Exclusivism an inter-religious dialogue: The views of a Young Christian

Recently, it was reported that nearly half of Christian leaders feared inter-faith dialogue and that young people were generally religious but knew little about the religious beliefs of their peers. This report was followed by a letter by Mr. Lim Siew Wee highlighting his enthusiasm as a young Buddhist to promote inter-faith dialogue.

I am a young Catholic Christian who takes his faith seriously. I also had the privilege to participate along with Mr Lim Siew Wee in a Regional Youth interfaith forum co-organised by the Australian Government and the European Union from the 4th to 6th December 2007.

On the one hand, I agree with Mr. Lim that more inter-faith engagements among young people are a good thing. On the other, I am also sympathetic to the Christian clergy men who are wary of such gatherings. I would like to share as one who is an insider how a Christian who wants to be committed both to his faith and to living peaceably in an inter-religious society can resolve this apparent contradiction.

I do consider the fears of so called “conservative” and “evangelical” clergymen about inter-faith gatherings legitimate to some extent. Indeed, it would seem to flow from the inner logic of Christianity. After all, if Jesus Christ is the unique mediator of God and the Savior of all mankind, it would seem to follow that dialogue, which seems to imply a process of learning from the other, uncertainty and perhaps even a rethink of currently held beliefs is anathema to the deposit of faith entrust by Christ to his Church. What Christians should do, is to proclaim Jesus as the Savior and to save souls.

The wariness of such clergymen is accentuated when they notice that some of their co religionists, who consider themselves “liberal and enlightened” Christians, embrace inter-religious dialogue as the new way of being Church. When asked by the so called conservatives what they think of evangelization, they would reply “O we don’t do this anymore in the 21st century, we must respect all religions, work towards common goals and not think that our religion is superior to theirs.”

Indeed, there is a certain attractiveness in the so called liberal position. At the forum I attended, the participants were enthusiastic about meeting other participants from different religions and different countries. Everybody was eager to portray themselves as open-minded, respectful and sincere. We came out with common statements and objectives. My discussion group declared “we as young people of diverse religious faiths, beliefs and cultures are committed to the values of peace, compassion and love and respect for human rights.”
Who can possibly object to creating such an environment? Yet the step from such a common statement to celebrating our different beliefs as merely culturally interesting rather than making actual truth claims does not seem too far away. After all, who would want to be labeled as someone who rocks the boat of harmonious inter-faith dialogue, asking tough questions and challenging the followers of other religions to respond in an equally intellectually vigorous way?

As such, must so called conservatives necessarily exclude themselves from inter-faith events? I don’t think so.

For one thing, in a world where religious violence is often linked to an intolerant and irrational fundamentalism, conservatives would do well to demonstrate that they not only eschew violence, but are also able to show that the paralyzing force of a cultural relativism will not in the final analysis be adequate in resisting the tide of religious violence. What is needed is reason informed by faith, as Pope Benedict XVI’s Regensburg Address makes it clear, to heal the pathologies of religion.

Moreover, friendship cultivated in an inter-faith setting is ideal for a deep sharing of one’s faith. There are no secrets between friends and friends can share with each other, their most intimate concerns without fear. To paraphrase Rabbi Yehuda Levin of the Union of Orthodox Rabbis, “sincere believers in several religions feel they have the fullness of truth, and thus in charity hope for a day when all people will embrace the fullness of truth to complete them and bring them to perfection.” As such, a desire for a friend’s conversion done in total freedom can be offered without fear if it is seen as a gesture of wanting what is best for a good friend.

It was in a spirit of friendship that I was able to have fascinating discussions with Siew Wee. We spoke among about the existence of the self, the purpose of the body, the significance of the Resurrection of Jesus and the teaching of Buddha.

Indeed, Catholic theologian Hans von Balthasar once said that “love alone is believable”. If, as Christians believe, Jesus Christ is truth and love personified and if all human hearts long for total truth and joy, then a presentation of the truths of the Christian religion in all its profundity, in its inner coherence and logic, through its great themes of salvation and redemption, and its answers to the perennial questions of humanity will constitute in an organic manner, the evidential power of beauty.
I do hope that our conversations did stir a thirst for beauty in Siew Wee’s heart as it did mine.