MEETING WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF OTHER
RELIGIONS
ADDRESS OF
HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI
“Rotunda” Hall of the Pope John Paul II
Cultural Center of Washington, D.C.
Thursday, 17 April 2008
My dear friends,
I am pleased to have this
occasion to meet with you today. I thank Bishop Sklba for his words of welcome,
and I cordially greet all those in attendance representing various religions in
the United States of America. Several of you kindly accepted the invitation to
compose the reflections contained in today’s program. For your thoughtful words
on how each of your traditions bears witness to peace, I am particularly
grateful. Thank you all.
This country has a long
history of cooperation between different religions in many spheres of public
life. Interreligious prayer services during the national feast of Thanksgiving,
joint initiatives in charitable activities, a shared voice on important public
issues: these are some ways in which members of different religions come
together to enhance mutual understanding and promote the common good. I
encourage all religious groups in America to persevere in their collaboration
and thus enrich public life with the spiritual values that motivate your action
in the world.
The place where we are now
gathered was founded specifically for promoting this type of collaboration.
Indeed, the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center seeks to offer a Christian voice
to the “human search for meaning and purpose in life” in a world of “varied
religious, ethnic and cultural communities” (Mission Statement). This
institution reminds us of this nation’s conviction that all people should be
free to pursue happiness in a way consonant with their nature as creatures
endowed with reason and free will.
Americans have always valued
the ability to worship freely and in accordance with their conscience. Alexis
de Tocqueville, the French historian and observer of American affairs, was
fascinated with this aspect of the nation. He remarked that this is a country
in which religion and freedom are “intimately linked” in contributing to a
stable democracy that fosters social virtues and participation in the communal
life of all its citizens. In urban areas, it is common for individuals from
different cultural backgrounds and religions to engage with one another daily
in commercial, social and educational settings. Today, in classrooms throughout
the country, young Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and indeed
children of all religions sit side-by-side, learning with one another and from
one another. This diversity gives rise to new challenges that spark a deeper
reflection on the core principles of a democratic society. May others take
heart from your experience, realizing that a united society can indeed arise
from a plurality of peoples – “E pluribus unum”: “out of many, one” –
provided that all recognize religious liberty as a basic civil right (cf. Dignitatis Humanae, 2).
The task of upholding
religious freedom is never completed. New situations and challenges invite
citizens and leaders to reflect on how their decisions respect this basic human
right. Protecting religious freedom within the rule of law does not guarantee
that peoples – particularly minorities – will be spared from unjust forms of
discrimination and prejudice. This requires constant effort on the part of all
members of society to ensure that citizens are afforded the opportunity to
worship peaceably and to pass on their religious heritage to their children.
The transmission of religious
traditions to succeeding generations not only helps to preserve a heritage; it
also sustains and nourishes the surrounding culture in the present day. The
same holds true for dialogue between religions; both the participants and
society are enriched. As we grow in understanding of one another, we see that
we share an esteem for ethical values, discernable to human reason, which are
revered by all peoples of goodwill. The world begs for a common witness to these
values. I therefore invite all religious people to view dialogue not only as a
means of enhancing mutual understanding, but also as a way of serving society
at large. By bearing witness to those moral truths which they hold in common
with all men and women of goodwill, religious groups will exert a positive
influence on the wider culture, and inspire neighbors, co-workers and fellow
citizens to join in the task of strengthening the ties of solidarity. In the
words of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt: “no greater thing could come to
our land today than a revival of the spirit of faith”.
A concrete example of the
contribution religious communities make to civil society is faith-based
schools. These institutions enrich children both intellectually and spiritually.
Led by their teachers to discover the divinely bestowed dignity of each human
being, young people learn to respect the beliefs and practices of others, thus
enhancing a nation’s civic life.
What an enormous
responsibility religious leaders have: to imbue society with a profound awe and
respect for human life and freedom; to ensure that human dignity is recognized
and cherished; to facilitate peace and justice; to teach children what is
right, good and reasonable!
There is a further point I
wish to touch upon here. I have noticed a growing interest among governments to
sponsor programs intended to promote interreligious and intercultural dialogue.
These are praiseworthy initiatives. At the same time, religious freedom,
interreligious dialogue and faith-based education aim at something more than a
consensus regarding ways to implement practical strategies for advancing peace.
The broader purpose of dialogue is to discover the truth. What is the origin
and destiny of mankind? What are good and evil? What awaits us at the end of
our earthly existence? Only by addressing these deeper questions can we build a
solid basis for the peace and security of the human family, for “wherever and
whenever men and women are enlightened by the splendor of truth, they naturally
set out on the path of peace” (Message for the
2006 World Day of Peace, 3).
We are living in an age when
these questions are too often marginalized. Yet they can never be erased from
the human heart. Throughout history, men and women have striven to articulate
their restlessness with this passing world. In the Judeo-Christian tradition,
the Psalms are full of such expressions: “My spirit is overwhelmed within me” (Ps
143:4; cf. Ps 6:6; 31:10; 32:3; 38:8; 77:3); “why are you cast down,
my soul, why groan within me?” (Ps 42:5). The response is always one of
faith: “Hope in God, I will praise him still; my Savior and my God” (Ps 42:5,
11; cf. Ps 43:5; 62:5). Spiritual leaders have a special duty, and we
might say competence, to place the deeper questions at the forefront of human
consciousness, to reawaken mankind to the mystery of human existence, and to
make space in a frenetic world for reflection and prayer.
Confronted with these deeper
questions concerning the origin and destiny of mankind, Christianity proposes
Jesus of Nazareth. He, we believe, is the eternal Logos who became flesh
in order to reconcile man to God and reveal the underlying reason of all
things. It is he whom we bring to the forum of interreligious dialogue. The
ardent desire to follow in his footsteps spurs Christians to open their minds
and hearts in dialogue (cf. Lk 10:25-37; Jn 4:7-26).
Dear friends, in our attempt
to discover points of commonality, perhaps we have shied away from the
responsibility to discuss our differences with calmness and clarity. While
always uniting our hearts and minds in the call for peace, we must also listen
attentively to the voice of truth. In this way, our dialogue will not stop at
identifying a common set of values, but go on to probe their ultimate
foundation. We have no reason to fear, for the truth unveils for us the
essential relationship between the world and God. We are able to perceive that
peace is a “heavenly gift” that calls us to conform human history to the divine
order. Herein lies the “truth of peace” (cf. Message for the
2006 World Day of Peace).
As we have seen then, the
higher goal of interreligious dialogue requires a clear exposition of our
respective religious tenets. In this regard, colleges, universities and study
centers are important forums for a candid exchange of religious ideas. The Holy
See, for its part, seeks to carry forward this important work through the
Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, the Pontifical Institute for
Arabic and Islamic Studies, and various Pontifical Universities.
Dear friends, let our sincere
dialogue and cooperation inspire all people to ponder the deeper questions of
their origin and destiny. May the followers of all religions stand together in
defending and promoting life and religious freedom everywhere. By giving
ourselves generously to this sacred task – through dialogue and countless small
acts of love, understanding and compassion – we can be instruments of peace for
the whole human family.
Peace upon you all!
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