“The 18th International Congress of Jesuit Ecumenists” ................................................................. 2 “Conversion to Interreligious Dialogue.....”, James T. Bretzke, S.J. ................................................. 2 “The Practice of Daoist (Taoist) Compassion”, Michael Saso, S.J. .................................................. 3 “Kehilla, Church and Jewish people”, David Neuhaus, S.J. ............................................................. 6 “Let us Cross Over the Other Shore”, Christophe Ravanel, S.J. ………………………………….….10 “Six Theses on Islam in Europe”, Groupe des Deux Rives……………………………………….11 “Meeting of Jesuits in Islamic Studies, September 2006” .............................................................. 13 “Encounter and the Risk of Change”, Wilfried Dettling, S.J. ......................................................... 14 Secretariat for Interreligious Dialogue; Curia S.J., C.P. 6139, 00195 Roma Prati, Italy; N.11 tel. (39) 06.689.77.567/8; fax: 06.689.77.580; e-mail: [email protected] 2006 4 Vatican II, through the conceptual revolution THE 18TH INTERNATIONAL in ecumenical appreciation produced by CONGRESS OF Unitatis Redintegratio, and into the more JESUIT ECUMENISTS recent involvement of Jesuits in the ecumenical movement since the time of the Second Vatican Council. Edward Farrugia The Jesuit Ecumenists are an informal group looks at a specific issue that lies at the heart of Jesuit scholars active in the movement for of Catholic-Orthodox relations, that of the Christian unity who have been meeting for the nature of the Petrine ministry. past 40 years. The goal of the group today is On a thorny question of ecumenical theology, not greatly different from that of its founders Paolo Gamberini studies the meaning and in the 1960s: to promote the visible unity of significance of subsistit in Vatican II Christians by making a joint contribution to statements that the “Church of Christ subsists the development of Ecumenical theology and in the Catholic Church.” He contrasts the the promotion of Ecumenical relations among view of Catholic theologian Cardinal Joseph Christians of various Churches. Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, with that 1.) Since 1964, the International Congress of of the Lutheran theologian, Eberhard Jüngel, Jesuit Ecumenists has been held 18 times. and then examines the use of subsistit in the At the 17th Congress in Dobogókö, declaration of the Congregation of the Faith, Hungary, in July 2003, it was decided to Dominus Iesus. Frank Sullivan takes a critical hold the next congress in the Republic of look at agreements of full communion Ireland. The 18th Congress, whose papers reached between Anglican and Lutheran are included in this volume, took place at churches and seeks to spell out the Clongowes Wood College, a boarding implications of the communio theology school run by the Society of Jesus, in expressed therein. Donald Hawkins recounts County Kildare, Ireland on 12-18 July the theological controversies which have 2005. erupted down through the years within the Southern Baptist Convention in the U.S.A. This congress had special significance, as it was the first held after the 40th anniversary of In the area of ecumenical approaches to the promulgation of the Second Vatican worship and liturgy, Thomas Rausch takes up document on ecumenism, Unitatis the question of Eucharistic hospitality and Redintegratio, on 21 November 1964. It thus makes a case for Eucharistic sharing even became an occasion for the Jesuit ecumenists before full Christian unity is achieved. Robert to take stock of developments in ecumenical Daly offers critical comments on the newly relations in the last 40 years and to try to approved statement on Holy Communion by identify key issues of concern in ecumenical the United Methodists in the United States. theology. Finally, in the area of “lived ecumenism,” The papers delivered at the Congress Thomas Hughson looks at the sensitive issue approach these questions from various of proselytism, a frequently controverted perspectives. John Haughey takes a question between Catholics, Orthodox, and philosophical approach to the movement for “ecumenical Protestants,” on one side, and Christian unity and suggests that Lonergan’s Evangelicals and Pentecostals, on the other. understanding of emergent probability could Ralph Woodhall raises the missiological pump new energy and vision into the implications of ecumenism and proposes movement. Michael Fahey’s approach is ecumenical cooperation in theological historical, tracing Jesuit perceptions of unity research. Finally, Patrick Howell describes a from their mainly negative origins before unique and creative experiment in ecumenical 2 study and experience sponsored by one of our theological destinations remains open to Jesuit universities. some considerable debate. This volume is dedicated to all Jesuits who At the time of Pope John Paul II’s 1990 have worked for Christian unity and to all Encyclical Redemptoris Missio (“On the those who seek the unity in love and witness Permanent Validity of the Church’s that Jesus desired for his disciples. Missionary Mandate”), one of my colleagues at the Gregorian lamented that too many of our international students wanted to do their thesis research on topics related to their native culture and contexts. CONVERSION TO INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE: Qui si fa la teologia universale. “Here we do A DUTY WITHIN THE CHURCH’S universal theology” was his reply to these MISSION requests and that remark reveals the ongoing tension over the universal and particular that any, and every, valid theology must James T. Bretzke, S.J. encompass. Recently I came across some remarks by a The old Italian travel advisory, “All roads former acquaintance from my years of lead to Rome,” would mark a danger indeed teaching at the Pontifical Gregorian if these roads all turned out to be one-way University in Rome, Archbishop Michael and/or dead-ends. The road that led me Fitzgerald, president of the Pontifical Council personally to Rome (and later on to for Interreligious Dialogue. Fitzgerald, a California) started in Asia. After ordination I former missionary in Africa, was commenting went to Korea as a missionary and my on a forthcoming document from the Holy Korean superiors sent me to Rome for my See on interreligious dialogue. He strongly doctorate in moral theology, with a view to affirmed that dialogue with believers of other teaching in a future theologate back in Seoul religions “is not a hobby or an extra activity (that still has not quite opened). Probably my but a duty within the mission of the Church.” encounters with the religious and philosophical traditions of Confucianism, Dialogue, though, involves more than merely Buddhism, Taoism, and Shamanism in their conversational etiquette. Fitzgerald stated “the native Asian contexts convinced me that a problem that arises is how to reconcile “teologia universale a la Romana” might not dialogue as part of the mission of the Church be the only, or best response, to the twin task with Jesus’ mandate to go out and preach.” of mission and dialogue that Archbishop Thus there is an intimate connection between Fitzgerald underscores. The year after my evangelization and dialogue. Fitzgerald stated Roman arrival (1987) the Federation of Asian that the Church must do both, noting the two Bishops Conferences (FABC) with the tasks “are different but not opposed,” since Protestant Christian Conference of Asia the ultimate judge and animator of the (CCA) released a joint statement titled Church’s mission, including interreligious “Working With Other Religions,” in which dialogue, is the Holy Spirit. they spoke of dialogue as being not “ primarily a matter of talking. It is, in the first Interreligious dialogue is a bit like instance an attitude, an openness to the inculturation: everyone seems to be in favor neighbor, a sharing of spiritual resources as of it, but the precise roadmap to reach these people stand before the great crisis of life and death, as they struggle for justice and human 3 dignity, ... In dialogue, Christians and their neighbors enter into a reciprocal relationship THE PRACTICE OF DAOIST which becomes a process of mutual learning (TAOIST) COMPASSION and growth.” Michael Saso, S.J. Another colleague of my days in Berkeley, the well-known Protestant Taiwanese theologian One of the most compelling things about C. S. Song, has written extensively in this Daoism (Taoism), as a practice rather than area, and argues that genuine interreligious doctrine-based system, is its truly personal, dialogue is not so much a communication heart-felt sense of inclusion rather than technique as it is a multi-stage process of exclusion, and avoidance of negative conversion for those involved. judgment. All forms of human belief and cultural systems must, by the rules of interior An initial stage Song labels “bi-lateral cease- emptying, non-grasping and inner peace, be fire,” which requires that those involved in the respected and allowed to thrive. Put in dialogue have to stop trying to conquer the concrete terms, Daoists do not condemn, look other side by converting them. If the parties down on, or exclude other forms of belief and agree to this theological armistice then they practice, in their own personal interior life, or might reach the next crucial stage of “blessed in their dealings with others. ignorance,” in which we recognize (or least entertain the suspicion) that our own In continuing this form of inner practice, religious-cultural