At DePaul we realize that interfaith dialogue is more than a dialogue of trained theologians and scholars. At a diverse school like ours people are participating in interfaith dialogue all the time at different levels. We want to help people appreciate the various expressions of dialogue by providing a language for this dynamic. We find “The Four Ways of Dialogue” helpful in understanding what interfaith dialogue is to each of us and hope that there is a greater understanding of dialogue and diversity at DePaul through this model.
Dialogue of lifein which people of different faiths and spiritual traditions strive to live in an open and neighborly spirit – includes socializing and hospitality |
Dialogue of actionin which people of spiritual commitment and faith collaborate with others in building a just society – includes service and working for justice |
Dialogue of religious experiencein which people steeped in their spiritual traditions share their ways of searching for God or the Absolute – includes prayer, worship, celebration |
Dialogue oftheological exchangein which specialists seek to deepen their understanding of other spiritual heritages. |
These types were laid out in the 1991 document, Dialogue and Proclamation: Reflections and Orientations on Interreligious Dialogue and the Proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, by the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.)
Published in the Summer 2009 Issue of the Interfaith Review
“Interfaith dialogue is a must today, and the first step in establishing it is forgetting the past, ignoring polemical arguments, and giving precedence to common points, which far outnumber polemical ones.” (Fethullah Gulen)
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