7 The Declaration Dominus Iesus: A Brake on Ecumenism and Interfaith Dialogue?
BY JULIO SAVI
N 5 September 2000 Joseph Cardinal arise in the practice of interreligious dialogue O Ratzinger, Prefect of the Congrega- (¶3). The document has been mostly inter- tion for the Doctrine of the Faith and the preted as proclaiming the need for Catholics highest o¹cer responsible for the theological to return to the theological position com- ideology of the Catholic Church, presented monly held before the developments in the in the Vatican Press O¹ce a Declaration of ecumenical movement during the last thirty that Congregation entitled “Dominus Iesus: years: that Christianity is unique among on the unicity and the salvi³c universality of religions as the repository of divinely revealed Jesus Christ and the Church.” The Declara- truth and that Catholicism and its ecclesias- tion bears his signature, but Pope John Paul tical institutions are the authoritative inter- II had rati³ed and con³rmed it “with sure preters of that truth. It certainly calls for knowledge and by his apostolic authority [certa Catholics to pull back from theories inspired scientia et apostolica Sua auctoritate]” (¶23) by theological relativism and religious plural- and had ordered its publication.1 ism. The response of other religionists and The thirty-six-page Dictum, completed interested parties, within and outside Chris- after two years of study by a large group of tianity, was universally and emphatically nega- theologians, consists of an introduction, six tive, labeling the document a return to a kind brief sections, and a conclusion. Addressed of fundamentalist thinking that, if accepted, to “Bishops, theologians, and all the Catholic could mean the demise of ecumen-ism. What faithful,” it recalls “certain indispensable el- follows analyzes the contents of the Decla- ements of Christian doctrine” to help its ration, summarizes world opinion, and com- addressees answer “new questions” that may pares the positions expressed in the docu- ment with those found in the Bahá’í teachings. After the presentation by Cardinal Rat- zinger, Monsignor Tarcisio Bertone, secre- tary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Copyright © 2001 by Julio Savi. I wish to thank the the Faith, explained that “the Document . . . World Order editors for their kind encouragement and rea¹rms and summarizes the doctrine of precious assistance. Catholic faith de³ned and taught in earlier 1. Dominus Iesus contains an introduction, six chap- documents of the Church’s Magisterium; and ters, and a conclusion. The paragraphs in the chapters are numbered sequentially from 1 through 23. Passages it indicates the correct interpretation thereof from the Declaration are cited in the text by paragraph in the face of doctrinal errors and ambigu- number. ities that have become widespread in modern
Reprinted from World Order, 32.2 (Winter 2000–2001): 7–24 8 WORLD ORDER: WINTER 2000–01 theological and ecclesial circles.”2 Issued by be true for others; the radical opposition an institution inferior to the Pope and to the posited between the logical mentality of College of Bishops in communion with the the West and the symbolic mentality of Pope, the Declaration is not an infallible the East; the subjectivism which regards document. But, as it was rati³ed by the Pope reason as the only source of knowledge; with a formula of exceptional authority, “the the metaphysical emptying of the mystery assent required from the faithful,” according of incarnation; the eclecticism of those to Monsignor Bertone, “is de³nitive and irre- who, in theological research, uncritically vocable.”3 Thus the document needs to be absorb ideas from a variety of philosophi- read carefully and fully understood. cal and theological contexts without re- gard for consistency, systematic connec- Its Contents tion, or compatibility with Christian truth; DOMINUS IESUS holds that at the close of the ³nally, the tendency to read and to inter- second Christian millennium, the evangeliz- pret Sacred Scripture outside the Tradi- ing mission of the Catholic Church is not tion and Magisterium of the Church.4 only “still far from complete (cf. John Paul These theories, he said, imply the denial of II, Encyclical Letter Redemptoris missio, 1: some fundamental verities of the Church, AAS 83 [1991], 249–340),” it is also endan- such as: gered, within the Church itself, by theories the de³nitive and complete character of inspired by the theological relativism and the revelation of Jesus Christ, the nature religious pluralism espoused by some uphold- of Christian faith as compared with that ers of the ecumenical movement and con- of belief in other religions, the inspired ceived to justify religious pluralism “not only nature of the books of Sacred Scripture, de facto but also de jure (or in principle)”(¶4). the personal unity between the Eternal In presenting the Declaration at the Septem- Word and Jesus of Nazareth, the unity of ber 2000 press conference Cardinal Ratzinger the economy of the Incarnate Word and summarized these theories as being: the Holy Spirit, the unicity and salvi³c the conviction of the elusiveness and in- universality of the mystery of Jesus Christ, expressibility of divine truth; relativistic the universal salvi³c mediation of the attitudes toward truth itself, which would Church, the inseparability—while recog- hold that what is true for some would not nizing the distinction—of the kingdom of God, the kingdom of Christ, and the Church, and the subsistence of the one Church of Christ in the Catholic Church. 2. Intervention of Monsignor Tarcisio Bertone, sec- (¶4) retary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the To clarify such claimed errors, the Declara- Faith, Press Conference for the presentation of the tion itself rea¹rms concisely the o¹cial doc- Declaration Dominus Iesus, the Holy See press room, 5 trine of the Catholic Church on six funda- September 2000 (hereafter referred to as “Press Confer- mental issues. ence.” The Italian text of the Press Conference may be retrieved from the website
Reactions throughout the World In point of fact, nothing is left to the AS SOON as the Declaration was issued, it other Christians but “returning to the fold.” unleashed an intense debate in the media. . . . The same attitude is maintained to- Archbishop Marcello Zago, the Secretary of ward other religions. Although their fol- the Congregation for the Evangelization of lowers may receive divine grace, “they are Peoples, pointed out that the aim of the doc- in a gravely de³cient situation in compari- ument is “to recall forgotten theological as- son with those who, in the Church, have pects, to return to the heart of the faith and the fullness of the means of salvation to what it means to be Christians wherever [Dominus Iesus, ¶22].” . . . we are.”14 However, in the words of Karen The Declaration rails at relativism, Armstrong, one of the foremost British com- eclecticism, the thesis whereby there are mentators on religious a²airs, this same con- other “ways of salvation” beside Christian- cept is the basis of Christian fundamentalist ity or that the Word, that is Christ in his thought: “to go back to basics and reempha- divinity, may be manifested outside the size the ‘fundamentals’ of the Christian tra- event of Christ in his historical incarna- dition, which . . . [the fundamentalists] tion. Heaven help you if you think that identif[y] with a literal interpretation of all religions are equal. . . . Scripture and the acceptance of certain core Fixing its barriers, the Declaration comes doctrines.”15 For that reason, the Dictum has to correct and make meaningless the re- been judged as fundamentalist and rejected peated brotherly acts of the Pope toward by most non-Catholic Christians, Jews, and the Christian Churches and his open- Muslims. mindedness toward other religions. When La Repubblica, one of the foremost Italian the Pope says that God does not fail to be newspapers of the left wing, announced the present also in the spiritual heritage of the Declaration through an article by Marco Politi, other religions, new horizons are opened. an Italian journalist who is an expert on When Ratzinger emphasizes the fact that Vatican issues. The tone of the article is symp- the other beliefs are essentially a human tomatic of the general atmosphere: religious experience still in search of the The latest Dictum of the Congregation absolute truth, it is a call to order.16 for the Doctrine of the Faith . . . is causing The tone is similar in other articles in the a storm of polemics. The other Christian international press. The Washington Post states Churches protest, because they feel declas- that, whereas Pope John Paul II had “notably sed by the peremptory proclamation in embraced a handful of dicta dating from the Ratzinger’s Dominus Iesus that Catholicism famed Second Vatican Council meetings of has a primary and superior role. . . . the mid-1960s, which called for religious liber- ty and explicitly supported ecumenism, or religious cooperation and unity,” 14. Archbishop Marcello Zago, quoted in Interna- . . . today’s declaration is concerned more tional Fides Service, n. 4213, NE 511, 8 Sept. 2000. with establishing limits than breaking 15. Karen Armstrong, The Battle for God (New York: Knopf, 2000) x. barriers, and its tone at times seems closer 16. Marco Politi, “Ratzinger: ‘Salvezza solo nella to the inhibiting orders of the First Vatican Chiesa cattolica,’ [“Ratzinger: ‘Salvation only in the Council, in 1870. . . . Then, the council Catholic Church’”],” La Repubblica 25.206 (6 Sept. lent its support to a “Syllabus of Errors,” 2000): 11. 17. R. Je²rey Smith, “Vatican Claims Church Mo- which explicitly challenged any notion that nopoly on Salvation,” Washington Post Foreign Service 6 other religions were as “true” as Catholi- Sept. 2000: A13. cism.17 THE DECLARATION DOMINUS IESUS 13
Negative reactions of the Catholic world is false,’ they express themselves in a quite have been variously described by the media. scholastic way. . . . The Pope did not sign Il Resto del Carlino, an Italian newspaper pub- the Declaration Dominus Iesus, whereas he lished in Bologna, announced the Declara- has signed in his own hand the encyclical tion with an article entitled “Wojtyla gets rid letter Ut Unum Sint. . . . I was not there, of the ‘sister Churches’” and remarked that because I was sick.”19 “It must have not been easy to draft the Thomas J. Reese, a Jesuit scholar and editor document Dominus Iesus. Which could be of the Catholic weekly magazine America, is criticized even within the Catholic world. In quoted by the Washington Post as having said particular, by some Ponti³cal university.”18 that he was “dismayed that the statement had A number of Catholic personalities also ‘practically no reference to the dialogue go- reacted negatively. Politi writes that, accord- ing on for the past 35 years between Catho- ing to the Australian Edward Cardinal Cassidy, lics and Protestants.’ . . .” “‘The danger,’” he president of the Ponti³cal Council for Inter- continued, “‘is that this document will be religious Dialogue, “[t]imes and manners . . . seen as a rejection of that dialogue,’ a mes- are wrong in Ratzinger’s document. The sage he said he did not think was intended.”20 language is not right for ecumenism.” Politi Enzo Bianchi, a theologian, a Biblical scholar, also quotes Cardinal Cassidy as saying that and the founder and Prior of the Monastery the Declaration is of Bose, an ecumenical community in the “a text written by professors for other Italian region of Piedmont, wrote: “In the professors. We have a sensitive ear for ecu- present winter of ecumenism between the menical dialogue, and when we are on the churches this document will not be an unsur- point of o²ending someone, we perceive mountable obstacle on the way, but undoubt- it. But when they (the members of the edly its reception will be di¹cult in the ecu- Holy O¹ce, e.n.) Say ‘This is true, this menical circles, and it will raise questions, suspicions and disillusions among the other Christian Churches.”21 The reaction of other Christian Churches 18. Giuseppe Di Leo, “Wojtyla scarica le ‘Chiese was also negative. The archbishop of Canter- sorelle’ [“Wojtyla gets rid of the ‘sister Churches’”],” Il bury, George Carey, the spiritual leader of Resto del Carlino 115.243 (6 Sept. 2000): 2. 19. Marco Politi,“Vaticano, prime crepe sulla linea the Anglican Church, as quoted in the Wash- Ratzinger [“Vatican, early splits in Ratzinger’s line”],” ington Post, complained that “the idea that La Repubblica 25.221 (26 Sept. 2000): 18. Cf. John Anglican and other Churches are not ‘proper Paul II, Ut Unum Sint (That They May Be One), churches’ seems to question the considerable Encyclical letter on ecumenical commitment (Vatican 22 City: 25 May 1995) ¶3. gains we have made.” The bishop of Roch- 20. Smith, “Vatican Claims Church Monopoly on ester, England, Michael Nazir-Ali, a member Salvation,” Washington Post Foreign Service 6 Sept. 2000: of the Commission for the relations between A13. Catholics and Anglicans, was quoted as hav- 21. Enzo Bianchi, “Il di¹cile dialogo con le Chiese ing said: “‘I was shocked. Also many Catho- sorelle [“The di¹cult dialogue with the sister Churches”],” La Repubblica 25.208 (8 Sept.2000): 16. lics are shocked. Apparently someone in the 22. Smith, “Vatican Claims Church Monopoly on Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Salvation,” Washington Post Foreign Service (6 Sept. 2000): does not love ecumenism and wants to sabo- A13. tage the dialogue.’”23 The Reverend Manfred 23. The Reverend Michael Nazir-Ali, quoted in Koch, head of Germany’s Lutheran Church Antonio Polito, “‘Così il cardinale sabota le aperture di Wojtyla’ [“‘Thus the Cardinal sabotages Wojtyla’s open- and president of the Council of the Evan- ings’”],” La Repubblica 25.207 (7 Sept. 2000): 27. gelical Churches in Germany, who recently 14 WORLD ORDER: WINTER 2000–01 spoke about the need to recognize the Pope religions. There is nothing new about this, as a symbolic unitary ³gure of Christianity, but we had hoped they had taken another is reported by the international news agency road. This is a return to the past. . . . The Zenit as having said that Dominus Iesus rep- salvation through Christ is not deposited resents in one religion only. This puts not only “a step backwards for ecumenical relations the Catholic Church at the center, but . . . [and] a questionable attempt put the especially the Catholic hierarchy.”25 [sic] reinstate the defeated absolutist im- The Russian Orthodox Monsignor Net- age of the Church from the First Vatican chaev Konstantin Vladimirovich Pitirim, a Council, with its limitless primacy of the metropolitan of the dioceses of Volokalamsk Pope. It stands in stark contrast to the and Juriev, and a former o¹cer of the World hopeful concern for inter-Christian ecu- Council of Churches, was quoted as stating: menism and interreligious dialogue initi- “‘I think that the declarations of Mr. Cardi- ated by the Second Vatican Council. nal [Ratzinger] are rigorist and sel³sh. The [However] . . . the Declaration has many ecumenical dialogue requires more balanced a¹rmations that the Reformed Churches judgments. . . . His statements on the exclu- could approve without reservations, be- sive role of the Catholic Church could cause, ginning with the salvi³c universality of in certain Orthodox circles, accusations against Christ.”24 the ecumenical dialogue, accusations of her- The Reverend Valdo Benecchi, president esy against those who practice ecumenism.’”26 of the Methodist Evangelical Churches of Pastor Jean-Arnold de Clermont, the presi- Italy, was quoted as declaring: dent of the French Protestants, was quoted “It’s a jump backwards in terms of ecu- as saying: “‘This new Declaration of the Vati- menism and with dialogues with other can . . . stands in singular contrast with the call to humility and open-mindedness to- ward the others launched by the Catholic Church in the Jubilee year.’”27 Finally, the World Council of Churches is quoted as observing that “it would be a ‘trag- 24. The Reverend Manfred Koch, quoted in “Reli- edy’ if Christian cooperation were ‘obscured gious leaders comment on ‘Dominus Iesus’ Declaration criticize Catholic theology but are grateful for clarity,” by the Churches’ dialogues about their rela- a dispatch by the international news agency Zenit, tive authority and status—however impor- which may be found at
texts without regard for consistency, sys- thustra, the Buddha, Christ, Muhammad, tematic connection, or compatibility with Bahá’u’lláh. Christian [or any religious] truth.40 The messengers of God, in the Bahá’í But unlike the Catholic Church (as re·ected view, are perfect creatures in their ability to in the Declaration), the Bahá’í Faith approves comprehend and to convey the will of God “the conviction of the elusiveness and inex- to humanity in a given age. In the words of pressibility of divine truth; the relativistic Bahá’u’lláh, they attitudes toward truth itself, according to are the recipients and revealers of all the which what is true for some would not be unchangeable attributes and names of God. true for others”; and obviously the Bahá’í They are the mirrors that truly and faith- Faith does not condemn “the tendency to fully re·ect the light of God. Whatsoever read and to interpret sacred scripture outside is applicable to them is in reality appli- the Tradition and Magisterium of the Church” cable to God, Himself, Who is both the (¶4). Therefore, the Bahá’í attitude toward Visible and the Invisible. The knowledge the six issues dealt with in the Declaration of Him, Who is the Origin of all things, is quite di²erent from that of the Catholic and attainment unto Him, are impossible Church, as a brief examination of a few points save through knowledge of, and attain- may serve to illustrate. ment unto, these luminous Beings who The Fullness and De³nitiveness of the Rev- proceed from the Sun of Truth. By attain- elation of Jesus Christ. The Bahá’í beliefs on ing, therefore, to the presence of these the fullness and de³nitiveness of the revela- holy Luminaries, the “Presence of God” tion of Jesus Christ are openly relativist and Himself is attained. From their knowl- pluralist. Human beings cannot know abso- edge, the knowledge of God is revealed, lute Truth. “The door of the knowledge of and from the light of their countenance, the Ancient of Days [God] . . . [is] closed in the splendour of the Face of God is made the face of all beings,” writes Bahá’u’lláh.41 manifest.42 However, the Bahá’í scriptures teach that God The messengers of God certainly know guides humankind toward Truth, gradually, absolute Truth. But none of them has con- throughout the ages, through His messen- veyed or will ever convey that Truth to hu- gers—that is, the founders of revealed reli- mankind in absolute terms. They reveal in- gions, including, for example, Moses, Zara- crementally as much of it as is suited to the growing spiritual capacity of understanding of human beings. Bahá’u’lláh writes: “Know of a certainty that in every Dispensation the 40. Intervention of Cardinal Ratzinger, Press Con- light of Divine Revelation hath been vouch- ference. safed unto men in direct proportion to their 41. Bahá’u’lláh, Kitáb-i-Íqán: The Book of Certitude, spiritual capacity.”43 He also writes: “O Son trans. Shoghi E²endi, 1st ps ed. (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í of Beauty! . . . All that I have revealed unto Publishing Trust, 1983) 99. thee with the tongue of power, and have 42. Bahá’u’lláh, Kitáb-i-Íqán 142–43. In the Bahá’í scriptures, the locution “Sun of Truth” is the Logos, written for thee with the pen of might, hath the Word of God. been in accordance with thy capacity and 43. Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of understanding, not with My state and the Bahá’u’lláh, trans. Shoghi E²endi, 1st ps ed. (Wil- melody of My voice.”44 Shoghi E²endi, the mette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1983) 87. 44. Bahá’u’lláh, The Hidden Words, trans. Shoghi Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith, explains that E²endi with the assistance of some English friends religious truth is not absolute but relative, (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1939) A67. . . . [and] Divine Revelation is orderly, 18 WORLD ORDER: WINTER 2000–01
continuous and progressive and not spas- it.”47 Bahá’u’lláh also describes the revelation modic or ³nal. Indeed, the categorical of Jesus as perfect, absolute, and full in itself, rejection by the followers of the Faith of although it gave only a prescribed measure of Bahá’u’lláh of the claim to ³nality which divine guidance to humanity. Like all the any religious system inaugurated by the other messengers of God, Christ revealed Prophets of the past may advance is as only what human beings could understand clear and emphatic as their own refusal to at that speci³c moment of their collective claim that same ³nality for the Revelation evolution on earth. Therefore, Jesus’ revela- with which they stand identi³ed.45 tion, while perfect, is not de³nitive or ³nal; Therefore, the message of each messenger actually, three divine messengers of equal is perfectly calculated for the realization of magnitude (Muhammad, the Báb, and Bahá’- its divinely assigned mission, but the capac- u’lláh) have come to the world after Christ. ity of each messenger is in³nitely greater And other messengers will come to the world than those of other mortals. Bahá’u’lláh “‘till “the end that hath no end”; so that His describes Jesus as “the face of God,” “the [God’s] grace may, from the heaven of Divine Essence of Being and Lord of the visible and bounty, be continually vouchsafed to man- invisible.”46 He writes of Jesus as possessing kind.’” 48 more spiritual potency than the “deepest Thus, from the Bahá’í perspective, there wisdom which the sages have uttered, the is no reason to consider the faith in God of profoundest learning which any mind hath the Catholics as being di²erent in quality unfolded, the arts which the ablest hands from that of the followers of the other reli- have produced, the in·uence exerted by the gions. Like the faith of the followers of any most potent of rulers.” All these, He says, other religion, the faith of Catholics also in- “are but manifestations of the quickening volves a commitment to divinely ordained power released by His [Christ’s] transcen- spiritual values, demonstrated in actions. As dent, His all-pervasive, and resplendent Spir- ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the eldest surviving son of Bahá’u’lláh and His designated successor, succinctly puts it, whatever the religion, faith is for each believer “³rst, conscious knowl- edge, and second, the practice of good 45. Shoghi E²endi, The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh: 49 Selected Letters, new ed. (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publish- deeds.” In the Bahá’í view, it is “true knowl- ing Trust, 1991) 115. edge of God and the comprehension of divine 46. Bahá’u’lláh, Kitáb-i-Íqán 19; Bahá’u’lláh, Glean- words.”50 It is “the love that ·ows from man ings 57. to God . . . attraction to the Divine, en- 47. Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings, 85–86. 48. Bahá’u’lláh, “Súriy-i-ßabr” (Súrih of Patience), kindlement, progress, entrance into the King- quoted in Shoghi E²endi, World Order of Bahá’u’lláh dom of God, receiving the Bounties of God, 116. illumination with the lights of the King- 49. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Tablets of Abdul Baha Abbas, vol. dom.”51 Indeed, “[f ]aith does not consist in 3 (New York: Bahai Publishing Society, 1909–16) 549. belief, it consists in deeds.”52 Therefore, in 50. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, quoted in Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l- Bahá, Bahá’í World Faith: Selected Writings of Bahá’u’lláh the Bahá’í religious experience, the accep- and ‘Abdu’l- Bahá, 2nd ed. (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Pub- tance of metaphysical verities and dogmas lishing Trust, 1976) 364. fades into the background in comparison with 51. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Paris Talks: Addresses Given by ‘Abdu’l- any action consciously and willingly performed Bahá in Paris in 1911, 12th ed. (London: Bahá’í Pub- lishing Trust, 1995) 58.5. for the love of God in compliance with 52. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Abdul Baha on Divine Philosophy spiritual laws revealed in any of the Scrip- (Boston: Tudor Press, 1918) 41. tures. Thus the Bahá’í concept of faith is THE DECLARATION DOMINUS IESUS 19 quite di²erent from that of Dominus Iesus, scriptures on the development of human where faith in Jesus Christ, understood as the civilization. Bahá’ís desire that all sacred wholehearted assent to His revealed truth as scriptures receive the deep, scienti³c, and formally and authoritatively explained by the respectful study that has been accorded the Catholic Church, is preeminent in compari- books of the Old and New Testament and son with any good deed performed in the the Koran. In the Bahá’í view, the authentic- absence of such faith. ity and validity of Scriptures spring from the As to the meaning of the Scriptures of validity of their teachings and the fruits that revealed religions, Shoghi E²endi states that they have produced in the hearts of their the Revelation identi³ed with Bahá’u’lláh followers as well as in the societies that adopted . . . preserves inviolate the sanctity of . . . them as their source of spiritual guidance. [the] authentic Scriptures [of the ancient The Incarnate Logos and the Holy Spirit in religions], disclaims any intention of low- the Work of Salvation. From a Bahá’í perspec- ering the status of their Founders or of tive, Jesus and the Word are one and the abating the spiritual ideals they inculcate, same, but according to the Bahá’í teachings . . . rea¹rms their common, their un- the same station is also true of the other changeable and fundamental purpose, . . . Messengers. Bahá’u’lláh writes that readily and gratefully recognizes their re- all the Prophets are the Temples of the spective contributions to the gradual un- Cause of God, Who have appeared clothed foldment of one Divine Revelation, unhesi- in divers attire. If thou wilt observe with tatingly acknowledges itself to be but one discriminating eyes, thou wilt behold them link in the chain of continually progres- all abiding in the same tabernacle, soaring sive Revelations. . . .53 in the same heaven, seated upon the same Discussion of those ancient scriptures is throne, uttering the same speech, and acceptable to Bahá’ís, insofar as it aims to proclaiming the same Faith. Such is the establish the extent to which surviving scrip- unity of those Essences of being, those tural texts accurately convey the teachings of Luminaries of in³nite and immeasurable the various Messengers of God (always prob- splendour.54 lematic because, with the exception of the To Bahá’ís, the Holy Spirit operates in the Koran, the texts that survive were either not world in at least two ways. The ³rst is a written down during their Messenger’s life- “universal” way in which all things are “the time, have been changed over the course of recipients and revealers of the splendours of time, or are copies of lost originals). But, in that ideal King,” and “nothing whatsoever the Bahá’í view, such discussions should re- can exist without the revelation of the main purely academic, rather than be used splendour of God, the ideal King.”55 The to call into question the legitimacy or the second is a particular way, channeled through great and positive in·uence exerted by all all the Messengers of God, all of whom are “the recipients and revealers of all the un- changeable attributes and names of God. . . . [and are] the mirrors that truly and faithfully re·ect the light of God,” so that “[t]he 53. Shoghi E²endi, God Passes By, intro. George knowledge of Him, Who is the Origin of all Townshend, (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, things, and attainment unto Him, are im- 1974, 1999 printing) 100. 54. Bahá’u’lláh, Kitáb-i-Íqán 153–54. possible save through knowledge of, and 55. Bahá’u’lláh, Kitáb-i-Íqán 139, 140. attainment unto, these luminous Beings who 56. Bahá’u’lláh, Kitáb-i-Íqán 142. proceed from the Sun of Truth.”56 20 WORLD ORDER: WINTER 2000–01
The Unicity and Universality of the Salvi³c sengers and in this respect is identical to Mystery of Jesus Christ. Regarding the unicity them. He is both the Son of God and the and universality of the salvi³c mystery of son of man. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá wrote that Jesus Jesus Christ, Bahá’ís believe that each divine “founded the sacred Law on a basis of moral epiphany is a unique, universal and absolute character and complete spirituality, and for historical event in relation to the age in which those who believed in Him He delineated a it is manifested and to its speci³c divinely special way of life which constitutes the highest assigned mission. However, it is not unique, type of action on earth.”61 universal, and absolute in relation to the other The Bahá’í teachings uphold religious divine epiphanies, of which it is one part. pluralism not only de facto but also de jure. Bahá’u’lláh explains that the messengers of They consider each revealed religion as the God have two di²erent aspects—“the station fruit of an authentic divine revelation, equal of essential unity” and “the station of dis- to all the other religions in its essential as- tinction.”57 In their station of essential unity, pects, such as the law of love and compas- the Messengers of God “are regarded as one sion, and di²erent in its secondary aspects. soul and the same person. For they all drink The Bahá’í teachings uphold the unity of from the one Cup of the love of God, and religions. They consider religious con·icts all partake of the fruit of the same Tree of and disputes as the result of misunderstand- Oneness.”58 In their station of distinction (or ings—misunderstandings that are often re- humanity) that ferred to as “religious prejudices.” They call pertaineth to the world of creation and to upon the followers of all religions to study the limitations thereof. . . . each Manifes- with greater attention, respect, and objectiv- tation of God59 hath a distinct individu- ity the scriptures and the historical develop- ality, a de³nitely prescribed mission, a ment of the other religions. They recom- predestined Revelation, and specially des- mend that peoples of di²erent religions ignated limitations. Each one of them is cooperate with one another and establish known by a di²erent name, is character- strong ties of reciprocal friendship. They see ized by a special attribute, ful³ls a de³nite harmony among religions as a goal the at- Mission, and is entrusted with a particular tainment of which is worth working for, in Revelation.60 view of the bene³ts that will accrue there- Therefore, Jesus had a unique role in relation from to human civilization. to that of the other messengers. But He also The Unicity and Unity of the Catholic Church shares his divine nature with the other mes- and the Close Relationship between the King- dom of God, the Kingdom of Christ, and the Catholic Church. The issues of the unicity and unity of the Catholic Church and of the close relationship between the kingdom of 57. Bahá’u’lláh, Kitáb-i-Íqán 176. God, the kingdom of Christ, and the Catho- 58. Bahá’u’lláh, Kitáb-i-Íqán 152. lic Church are of such a speci³c Catholic 59. The locution Manifestation of God, generally capitalized, is the most frequent term whereby the nature that it is di¹cult to express an opinion Bahá’í scriptures refer to the messengers of God, the from the perspective of the Bahá’í Faith. Doing founders of revealed religions. so would create the risk of engaging in an 60. Bahá’u’lláh, Kitáb-i-Íqán 176. invasive discussion on religious issues of the 61. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Secret of Divine Civilization, trans. Marzieh Gail in consultation with Ali-Kuli Khan, kind that Bahá’u’lláh strongly recommends 1st ps ed. (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1990) avoiding. He says: “The purpose of religion 82. as revealed from the heaven of God’s holy THE DECLARATION DOMINUS IESUS 21
Will is to establish unity and concord amongst is that each religion has its own mission and the peoples of the world; make it not the that the transforming e²ect of each should cause of dissension and strife.”62 be judged in the light of its particular mis- The Relationship between the Catholic Church sion. Given the characteristics of earlier ages, and Other Religions in Relation to Salvation. no ancient religion seems to have had the The Bahá’í perspective on the relationship mission of bringing peace and unity to the between the Catholic Church and other re- whole of humankind, a goal that was, if ligions in relation to salvation is that all anything, part of an eschatological vision religions present a legitimate path to salva- intended for a remote end of time. However, tion. Followers of all religions might better over the course of the centuries the organi- spend their time answering those people who zation of society has undeniably improved. question the whole value and necessity of Whereas humanist philosophers would as- religion itself in the development of human cribe this development only to the growth of civilization. On this issue John H. Hick, a the human rational faculty, Bahá’ís ascribe it leading philosopher of religion and interfaith mainly to the precious contributions of all dialogue, has written: the revealed religions of the world. According Whether . . . [the various religious tradi- to the Bahá’í teachings, without the assis- tions] were more or less equally valid human tance and the inspiration of the teachings of responses to the Real cannot be answered all the messengers of God, the best spiritual a priori but only on the basis of observing principles and virtues of humankind would their fruits. In my opinion the true answer have remained hidden and unattained for the is that, so far as we can tell, the great tra- human race. The three Zoroastrian command- ditions exhibit a rough salvi³c parity. They ments (goodly thoughts, goodly words, and seem to be more or less equally productive goodly deeds), the “ten words” of Moses, the of the outstanding individuals whom we words of Jesus’ Sermon on the mount, in- call saints, more or less equally e²ective in deed, the spiritual teachings of all the re- providing a framework of meaning within vealed religions are the outcome of divine which spiritual growth can take place, and revelation, not the fruit of human conscience. also more or less unsuccessful in trans- Rather, in the Bahá’í view, human conscience forming societies on any large scale—for is the fruit of the divine knowledge taught it is, alas, so much easier for evil than for by all the messengers of God, absorbed by good to be institutionalized.63 human beings, and deposited in such deep A Bahá’í response to the claim that all strata of their memory that it almost seems religions have been “more or less unsuccessful an inborn asset. in transforming societies on any large scale” A Bahá’í Perspective: The Meaning of the Declaration in Respect to Interreligious Dialogue COMPARING Bahá’í beliefs with those in the Declaration is not intended to open a theo- 62. Bahá’u’lláh, “Ishráqát” (Splendors), Tablets of logical discussion or to polemicize but to Bahá’u’lláh revealed after the Kitáb-i-Aqdas, comp. Re- emphasize the meaning of the author’s, and search Department of the Universal House of Justice, no doubt other Bahá’ís’, position supporting trans. Habib Taherzadeh et al. (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1988) 129. continued interreligious dialogue. 63. John H. Hick, “Interfaith and Future,” Bahá’í Bahá’ís do not feel “declassed” because the Studies Review 4.1 (1994): 7. Declaration says that Catholicism is the only 22 WORLD ORDER: WINTER 2000–01 way toward salvation; that all the other re- the Faith does not introduce anything ligions are human creations, at most re·ecting new.64 a glimmer of the light of Christ; and that all The Catholic Church has simply rea¹rmed the other scriptures, by implication the Bahá’í well-known concepts, in front of her believ- scriptures among them, were not revealed by ers. The Declaration is not addressed to the God but are the fruit of human minds. These leaders or the followers of other religions. It statements are a matter of internal a²airs of has reached them simply because the dimen- the Catholic Church. As Politi remarks: sions of the Church are such that her o¹cial the darts of the Congregation for the acts, be they internal or external, are always Doctrine of the Faith seem directed mainly widely covered by the press. against European and Asian theologians, The basis of the intense Bahá’í support for who in the last years have been trying to continuing interreligious dialogue is a state- understand how the “salvi³c power” of ment by Bahá’u’lláh that says: “‘Consort with God operates also in the other religious the followers of all religions in a spirit of traditions. It is an intricate theological friendliness and fellowship.’”65 This attitude issue and in point of fact the declaration of “friendliness and fellowship” is not taught of the Congregation for the Doctrine of as conditional upon any previous agreement on theological issues. Interreligious dialogue is now a viable process, but it is important that all those who want to promote this dialogue remember that their starting point, not so long ago, was religious exclusivism, a 64. Politi, “Ratzinger: ‘Salvezza solo nella Chiesa position that has lasted for centuries and has cattolica,’” La Repubblica 25.206 (6 Sept. 2000): 11. implied that other religions must be abhorred, Enzo Bianchi mentions theologians like “Knitter and shunned, and fought. While the Declaration Hick” (“Il di¹cile dialogo con le Chiese sorelle,” La Repubblica 25.208 (8 Sept. 2000): 16. Paul F. Knitter is reminds its addressees that the other religions 66 Professor of Theology at Xavier University, Cincinnati, “contain ‘gaps, insu¹ciencies and errors’” Ohio, and an eminent proponent of liberation theol- (¶8), it also states that the Church considers ogy. The Italian journalist Luigi Accattoli suggests in these religions with “sincere respect” (¶22). particular three names: “a number of Asian theologians Moreover, the Declaration calls for a con- like Aloysius Pieris and Tissa Balasuriya from Sri Lanka, or Raimundo Panikkar (half Spanish and half Indian)” tinuing theological debate on the meaning of (“Dal ‘peccato originale’ al rito del battesimo: Le idee the other religions. As the Reverend Amato dei teologi asiatici che Roma contesta [“From ‘original says: “only the roads leading to blind-alleys sin’ to the ritual of baptism: The ideas of Asian theolo- have been closed.”67 gians called in question by Rome”],” Il Corriere della Sera 125.211 (6 Sept. 2000): 11. Aloysius Pieris is an With the Second Vatican Council of 1963– Indian Jesuit theologian. The Sri Lankan Father Tissa 65, the Catholic Church advanced from Balasuriya is a member of the monastic order of the exclusivism toward inclusivism. In other words, Oblates of Mary Immaculate, excommunicated in 1997 inclusivistic Catholics said: “Our religion is and reinstated in 1998 after he had partially recanted the best among all, and it is worth bearing his doctrines. Raimundo Panikkar is a Spanish-Indian religious scholar. witness to its beauty, but a seed of truth may 65. Bahá’u’lláh, “Law¥-i-Dunyá” (Tablet of the be found in the other religions as well.” The World), Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh 87. Declaration signed by Cardinal Ratzinger 66. John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Redemptoris missio, occurs within this new stage of interreligious 55; cf. 56 and Paul VI, Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii nuntiandi, 53 (¶8). dialogue. However, many people are anxious 67. Intervention of the Reverend Amato, Press Con- to see all religions and their institutions ference. proceeding to a third stage, that of pluralism: THE DECLARATION DOMINUS IESUS 23 the view that all religions come from the one profess only to those who show themselves God of all humankind.68 inclined to this kind of dialogue. But even the inclusivistic second stage has The consequences of religious disputes and many advantages. Ideally, the followers of all disagreements are ruinous. These disputes religions could even now accept each other’s have caused many people to turn their backs inclusivistic attitudes, in the name of the on religion: to think that religion is a divisive common spiritual ethical principle in all force that cannot guarantee individual free- Scriptures (“Do not do unto others, what dom and that it should be strictly kept away you would not be done to you”) that reli- from the political domain. It is a lesson to gious scholars have discovered, though worded all believers that a secularist, the Italian in slightly di²erent terms. In other words, political leader, Giuliano Amato, should have each believer could say: “As I believe in my reminded them of their foremost duty: religion, love my religion, and consider it as For war to be abandoned . . . the staunch the best among all, thus, in the name of the commitment of all believers is required. Golden Rule that my own religion teaches, “Religions know the ways of the hearts. I willingly accept that the ‘others’ may have They are requested to root out hate and the same attitude toward their own religion, fear of the Others, which are the ultimate even if I think that they err.” This attitude cause of all wars. It must not happen . . . would contribute to ending interreligious that in the name of religion someone may con·ict without disclaiming the missionary see the Others as a sign of the evil, instead spirit typical of most religions. While all of recognizing them as a sign of God.”69 religions say that their believers should bear But if all believers could now respect each witness to their faith, no religion teaches that other’s beliefs and give the freedom to profess its believers should impose their faith upon them, they could ³nally achieve together what the others in their behavior; all believers are the world is wanting from them: that they set enjoined to perform their missionary activi- aside their theological disputes and cooper- ties with courtesy, respect, and love and to ate to promote their highest common reli- gious values (the law of love and compassion and, at least, the four ethical principles on which most of them agreed during the 1993 Parliament of the World’s Religions: do not 68. Knitter writes that pluralism has become “a kill; do not steal; do not lie; and do not com- common perspective among Catholic theologians to- mit sexual immorality.70 day. In di²erent forms it is represented by H. Küng, H. The power of faith is very great. Great R. Schlette, M. Hellwig, W. Bühlmann, A. Camps, P. Schoonenberg” (“La teologia cattolica delle religioni a results could be expected if believers of all un crocevia [“Catholic theology of religions at the religions would merge their various personal crossroads”],” Concilium 22 [1986], 138). faiths into one common e²ort: to bear wit- 69. Politi, “Strappo tra ebrei e cattolici,” Il Lunedì de ness to these common values in their actions La Repubblica 7.38 (25 Sept. 2000): 22. and to promote them throughout the world. 70. The Parliament of the World’s Religions, To- wards a Global Ethic: An Initial Declaration, Parliament The need for interreligious cooperation is of the World’s Religions, August 28–September 5, 1993, urgent in that many of the problems that Chicago, IL, U.S.A. The text can be retrieved from the cause great su²ering among the peoples of website of the Stiftung Weltethos in Germany in En- the world occur because those principles are glish or in German. See also: http://astro.temple.edu/ ~dialogue/Center/kung.htm mostly being ignored. As Albert Lincoln, 71. The o¹cial name of the worldwide Bahá’í com- Secretary-General of the Bahá’í International munity in its relationship with the outside world. Community,71 said in a statement to the 24 WORLD ORDER: WINTER 2000–01
Millennium World Peace Summit, held in among peoples, ecology, etc.”72 Politi, while New York on 28–31 August 2000: “If there describing an interreligious meeting promoted must be competition among religions, let by the Community of St. Egidio73 held in each strive to excel in guiding people to Lisbon after the Holy See had issued Domi- peaceful coexistence, moral rectitude and nus Iesus, relates that Andrea Riccardi, the mutual understanding.” leader of St. Egidio, evoked “the dream of a The urgency of interreligious dialogue is ‘celestial council of religions,’” whereas Jose apparently perceived by all who advocate it Policarpo, the Patriarch of Lisbon, proclaimed and persist in their activities undeterred by “during the Mass that ‘there is but one true any doctrinal consideration. As the Reverend God, in whom all of us believe, whose face Amato himself said in the course of an in- all of us are looking for, in the hope of terview on Dominus Iesus disseminated by the ³nding the de³nitive light which emanates international news agency Zenit: “Dialogue from harmony and peace.’”74 The Italian jour- is founded . . . on reciprocal identity: this nalist also relates that Monsignor Lubomyr does not mean a lack of respect in relations Husar, the Greek-Catholic Bishop of Leopolis, with other religions, but only an expression pronounced, in the course of the same meet- of our own identity. The dialogue can then ing, a view that: converge on many aspects: on peace, coop- The plurality of religions and confessions eration, international solidarity, harmony is not a religious, but an historical fact. My opinion is that all existing monothe- istic religions, which accept one God as the origin, the legislator and the father of all humankind, are in reality one religion, which has experienced a number of divi- 72. “Ecumenical dialogue is intensi³ed on basis of 75 Catholicism’s very identity: Reverend Angelo Amato sions in the course of time. comments on ‘Dominus Iesus’ Declaration,” a dispatch To the Bahá’ís who observe them, these by the international news agency Zenit, which may be e²orts can seem to be an early realization of found at