Bishop Michael Putney, the Bishop of Townsville, spoke recently at an Iftar dinner jointly hosted by the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne and the Australian Intercultural Society. He argues that given the dominant secular society that we live in, it is difficult for people of faith to flourish, pass on their beliefs to their children, and support and sustain each other. In order to move beyond tolerance, as religious people we need to have harmonious relationships with people other faiths.
It is a truism now in inter-religious relations that there can be no peace in the world unless there is peace between the World Religions. Unless we religious people have harmonious relationships, and I would argue unless we have real friendship between us and not just tolerance and respect, other forces, political and economic, will be able to use us to further their own causes which bring division and pain to our world.
His speech makes an interesting read … thanks to The Ecumenical and Interfaith Newsblog for the reference.
Dave
September 16th, 2008
Catholic Online ran an interview recently with Father Norbert Hofmann, who is the secretary of the Commission for Religious Relations With the Jews, within the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.
The Commission is preparing for its 20th conference in November this year in Hungary, which will focus on Catholic-Jewish relations in Eastern Europe. The offical topic of the conference is “Civil and Religious Society, Catholic and Jewish Perspectives.” This parallels other interfaith activities underway between different groups, and it’s good that we’re all “singing from the same page in the hymnbook”.
Hoffmann quotes John Paul II: “Anti-Semitism is a sin against God and against humanity. And so the Jews can be sure they have found an ally in the fight against anti-Semitism.”
That’s nice. But I really look forward to the day when our religious leaders, Jewish Christian and Muslim, feel comfortable broadening their focus in saying that we must respect each others’ religious beliefs, and not be hateful to those of other religions. May it be God’s will that one day we will be able to say that Jews, Christians, and Muslims stand together against anti-Jewish, anti-Christian, and anti-Muslim activities.
Dave
July 28th, 2008