituality, transcendental mediation and New Age.
Statistics: A very brief look at some world statistics (see hand-out given at the Assembly):
Global population
In 1800 the global population was some 904 million; over the next century it nearly doubled to 1.62 billion in 1900; then it more than doubled in 70 years to 3.7 billion in 1970; and nearly doubled again in a mere 30 years to 6.25 billion in 2000.
Currently it stands at around 6.8 billion, and is projected out to just over 8 billion in 2025.
Christianity
In 1800 the total number of Christians in the world was nearly 205 million; over the next century the number more than doubled to nearly 560 million in 1900; then we nearly doubled again to over 1.2 billion in just over 70 years (I say "we" because this era includes most of us here today!); numbers nearly doubled again in a mere 30 years to just over 2 billion in 2000.
Currently it stands close to 2.3 billion; and is projected out to 2.7 billion in 2025.
But the important point is that after the percentage increase from 22 per cent in 1800 to 35 per cent in 1900 there is a slight decrease, and then it levels off. So contrary to expectations at the beginning of last century, Christians aren't going to take over the world!
Islam
There is a similar numerical increase in Islam.
In 1800 Muslims numbered 90 million; they more than doubled in the next century to 200 million in 1900; they more than doubled again over the next 70 years to 550 million in 1970; and again over the next 30 years to 1.25 billion in 2000.
They currently stand at 1.45 billion; and are projected out to 1.88 billion in 2025.
But here note that there is a constant slight increase in percentage of the world's population, but this too is levelling off. So Muslims are not going to be a global population wave that overwhelms us.
Judaism
... Nine million in 1800; 12.3 million in 1900; 15 million in 1970, a slight increase that masks the devastating industrial murder that was the Shoah; a slight drop to 14 million in 2000.
Currently standing at just over 15 million; and projected out to 16.8 million in 2025.
What is significant here is that despite the overall numerical increase there is a significant overall decline in percentage in comparison with the world population. This erosion is a concern to Jewish religious authorities, and we need to be sensitive to it.
Christian denominations
Very briefly, Catholics and Protestants show numerical increases that parallel the Christian figures we have just seen, but both remain constant at about 50 per cent and 17 per cent respectively. So neither Roman Catholics nor Protestants are taking over Christianity. Orthodox have shown a percentage decrease before levelling out, and independents (= Pentecostals) show a significant percentage increase.
Christians and Muslims
One final point of interest is that when we compare the numbers of Roman Catholics and Muslims, some time in the year 2000 Muslims outnumbered Catholics for the first time in history ... Statistically, they are levelling off, and will not overwhelm us by overpopulation.
These statistics provide us with three reasons for dialogue.
1. Inevitable, inescapable
First, our world is religiously plural, and will continue to be so. No one religion will take over numerically, or exercise political hegemony. Religious plurality is a fact, and so interreligious dialogue is inevitable and inescapable ...
from John May:
The theory of communication to which I subscribe says that communication is initiated by the mere presence to one another of two conscious subjects, even where it is their express intention not to communicate. At the [1991] Canberra Assembly [of the World Council of Churches] there were several observers from non-Christian religions, including an African Muslim in the flowing robes of his national dress. On the way into the conference centre he fell into conversation with a fundamentalist protester carrying a placard condemning interreligious dialogue as unchristian. 'But you're already having a dialogue', the African told him, 'I'm a Muslim!' [2]
2. Love your neighbour
Secondly, compounding this statistical plurality of religions is the new contemporary reality of globalisation. In the past believers from the major world religions lived relatively isolated from each other. When and where they co-existed, it was the exception that proved the rule
Now the exception has become the rule (so that) more and more people of other religions are living, working and playing side by side in suburbs, factories, offices, schools and homes in ways that are unprecedented in human history ... If we take seriously the Gospel command to "love your neighbour as yourself" (cf Mt 22:39, Mk 12:33, Lk 10:27), the reality is that increasingly our neighbour is Buddhist, Hindu, Jew, Muslim, Sikh, Zoroastrian ...
3. Promoting Peace and Harmony
A third point from the world statistics. Christians make up roughly 33 per cent of the world's population - one in three is Christian. Muslims make up roughly 20 per cent of the world's population - one in five is Muslim. Together, Christians and Muslims make up over half of the world's population. The authors of A Common Word highlight the significance of the world's population figures:
Christianity and Islam are the largest and second largest religions in the world and in history. Christians and Muslims reportedly make up over a third and over a fifth of humanity respectively. Together they make up more than 55 per cent of the world's population, making the relationship between these two religious communities the most important factor in contributing to meaningful peace around the world. If Muslims and Christians are not at peace, the world cannot be at peace. With the terrible weaponry of the modern world; with Muslims and Christians intertwined everywhere as never before, no side can unilaterally win a conflict between more than half of the world's inhabitants. Thus our common future is at stake. The very survival of the world itself is perhaps at stake. [3]
Hans Kung is often quoted in this regard:
No peace among the nations without peace among the religions.
No peace among the religions without dialogue between the religions
No dialogue between the religions without investigation of the foundation of the religions.
Hans Kung (Christianity: Essence, History, and Future)
Popular wisdom claims that religion causes conflict and violence. However, a more penetrating analysis reveals that when religions are used, abused and misused ... then violent conflict ensues.
Interreligious dialogue ... probably cannot put out the fires once the conflict is raging, but the trust that dialogue builds between people can prevent the fires from igniting ... can help stop the flames once lit from spreading, and after the firestorm has passed, is needed to heal the burns that have been suffered.
4. Biological, psychological, sociological
By nature we are conceived in the intimate conjugal relationship between a man and woman; we are constituted as persons by relationships ... dialogue is inscribed into our very being ...
5. To exist is to co-exist
Putting it another way, the dichotomy between "us" and "them" is often derided. However, there can be no "us" without a "them" who are other than "us", just as there is no "them" without an "us" who are other than "them". The two terms are always correlative. In other words, to exist is to co-exist. We are born into a world of others. We live and grow through reaching out to the other, and to the Ultimate Other, and through being invited into their world.
6. Respect for the human person
This brings us to the foundation of dialogue - respect for the human person. All of us are called to be "responsible subjects" (cf DM, 21). We become our better selves by transcending or lesser selves. We overcome our limitations by reaching out towards others, and by being lifted up by them, and in turn helping them up.
7. Common humanity
Now this dignity is inherent in all peoples, of all ages, of all races, of all nations, of all tribes, of all languages, and of all religions, and forms the common foundation for all human dialogues...
8. One world
Finally, all human beings have one thing in common. During our sojourn in this life, we all live on one planet. Our bodies are fashioned from its earth and return to it when we die. Our food is grown in the earth, or lives off it. Our homes and clothing are made from its produce. We are earthlings (sons and daughters of Adam! cf Gen 2:7).
QUESTION FOR DISCUSSION:
How do you respond to the caller I heard on talk-back radio on September 12, 2001 who said: "See, religion is the problem. Religion divides. Get rid of religion and we would all be one, all sisters and brothers together, sharing in one common humanity."
references
[1] David J. Bosch, Transforming Mission - Paradigm Shifts in Theology of Mission, vol. 16, American Society of Missiology Series (New York: Orbis Books, 1991) 336
WHY DIALOGUE?
Top of page
