EVENTS

Church Documents

Gaudium et Spes as one of the key documents of the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965), provides fundamental guidance for the Church’s engagement in interfaith dialogue. Called as  Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, this document emphasizes the Church’s commitment and dedication  to promoting peace, love, understanding, and collaboration among people of all faiths.

The church being a pro poor viewed mercy as the  central theme woven into the teachings of Gaudium et Spes  from pastoral aspect  emphasizing  the Church’s compassionate response to human needs, suffering, and challenges. Although the word “mercy” rarely used in the said document, however, the spirit is instilled  with the call of the church  by embracing God’s merciful love  to all mankind.

Nostra Aetate no.03 (Declaration on the Relation of the Church to non-Christian Religions

The Church, therefore, urges her sons to enter with prudence and charity into discussion and collaboration with members of other religions.

All Christians should be familiar with their national and religious traditions and uncover with gladness and respect those seeds of the Word which lie hidden among them.

The Indonesia Constitution

Every person has freedom to practice their own religion and to worship according to their religion and belief (UUD 45 chapter 29)

 

The Asian Triple Dialogue

The “Asian Triple Interfaith Dialogue” generally refers to conversations and collaborative efforts among representatives of the three major faith traditions originating in Asia: Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam. These dialogues aim to foster mutual understanding, respect, and cooperation while addressing shared challenges like social harmony, environmental concerns, and peacebuilding. These three faith traditions, deeply rooted in the history and culture of Asia, share common values while offering unique perspectives on spirituality, ethics, and the human condition. harmonious relationship was nurtured among the people in Asia. In fact,  solidarity and brotherhood become the main values for Asian families and good to know that  pluralisms becomes the characteristic of Asian society be it in  economy, politic dan other social life.  

Since,  Asia could be known   as the home of pluralistic of cultures and religions. There are other religions added such as the Christians: Catholic and  Protestants and local religions.  The presence of the  Catholic Church has played a very significant role in promoting interfaith dialogue in Asia, guided by its mission of building peace and fostering mutual respect among diverse faiths.

Good to note that there are Asian society can be described the home of pluralistic of culture dan religious life. Interestingly, there are many people converted from one religion to another like the conversion Hinduism to Muslin or vice versa, from Catholic to Muslim or vice versa.  As a matter of fact there were number of religious Priests, Brothers and Nuns whose parents were not catholic. They live in the same house yet they live in very harmonious life. There become the example of interfaith dialogue in their own family.

Certainly, there could be misunderstanding living in a multi-religious  household, however the family  foster a deeper understanding and respect for each other; they may develop a more inclusive worldview, valuing the commonalities among faiths while respecting differences in a real life. Concretely, these families often serve as microcosms of interfaith harmony, demonstrating that mutual respect and love can transcend religious boundaries which is rooted on mercy. This would be the best witness of the Good News  from the pastoral aspect  where it started from within our own households as expressed by the  assembly of Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) held in Taipe, 1974. It was  emphasized   the importance of dialogue in pastoral activities for Catholic Church in Asia where the FABC has stated  the triple dialogues: the dialogue with culture, the dialogue with religions, the dialogue with the poor. These dialogue geared toward social justice, unity and peaceful life among the peoples and religions. These triple dialogues  approach as   pastoral care of  the  Catholic  Church in Asia undoubtedly  should be the cornerstone in dealing with the people from the different religions, cultures and nationalities.

 

The Inter Faith Dialogue In Indonesia

Indonesia is known  as the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation,  and a vibrant hub for interfaith dialogue. The country’s rich tapestry of religions—including Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, and indigenous faiths—presents both opportunities and challenges for fostering interreligious harmony. The Indonesians live in pluralism Religious belief such as Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism.  There are some local religions such as Parmalim in North Sumatera Province, Sunda Wiwitan in Banten Province and Marapu in Sumba Island. The majority of rerligion is the  Muslim with  a total of  87,06 %, then followed by the Christianity is 10,47%; then Hinduism with 1,68 %, the Buddhism is 0,71%, the Confucianism is 0,03%, and lastly is Folk/Other  is 0,05%.

Facing the pluralism of religions, the Indonesian government has taken proactive measures to promote interfaith harmony through institutions like the Ministry of Religious Affairs and the establishment of interfaith forums, such as the Indonesian Interfaith Network (Jaringan Antar Iman Indonesia). These initiatives aim to reduce tensions and encourage cooperation among religious groups.

As an example, the Indonesian government has built a tunnel which connecting Istiqal Mosque (the biggest  mosque) and Cathedral Church in Jakarta, Indonesia. This Tunnel becomes the symbol the solid relationship of brotherhood among people with diverse faiths. They named this tunnel  as the “tunnel of tolerance” (Terowongan Toleransi). This was declared as tunnel of tolerance when Pope Francis visited Indonesia last September 4-6, 2024.

The foundational philosophy of Indonesia is called Pancasila. It emphasizes belief in one God, humanity, national unity, democracy, and social justice for all Indonesians. This framework promotes religious tolerance and mutual respect, serving as a foundation for interfaith dialogue.

Addressing the harmonious relationship, tolerance and mutual respect, the Catholic Church in Indonesia take a proactive actions and steps  and has become a crucial participant in fostering interfaith dialogue, leveraging its commitment to social harmony and human dignity coupled with mercy as the foundation in collaborating with other religions.

As part of the actions taken, the  38 dioceses in Indonesia together with  about  8 millions believers would like  to live the  massage of Gospel and the Church Documents of inter faith dialogue dan ecumenical movement in their respective Dioceses as part of their pastoral program. anchored on mercy and compassion. Furthermore, each of Diocese has established pastoral care by setting up the Interfaith Dialogue commission as mandated by the Indonesian Bishops Conference (KWI). 

All the  commissions formed be it in the diocese level or in the KWI level  should  take charge and create programs relating to  interfaith dialogue by communicating with  other religious leaders in the country. Added to this, Catholic Church has to actively participate and closely collaborate with  in government programs to materialize  the interfaith dialogue in the different levels. The KWI has seen this approach as  Catholic identity and characteristic rooted in the spirit of the Gospel where mercy  is the center of dialogue. Therefore, the dialogue of life among peoples,  the academic dialogue be it spiritual dialogue, theological dialogue, the cooperation for charitable networking to help the people affected  by natural calamities will be a good example of collaboration  of the Church with other religions and government.

Therefore, mercy being the center of our interfaith dialogue conceivably be  the central theme in many religious traditions, including Christianity and Islam that will play a pivotal role in interfaith dialogue in Asian and Indonesia definitely. This shared value creates a foundation for building mutual respect and cooperation among diverse religious communities to make the people feel God’s mercy which is always present in our daily conversation as part of our brotherhood expression. God’s mercy should become the source of tolerance in Indonesia.

The Asian Triple Interfaith Dialogue should be the dynamic endeavor for building a peaceful, collaboration and harmonious relationship among the people from the different background of life. In centering on shared values from different religions, addressing common challenges, and fostering genuine respect, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam can join effort together to be the agent of peace, mercy and compassionate in our own community, country. The Catholic Church’s active role in facilitating and participating in these dialogues further enriches the process, demonstrating a commitment to unity in diversity in this wounded world to achieve  goals called peaceful and harmonious life for all mankind.

Hoping and praying for continuous efforts, this interfaith dialogue as our potential solution to serve as a model for global interfaith collaboration, inspiring people worldwide to celebrate their shared humanity while honoring their unique traditions and cultures with humility, humbleness, collaboration and respect of all humankind.

Long term Project and Process

To foster a global culture of unity, compassion, and understanding, inspired by Pope Francis’ call for interreligious dialogue centered on the interplay of justice and mercy, this initiative seeks to promote human dignity and fraternity by embracing the rich diversity of religious traditions, grounded in mutual respect, collaboration, and a shared commitment to the common good.

Rooted in the teachings of Nostra aetate, our vision emphasizes the alternativity of justice and mercy as complementary forces that guide humanity towards reconciliation and solidarity. Justice upholds fairness and accountability, while mercy transforms relationships through forgiveness and compassion, reflecting the sacred dignity inherent in every person.

Through this initiative, we aim to facilitate the Catholic Church’s role in building bridges among faiths, fostering fraternity by witnessing the God of mercy. Together, we envision a world where justice and mercy harmonize to overcome division, alleviate suffering, and inspire acts of charity, creating a shared path toward peace, hope, and the flourishing of all.

This meeting in Indonesia will align with the Abu Dhabi and Jakarta Declarations and will focus on the theme: Justice and Mercy: Hope for Human Dignity and Fraternity.

Participants will include Muslims, Taoists, Hindus, Buddhists, Confucians, Jews, Christians and others. The aim is to express, through their respective religious doctrines, the relational tension between Justice and Mercy. The document Celebrating Mercy with Believers of Other Religions (2016) by the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue will serve as a valuable resource.

The ultimate goal is to inspire regional and local meetings worldwide, originating from this global meeting in Indonesia, with the intention of establishing recurring global gatherings on these topics every three years. A scientific committee will help foster this network, aiming to reach out to the peripheries through cultural centers and pluri-religious Witnesses of Mercy worldwide.

The question is how to enrich each other with our experiences of Mercy. Sure, it is not an event of evangelization, nor of any political strategy. The aim is to understand other religions, beyond our actual catholic understanding. Listening first, with hearts, opening them; interpretating the symbols of Mercy, in the visits to shrines; nourishing each other every day with the waters of mercy, sprinkling out of our encounters.

 

 

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Excerpts on Justice and Mercy for Dialogue

(from the Christian side)

 

Pope Francis, Misericordiae vultus (2015)

23. Mercy has a value that goes beyond the boundaries of the Church. It connects us to Judaism and Islam, which consider it one of the most defining attributes of God. Israel was the first to receive this revelation, which remains in history as the beginning of an immeasurable richness to offer all humanity. As we have seen, the pages of the Old Testament are steeped in mercy because they recount the works the Lord has performed for His people during the most difficult moments of their history. Islam, for its part, includes among the names attributed to the Creator “Merciful” and “Compassionate.” This invocation is often on the lips of Muslim believers, who feel accompanied and supported by mercy in their daily weaknesses. They, too, believe that no one can limit divine mercy because its doors are always open.

May this Jubilee Year, lived in mercy, foster encounters with these religions and with other noble religious traditions; may it make us more open to dialogue to better know and understand one another; may it eliminate every form of closure and disdain and expel all forms of violence and discrimination.

Imam Ahmed el-Tayeb – Pope Francis, Abu Dhabi Declaration (2019)

Faith leads the believer to see in others a brother or sister to support and to love. From faith in God, who created the universe, creatures, and all human beings—equal in His Mercy—the believer is called to express this human fraternity by safeguarding creation and the entire universe and supporting every person, especially those most in need and the poor.

Justice based on mercy is the path to a dignified life, a right that belongs to every human being.

Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, Celebrating Mercy with believers of other Religions (Document of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, 2016 – Card. Jean-Louis Tauran’s introduction)

“We decided to act upon Pope Francis’ urging to encounter the various religious traditions with a focus on mercy, in order to continue on the path of dialogue, overcoming difficulties that unfortunately, still exist and are known to us all.

Our motivation for this compendium is to live this year of grace with our brothers and sisters from different religions. The theme of mercy is actually found in the spirituality of other religious traditions; with this commonality the possibility emerges of sharing moments of spirituality and of interreligious dialogue, as well as concrete works of charity to benefit the needy.

Recently we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the promulgation of the Conciliar Declaration Nostra aetate (October 28, 1965). This document, still timely and inspiring and considered a milestone in the evolution of interreligious dialogue, reminds us that: “In our time, when day by day mankind is being drawn closer together, and the ties between different peoples are becoming stronger, the Church examines more closely her relationship to non-Christian religions. In her task of promoting unity and love among men, indeed among nations, she considers above all in this declaration what men have in common and what draws them to fellowship” (Nostra aetate, 1). This simple compendium we have prepared should be read precisely in the same spirit: that is, a call to look at what we share together with believers of other religions which then invites us into to live our common destiny together.

Religions are the living expression of the soul of peoples and each of these religions testifies to the fact that the human person has been in the search for God for thousands of years; the Catholic Church has been involved in dialogue with religious traditions in every part of the world, at varying levels and with different degrees of intensity. As Catholics, we are urged by Jesus to be the “yeast and ferment” in midst of the world. Therefore, with the occasion of the Jubilee of Mercy, our task is then to proclaim the merciful God made Man who turns His gaze towards all men and women, excluding none.

We are to be witnesses, as Pope Francis urges us, of a Church which goes out untiringly to proclaim a merciful God reviving in a world tired of violence and pain, a profound desire for mercy. Saint John Paul II also reminds us that: “Modern man often anxiously wonders about the solution to the terrible tensions which have built up in the world and which entangle humanity. And if at times he lacks the courage to utter the word ‘mercy’, or if in his conscience empty of religious content he does not find the equivalent, so much greater is the need for the Church to utter this word, not only in her own name but also in the name of all the men and women of our time” (Encyclical Letter Dives in Misericordia of the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II, n. 15, 1980).

Let me explain the rationale for this publication.

First of all, this compendium is of itself a product of interreligious collaboration. We have, in fact, asked experts belonging to other religious traditions to contribute to this text.

In presenting the different religions, we maintained the same approach, that of elaborating on the theme of mercy. Certain excerpts from the sacred texts of the various religious traditions are presented for reflection. Aware that some religions do not have sacred texts, nevertheless, they have concepts and ideas inspired by mercy which are also included.

While helping Catholics to appreciate and learn more about other religious traditions, we realize that we cannot ignore nor compromise the essence of our faith, nor relinquish our identity. Openness and respect to- wards other religious traditions do not create conflict with the Christian faith, nor with the responsibility of the Church to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to those who freely listen. The Church teaches that, in order to be good Christians, there needs to be an open and respectful attitude towards our neighbors, irrespective of the religious tradition to which they belong. Therefore, we invite all the Catholic faithful avoid building walls, and instead to go out and walk along the path of mercy together with their neighbors of different faiths. “

Saint John Paul II, Dives in misericordia (1979)

“The Church of our time must keep in its heart the eloquence of these inspired words and apply them to the experiences and sufferings of the great human family, becoming more deeply aware and motivated to bear witness to the mercy of God in all its mission” (Chapter VII).

“The paschal mystery is the culmination of this revelation and actualization of mercy, which is capable of justifying man, restoring justice in the sense of that salvific order which God had originally intended in man and, through man, in the world” (Chapter V).

“Experience of the past and of our time shows that justice alone is not enough and that, indeed, it can lead to its own negation and annihilation if it does not allow itself to be shaped by that deeper force, which is love, capable of molding human life in all its dimensions. This historical experience, among other things, led to the formulation of the saying: ‘extreme justice is extreme injustice’ (summum ius, summa iniuria). This statement does not devalue justice or diminish the importance of the order founded upon it, but it highlights the necessity of drawing upon deeper spiritual forces that condition the very order of justice” (Chapter VI).

Saint Faustina Kowalska (Poland)

“Humanity will not find peace until it turns trustfully to divine mercy” (Diary, p. 132).

Blessed Christian de Chergé (Monk of Tibhirine, Algeria)

« [Christians and Muslims,] we have an urgent need to enter into mutual mercy. A “common word” that comes to us from God invites us to do so. It is indeed the richness of His mercy that is revealed when we humbly open ourselves to the insights that the faith of the other offers us, and even more, to the way they live it. This exodus toward the other cannot divert us from the Promised Land if it is true that our paths converge when the same thirst draws us to the same well. Can we quench each other’s thirst? It is by the taste of the water that we can tell. The true living water is that which no one can make spring forth or contain.

The world would be less of a desert if we could recognize a shared vocation: to multiply fountains of mercy along the way. And how can we doubt this shared vocation if we allow the All-Merciful to call us together to a single table, the table of sinners? O you good people of the Book, let us come to our common vocation. The treasure of God is a Bread that can only be savored with the multitude. »