Interfaith Dialogue

Interfaith Dialogue

Being Catholic with Other Faiths

Although Vatican II opened a new door for the Catholic Church to our relationship with other faiths, it did not yet go as far as to say that interreligious dialogue is part of the evangelizing mission of the church. This came through the Pontificate of John Paul II through three subsequent documents: Dialogue and Mission (1984), the mission encyclical Mission of the Redeemer (1990), and Dialogue and Proclamation (1991). These teachings reflect the growing awareness of the centrality of interfaith dialogue in the very mission of the church. For Pope John Paul II, dialogue is fundamental for the Church, based on the very life of the Triune God, as well as on respect and love for every human person: “As far as the local churches are concerned, they must commit themselves in this direction, helping all the faithful to respect and to esteem the values, traditions, and convictions of other believers.”

This dialogue is not a mere discussion about each other’s beliefs. For the church there are several ways this dialogue can play out.

  • The first is the dialogue of life where believers of
    different religions bear witness before each other in daily life to
    their own human and spiritual values, and help each other to live
    according to those values in order to build a more just and fraternal
    society.
  • The second is the dialogue of works
    and action where collaboration with other faiths is opportune in the
    social, economic and political to build a more humane society.
  • The
    third is the dialogue of theological exchange and often involves
    specialists and leaders in different faith traditions in search for
    ultimate truth.
  • Finally the dialogue of
    religious experience is an opportunity to share prayer and religious
    experiences in our common search for the Absolute.

Compilation of Quotes from Pope Francis on Interfaith and Ecumenical Dialogue

Teaching of the Catholic Church on Interfaith Dialogue

US Catholic Bishops on Global Mission and Interfaith Dialogue

Interfaith Organizations to Connect With

Resources on Islam

Interfaith Journals

Essays on Dialogue by Xaverian Missionaries

Special Events