Editorial

Even if we have a common home called Earth, due to cultural, historical and religious factors, different portions of humanity do not share the same faith. There is a variety of religions, although ultimately, people probably believe in the same God.

So that extremism and fundamentalism will not lead to the self-destruction of humankind, a healthy and practical solution needs to be found. It could be “dialogue,” yet dialogue has to be learned.

Some may call for education towards cultural intelligence, that is, to understand the religion of the other, study its similarities with and differences from their own, and build bridges to create a more fraternal world.

However, dialogue is not limited to this, nor is it only cooperative actions among men and women of diverse religions. It also starts in the heart: going from heart to heart. Love is the starting point of true dialogue that builds deep and meaningful relationships and friendships. Diversity of religions can become an enrichment for one another.

Interreligious dialogue is a journey of persons of various faiths or religious convictions. It is also called inter-faith dialogue where beliefs are shared with others as gifts in a spirit of respectful proclamation.

According to Anglican bishop Kenneth Cragg, the first thing we must do in approaching another people, culture, or religion, is to “take off our shoes” for the place we are approaching is holy, lest we forget that God was there before our arrival.

In effect, we are all gifts for one another. In 1949, Chiara Lubich wrote: “The person next to me was created as a gift for me and I was created as a gift for the person next to me. On Earth, all stands in a relationship of love with all: each thing with every other thing. We have to be Love, however, to discover the golden thread among all things that exist.”

Through love, that is, by being the one to take the first step in loving always till the end, each one becomes the origin of a reciprocity of love and this brings about that unity which renews relationships, environments, and structures. This reveals the beauty of thinking and working together for a common cause.

Interreligious dialogue could also lead to mutual understanding and help man and woman become a true image of the Triune God, the creator, the source and origin of reciprocal love within the Trinity. Reciprocity could be a road map for multi-religious collaboration towards a more humane and united humanity.

A mosaic located at the entrance of the United Nations Secretariat building in New York depicts people of different nationalities, religions, and cultures standing together, with the words “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” the so-called Golden Rule, inscribed on its surface. But what is the Golden Rule? It is the most universally applauded moral principle on Earth since something similar appears in every major religion and ethical philosophy in the world. Our dialogue could effectively start with this principle.