Pope commitment to interreligious dialog and peace

Aloys Budi Purnomo, Semarang

John Paul II passed away on Saturday night at the age of 84. All of the faithful around the world pray for him. He was a spiritual father to over a billion people and a globally influential leader.

His words brought inspiration, solace and courage to those who heard them. His words on love, truth, peace and harmony, freedom, human relationships, family, the importance of hope and prayer, and the power of loving God explored what it meant to be alive and what we are doing here, and offered answers to some of life's hardest questions.

The most important aspect of the pope's mission in this multireligious world was his commitment to interreligious dialog. Since the Second Vatican Council, the commitment of the Catholic Church to interreligious dialog has moved forward. John Paul II published and practiced his significant post-conciliar teachings on interreligious dialog not only as part of his pontificate, but also his life.

It may be said that the singular contribution of Pope John Paul II to a "theology of religions" consists in the emphasis with which he affirmed the operative presence of the Spirit of God in the religious life of non-Christians and the religious traditions to which they belong. It might be inferred that John Paul II was the promoter of interreligious dialog at the threshold of the third millennium because of his commitment to this dialog.

In his very first encyclical letter, Redemptor Hominis (RH), John Paul II emphasized clearly that we need to come together with the representatives of non-Christian religions through dialog, contacts, common prayers and investigations of the treasures of human spirituality, in which, as we know well, the members of non-Christian religions are not lacking.

Interreligious dialog, according to John Paul II in RH, is able to show what unites all religions. They are so many reflections of the one truth, distinct paths to a single goal to which is directed the deepest aspirations of the human spirit, as expressed in its quest for God, and also in its quest, through its tending toward God, for the full dimension of its humanity, or, in other words, for the full meaning of human life.

The basic foundation of interreligious dialog is the rule of the Spirit of the truth in the firm belief of non-Christians. In his encyclical letter, Redemptoris Missio (RM), John Paul II wrote that the Spirit's presence and activity affected not only individuals but also society and history, peoples, cultures and religions. In RM, John Paul II affirmed that salvation through Christ is accessible to people outside the Church.

Undoubtedly, John Paul II had a great commitment to interreligious dialog. He not only spoke and wrote often about it, but he made it one of the hallmarks of his pontificate. Two of the best-known initiatives of John Paul II in the field of interreligious dialog were the 1986 and 2002 Assisi celebrations. In the context of the International Year of Peace, on Oct. 27, 1986, John Paul II invited representatives of the other Christian churches and Ecclesial communities, and of the major world religions, to accompany him on a pilgrimage to Assisi. At that wonderful moment, apart from the Christian churches, the major world religions were represented by Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Traditional Religionists, Shintoists, Sikhs, Jainists, Zoroastrians and Baha'i.

This significant moment in history was repeated once more on January 24, 2002, at the same place, and with the same commitment to interreligious dialog. On that day, the Holy Father stated that this was a specific area of ecumenical and interreligious dialog and cooperation, a pressing service that religion can offer to world peace. This statement was spoken loudly to the leaders of the world's religions in the shadow of the dramatic events of September 11, 2001. So, John Paul II said, in particular, "I am convinced that Jewish, Christian and Islamic religious leaders must now take the lead in publicly condemning terrorism and in denying terrorists any form of religious or moral legitimacy."

John Paul II is not only the promoter of interreligious dialog but also the supporter of intercultural movements. Known as "The Pilgrim Pope" for his extensive travels, he spoke to millions of people from all backgrounds and socio-economic circumstances around the globe. He spoke to those living under a Communist regime in Cuba to those suffering dislocation in war-torn countries of Africa. He visited materially wealthy yet spiritually hungry people in Western countries, and materially impoverished seekers in Asia.

Now, we are praying that God will give the best for us, not only for Catholics, but also for the world. The best will be given if the new pope has the same commitment as John Paul II to interreligious dialog. In this way, harmony and peace will be enhanced in our society.

The writer is a diocesan priest of the Archdiocese of Semarang and chief editor of the Christian magazine INSPIRASI, Lentera yang Membebaskan. He can be reached at aloybudipurnomo@plasa.com.