Commission for Interreligious Dialogue

The commission prepared a dossier on Jesus Christ which will serve as material for the local church committees for the Jubilee. The dossier is divided into five sections: Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and the traditional Religions of Africa. The aim is to demonstrate how Jesus Christ is included, or in what way he comes to play a part in these religions.

It was thought that all this could be helpful to the different local committees, in case they had to speak on the Jubilee celebrations, with persons of other religions. At the moment the commission is engaged in preparing a dossier on the Holy Spirit. The work will consist in a selection of texts on the Spirit, relative to different religious traditions.

Each text will be preceded with a brief introduction, which will indicate not only the source, but will also briefly explain what role the Spirit plays in the religion the text represents.

The text will be followed with a certain number of questions. As for interreligious dialogue in general, the Commission believes it to be very important to present the Church's teaching regarding the universal activity of the Holy Spirit.

This teaching, explained in Pope John Paul II's encyclicals "Dominum et Vivificantem" and "Redemptoris Missio," provides the fundamental principle for relations with the other religions. Furthermore, the Commission is reflecting on participation in a meeting on interreligious dialogue, which will probably take place in 1999, the Year of the Father, as indicated in Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 53. Various proposals have already been made.

A decision on the merits will be made in order that one can proceed with the preparations for such an encounter. The Holy Father, in the same paragraph of Tertio Millennio Adveniente, underlined the possibility of an encounter between Christians, Jews and Muslims. One of the places suggested for the meeting was Mount Sinai.

In January of this year, the president of the Commission visited Egypt to test the reactions about this encounter.

The initial reaction was positive, and a decision will be made as soon as possible.