Table Of Content

Digitized by the Internet Archive 2015 in https://archive.org/details/scarboromission8687sfms •.> Interfaith dialogue A golden conversation inuary-February 2005 $1.00 Hinduism Buddhism Thisisthesumofduty: Treatnotothersinways Baha’i Faith dcaounsoetpadiontiofodtohneerstoWyhoaut.would ,thary^~youifrisnedlfhuwrotufludl Confucianism Laynotonanysoulaload Mahabharata5:1517 Udana-Va^a5.18 Onewordwhichsumsupthe thatyouwouldonotwishto [-:f; basisofallgoodconduct... belaiduponyo>uu,,aanndd lovingkindness. desirenotfor Donotdoto anyonethe otherswhat thingsyou ypudonot wouldnot wantdone desirefor ijoyourself yourself /' Confucius, Dahn'u'llah, y.Analects15.23 Gleanings 0 Islam Taoism Notoneof~yotL.trulybelieves Regardyourneighbour’sgain untilyouwishforotherswhat asyourowngain,andyour youwishforyourself neighbour’slossasyourownloss TheProphetMuhammadfHudUh T'aiSbrngKainYingP'ien,213-218 SiionsM Whatishatefultoyou, Iamastran^rtonoone; donotdotoyourneighbour. andnooneisastranger ThisisthewholeTorah; tome.Indeed,Iam alltherestiscommentary ah-iendtoall mild,Talmud,Shabbat31a GuruGranthSahib,pg.1299 Jainism \ CHRisTiANrry Oneshouldtreatall ' Ineverything,dotoothers creaturesintheworld asyouwouldhavethem asonewouldlike dotoyou;forthisisthe tobetreated I lawandtheprophets Mnhavira,Subakritanga Jesus,Matthew7:12 Zoroastrianism Unitarianism Donotdountoothers affirmand.promoterespect whateverisinjurious ''v^NATIVE fortheinterdependent toyourself Spirituality webofallexistence Shayast-na-Shayast13.29 asWweekaereepasthmeuecahrtahliavleive ofwhichUniwteariaarneprainpcaiprlte ChiefDauGeorge CONTENTS Lenten n APPEAL ENVELOPE FEATURES INSIDE THIS ISSUE Toward a Christian understanding of world religions 4 BytheScarboroMissionsInterfaithDesk Dearpartner in mission. Theolof^iansandfaith representativesgatherforadayofdialogue You walk with Scarboro Jesus and otherworld religions 6 missioners as we witness to BytheScarboroMissionsInterfaithDesk A the Gospel overseas and in biblicalapproach to interfaith dialogue Canada. Please remember Interfaith in Winnipeg 8 ByPaulMcKenna us with your prayers and Catholicmultifaithactivisthelps interfaithdialogue toblossomat the financial support so thatwe parish level in Western Canada may continue the vital work The Muslim-Christian conversation 10 ByPaulMcKenna ofmission. Thankyou! ScarboroMissionsInterfaith Deskgoes toRome Encounterwith Islam 12 Embracing thestudyofIslam:An interviewwithFr. David Warren The Native talking circle 18 ByPaulMcKenna NorthAmerican interfaith leaders learn todialogue theNativeway Experiencing God in the land ofthe Buddha 20 ByDorothyNovak Catholicsparticipate in Buddhistmeditationaspartoftheemerging Buddhist-Catholicdialoguearound theworld Openingto other faiths and cultures 21 ByGeorginaPhalen Celebratinglifeandfaithwith thepeopleofThailand Volume 86, Number1 A single encounter 22 Ianuary-February2005 BySusanKeays Publisher:ScarboroForeignMissionSociety Howwordsanddeedsshapeothers'understandingofourfaith Editor/Designer: KathyVanLoon TheScarboroForeignMissionSocietyisaRoman Catholicmissionarycommunityinvolvedin COLUMNS missionoverseasandinCanada.Foundedin Canadain1918byFr.JohnFraser,Scarboro's initialpurposewastotrainandsendmissionary Guest editorial 3 pSreiceostnsdtWooCrhlidnaW.aFro,rScceadrtboorloeabveegCahniwnoarakfitenrgtihne ByDamianMacPherson, S.A. theCaribbean,AsiaandLatinAmerica. ScarboroMissionspublishessevenissueseach year.Thearticlespublishedrepresenttheopin- COVER: ScarboroMissions'GoldenRuleposter. ionsoftheauthorsanddonotnecessarilyreflect Formoreinformation,seepage15. theofficialpositionoftheSociety.Pleaseaddress allinquiriesto:ScarboroMissions,2685Kingston Rd.,Scarborough,ON,MIM1M4. www.scarboromisslons.ca Tel: (416)261-7135; Toll-free:1-800-260-4815 Scarboro Missions magazine thanks Fax:(416)261-0820; Email:General:[email protected] Paul McKenna and the Scarboro Missions Magazine: [email protected] Subscriptions:[email protected] Interfaith Desk for coordinating the material Subscriptions: lyr/$8; 2yrs/$15;3yrs/$22 for this special issue. We also thank MailPrRiengtiesdtriantiCoannNaudmabaenrd9m9a8i4l)edfr(oPmubTloircaotnitoon Fr. Terry Gallagher, S.F.M., for providing many EastL.P.P.,Scarborough,On. of the featured photographs. Returnpostageguaranteed. ISSN0700-6802 2 SCARBOROMISSIONS/JANUARY-FEBRUARY2005 GUEST EDITORIAL Interfaith dialogue... A golden conversation ByFr. Damian MacPherson, S.A. TheSecondVaticanCouncil JohnPaulI, andJohnPaulII docu- appreciatethe factthatyourevere (1962-65)willforeverbe mentingthe Church'scommitment Jesus andhis motherMary." rememberedforits sweeping to dialogue. Entitled "Interreligious To theworld'sBuddhists and changestothelife andpracticeof Dialogue: TheOfficialTeachingof Shintoists,JohnPaulIIstates: "the theCatholicChurch. While affirm- the CatholicChurch (1963-1995)", CatholicChurchexpressesher ingtheessentialsofthefaith, the thebooklists89instancesinwhich esteemforyourreligions andfor Counciltookseriousnote ofareas PopePaulVI dealtwithinterreli- yourhighspiritualvalues, suchas wherechangeneededtobeintro- gious concerns. Forexample, in purity, detachmentofheart, love ducedforthe good ofthe Church 1964, PaulVImadethefirst-ever forthebeauty ofnature, and andtheworld. papalvisittoIsrael. Thatsame benevolence and compassionfor Thisyear, theChurchcelebrates year, heissued Ecclesiam Suam everythingthatlives." the40thanniversaryoftwoland- (Paths ofthe Church), the first Interfaith dialoguehasbeena markdocumentsproducedbythe encyclicalinhistorytopromote hallmarkofJohnPaulIPspontifi- Council. Bothdocumentssignal a interfaithdialogue. cate. Today, more thanat anyother newopennesstowards the great Underthe entryforPopeJohn timeinhistory,bothChristians and religionsoftheworld. PaulII, thebooklists560 instances non-Christians alike share a deep- NostraAetate (Declarationonthe ofinterfaithactivityup to theyear ening and growingsense of Relationofthe Churchto 1995. Today, theremaybe asmany urgency fortheimportance of Non-ChristianReligions), and as2,000instances demonstrating interreligious dialogue andmutual DignitatisHumanae (Declarationon JohnPaulIPs commitmentto respectamongworld religions. ReligiousFreedom), openednew universalfraternity amongthe WithinCanadaandpossibly and challengingpathwaysof world'sreligions. throughoutNorthAmerica, Scar- respectforanddialoguewith Ata synagogueinRome, Pope boroMissionshasbeensecond to otherworldreligions. To showthe JohnPaulII addressedtheJewish noneinchampioningthecause of significanceofits decisions, the community, stating: "the Churchof interreligious dialogue. Their Vaticanchanged andupgraded Christdiscoversher'bond' with initiatives are atthe forefrontof theSecretariatforNon-Christians Judaismbysearchingintoherown interfaithactivity. Giventheir to thePontifical CouncilforInter- mystery. WithJudaism, therefore, commitmentoftime, talentand religiousDialogue. Withthisnew wehave arelationship, whichwe resources, theyareimplementing, titlecamearenewedmandate: donothavewithanyotherreli- inspiritandinfact, the Catholic "The Council'sconcernisto see gion. You areourdearlybeloved Church's commitmentto dialogue. thatdialoguewiththefollowers of brothers and, inacertainway, it Around theworld, people ofall otherreligionsis conducted ina couldbesaidthatyouare ourelder faithsareusingthe Scarboro suitablewayandtofostervarious brothers." Missions GoldenRuleposterto formsofcontactwiththem. It DuringavisittotheSudan, the engageinthis "golden" conversa- encourages appropriate studies Pope said totheMuslimcommu- tion. Thustheposter, which andmeetingswiththepurpose of nity: "I cannotfailtoemphasize presentsthe GoldenRulein 13 buildingmutualknowledge and oncemorethe CatholicChurch's faithtraditions, is anaptchoicefor esteemand,byworkingtogether highregardforthefollowersof the coverofthisspecialmagazine withothers, promotinghuman Islam. SudaneseCatholicsrecog- edition. Goldindeed. Gold dignityand spiritualandmoral nize thattheirMuslimneighbours indeed.oo values." prizethemorallife, andworship relTighieouPsonDtiiafliocaglueCohuansciplubfloirsIhnetdera- tfuhle—onesepGecoida,llAyltmhirgohutgyhapnrdaymeerr,ci- ciscFar.nFDraimairaonftMhaecAPthoenresmoenntisaanFdran- collectionofstatementsbyPaulVI, almsgivingandfasting. They directorforEcumenicalandInterfaith Affairsfor theArchdioceseofToronto. JANUARY-FEBRUARY2005/SCARBOROMISSIONS 3 Fr. RayO'Toole (left),thencoordinatoroftheScarboroMissionsInterfaithDesk,describes Scarboro'smanyinterfaith activitiessuchasco-sponsoringthisdayofdialogueatRegisCollege. Otheractivitiesincludedoingworldreligionretreat daysforhighschoolstudentsandorganizingmultifaitheventsathousesofworshipofnumerousfaiths. OtherfaithrepresentativesattheRegisCollegeeventjoinedinthestorytelling.Toronto,2002. Toward a Christian understanding world of religions Exploring the difficult questions during a day of dialogue at Regis College, a Jesuit theological college at the University of Toronto Thereligiousface ofthis attitudetowardsnon-Christian workinthem? CanChristians planetis changing. Ata religions. And theSecondVatican proclaimsalvationinJesus Christ dramaticpace, more and Councilisnowseenas awater- inawaythatrespects andvalues moreregionsoftheworld are shed eventinthisnewopenness the convictions and giftsofthose becomingenvironments ofmulti- towardJews, Muslims, whosefaithisdifferent? culture andmulti-faith. Atthe Buddhists, Hindus, Native ScarboroMissionshasbeen rootofthisphenomenonare Peoples, Sikhs and others. strugglingwiththese difficult internationalpatterns ofimmi- Indeed, theChurchhas come to questions forsomeyearsnow, gration. Throughoutthepast100 recognize andrespectthepres- promptedbyitsmissionerslived years, theprofound andworld- ence ofgrace, truthandholiness experience amongpeoples of widemovementofpeopleshas inotherreligions. otherlands and faiths. TheScar- provoked ameetingofcultures Buthow are Christians to deal boroMissionsInterfaithDesk, and religionsthatisnewto withthemanytheological and establishedin1996, is a concrete history. practicaldilemmaspresentedby manifestationofthe organiza- Thishistoricencounteris thisinterfaith conversation? How, tion's commitmenttointerfaith accompaniedby anotherremark- forexample, is onetounderstand dialogueinNorthAmericaand — ablephenomenon theinterfaith therelationshipbetweenChris- worldwide. dialoguemovement. Today, the tianity andotherreligions? How greatfaiths oftheworldare talk- canChristiansmaintaintheir A new field of theology ingto one anotherinafashion beliefintheuniqueness ofChrist thatisnew, exciting and chal- andtheChristianrevelationand Today,—anewfieldofChristian lenging. And Christianityhas yetbeblessedbythe gifts, reli- theology the—theologyofinterreli- joined the conversation. giousexperience andteachingsof gious dialogue isemergingto Inthelastfourdecades. othertraditions? CanChristians investigatequestions arisingfrom Catholics and Protestantsworld- understand Christinawaythat theChristianconversationwith widehavebeenrethinkingtheir valuesotherreligions and God's otherworldreligions. Alongside 4 SCARBOROMISSIONS/JANUARY-FEBRUARY2005 — Subscriptions "'Although the religions oe the world are ScarboroMissions magazine shares anewunderstanding ofmission APPLES AND ORANGES AND ARE MORE DIFFERENT today, focusing onhumandevel- THAN THEY ARE ALIKE, STILL THERE IS A QUALITY OF opment, the liberationofpeoples and interreligious dialogue. The "fruitfulness" that characterizes them all and magazine presents thejourney of OUT OF WHICH A "COMMON GROUND' FOR SHARED Scarboro missioners astheywalk gentlyamongotherpeoples and CONVERSATION CAN BE ESTABLISHED." cultures, recognizingGod'spres- ence amongthem. Paul Knitter, Roman Catholic dialogue theologian 1yearsubscription: $ 8.00 2yearsubscription: $15.00 3yearsubscription: $22.00 Overseas subscriptions pleaseadd$5.00 tohelpwith postagecosts. Thankyoul Tosubscribeto ScarboroMissions magazine, ortoorderextracopiesof thisspecialissue, contactScarboro Missions,2685KingstonRoad, MIM Scarborough,ON, 1M4. ParticipantsattheRegisCollegeevent,L-R:HowardBernstein(Judaism); Tel:416-261-7135 NancyDinnigan-Prashad (Baha'i); KelsangRabgye (Buddhism);JesuitFather JosephSchnerr,PresidentofRegisCollege. Toll-free: 1-800-260-4815 Email:[email protected] thisnewdevelopmentis the Scarborointerfaithprojects: evolutionofanew creature the • The armual ruralinterfaith dialogue theologian. Around the retreat world, anumberoftheologians • Worldreligionsretreat arebreaking ground inthisnew days forhigh schoolstudents realmoftheology. One ofthese is • Visitstohouses of JesuitFatherOveyMohammed worship ofvariousfaiths. onthefaculty ofRegisCollege, a Jesuittheological college atthe The various faithrepresenta- UniversityofToronto. tives, all ofwhomhavebeen Inthe fall of2002, Scarboro involved inthese Scarboro Missionsteamedup withthe projects, contributed to the story- teachingstaffofRegis College to tellingwiththeirownexperiences JesuitFatherOveyMohammed, probe some ofthe questions aris- ofdialogue. onthefacultyofRegisCollege, ingfromthisinterfaithconversa- Inthe closingplenary, the sharesareflectionduringthe tion. group recognized thatthe day's dayofdialogue.Fr.Mohammed, Thepresence ofrepresentatives learningshelped tobreaksome agifteddialoguetheologian, ofsixfaithgroups—^Judaism, ground inmovingtoward a contributestothefieldof Unitarianism, Hinduism, Christianunderstandingofworld Christiandialoguetheologyin Canada. Buddh—ism, Islamand the Baha'i religions. However, all agreed Faith enriched the day-long thattheological discussionand seminar. thoughtinthefield ofinterfaith Interfaith storytellingtookup a dialogueisvital and ongoingin goodportionofthe day. Members anincreasinglymultifaithand ofthe Scarboro Missions Inter- multiculturalworld.oo faithDeskshared details ofthree JANUARY-FEBRUARY2005/SCARBOROMISSIONS 5 Jesus and other world religions A BIBLICAL APPROACH TO INTERFAITH DIALOGUE H ow didJesusviewpeople ofotherfaiths? How did Jesusrelate topeople of otherreligions? DidJesusvalue the teachings andpractices of otherfaiths? Generally speaking, these are not questionsthatChristianshave botheredtowrestlewiththrough- outChurchhistory. Butthe20th centurywitnessed aprofound shiftinthisregard. The growing internationalsituationofreli- giouspluralism combinedwith dramatic advances inbiblical scholarshiphave pushedthe envelope. One of the themes of THE Bible is that God A God of universal IS — SALVATION God's love AND God's covenant EXTENDS TO ALL HUMANITY. Throughouttheworld, more andmore Christians arenow Photosthispage: studyingthe New Testament Protestantsand withtheseburning questionsin Catholicsfromacross mind. Torontowrestlewith The questionofJesus and NewTestamenttextsin whichJesusrelatesto otherfaithsinspired Scarboro personsofotherfaiths. Missionsto convenetwobible ScarboroMissionscon- study sessions lastspring. These venedtwobiblestudy gatherings attracted Protestants sessionsatitscentral- and Catholics from all over houseinTorontoto examineJesus'viewof Toronto. Participantsstudied the otherfaiths. 6 SCARBOROMISSIONS/JANUARY-FEBRUARY2005