'Interfaith Dialogue: The teaching of the Catholic Church' was published in 2002 and brings together key texts of the Church’s magisterium on Interfaith Dialogue.
In February 2002, less than six months after the devastating events of 9/11, what was then the Committee for Other Faiths of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, published a document simply titled ‘Interfaith Dialogue: The teaching of the Catholic Church’ that examined the relationship between the Church and other religions. The publication brings together key texts of the Church’s magisterium on Interfaith Dialogue.
Church teaching in this regard began during the Second Vatican Council and has been deepened and developed since. In the foreword to this publication, Archbishop Kevin McDonald describes this teaching as both very clear and very nuanced.
“Central to it is the relationship and the distinction between ‘dialogue’ and ‘proclamation’,” he writes. “Catholics must both proclaim the fullness of their faith and be open to the workings of the Holy Spirit in other religions. This involves developing a mind-set that is strong and balanced, so that dialogue is not pursued at the expense of mission, nor mission at the expense of dialogue.”
“It is vitally important that its content be understood and appreciated as widely as possible,” writes Archbishop McDonald, who chaired the Committee for Other Faiths at the time of publication.
You can read or download ‘Interfaith Dialogue: The teaching of the Catholic Church’ here.
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