Interreligious dialogue and conversion

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ontheway1

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Much has been said and written about interreligious dialogue and ecumenism as they pertain to non-Christian and Christian groups respectively. What is the purpose of this dialogue if it does not lead ultimately to conversion of non-Catholics and to saving of souls?
 
One non-salvation-related purpose, would be to form understandings and alliances and stand against the eroding of religious liberty in the US (and other countries).

Or as Rev Al Mohler said when he came to Brigham Young University in Utah, “I do not believe that we are going to heaven together, but I do believe we may go to jail together,”
 
One big use of it in USA was also to band together with other churches in support of social justice causes such as civil rights for racial minorities, and anti-war.
 
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That’s pretty easy and aside from the more agressive times, it’s practically already happening.
 
VanitasVanitatum said:
That’s pretty easy
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Might possibly depend on one’s perspective - Christians do tend to think along the lines of:

Christianity is Judaism plus Jesus/Judaism is Christianity minus Jesus.

Moving people from that particular formulation can be really hard work! 🙂
 
ontheway1 said:
What is the purpose of this dialogue if it does not lead ultimately to conversion of non-Catholics and to saving of souls?
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I assume that you mean conversion to the Catholic faith. Even if interreligious dialogue and ecumenism do not lead to overt conversion, it may well lead someone a step or two closer to the Kingdom of Heaven. On our spiritual journey there are many steps, and we usually progress one step at a time. Therefore be patient, do your part, and let God handle the parts that seem impossible.
 
We do not convert or save souls. The Holy Spirit accomplishes all conversion. We are called to present the truth, in the manner of the sower of seeds. “Somone else” will water and tend them*. Once we present the truth, it is on them to accept or reject.

*in the case of neighbors or friends, this process may take months or years.
 
ontheway1 said:
What is the purpose of this dialogue if it does not lead ultimately to conversion of non-Catholics and to saving of souls?
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Dialogue leads ultimately to love, or at least that is our hope. It may have intermediate steps of sharing, but it is aimed toward unity born of love. The unity may never be realized here, but we still work towards it.

The following does not capture the whole of dialogue, but it gives a taste:
If, in our desire to respect a man’s freedom and dignity, his conversion to the true faith is not the immediate object of our dialogue with him, we nevertheless try to help him and to dispose him for a fuller sharing of ideas and convictions.

Our dialogue, therefore, presupposes that there exists in us a state of mind which we wish to communicate and to foster in those around us. It is the state of mind which characterizes the man who realizes the seriousness of the apostolic mission and who sees his own salvation as inseparable from the salvation of others. His constant endeavor is to get everyone talking about the message which it has been given to him to communicate.
St Paul VI Ecclesiam Suam 79-80
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ontheway1 said:
What is the purpose of this dialogue if it does not lead ultimately to conversion of non-Catholics and to saving of souls?
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Cooperation in securing certain elements of the common good. The problem is in practice it often seems to be treated like its own end, and simply an opportunity for cocktail parties and photo-ops (with some syncretistic scandal mixed in now and then).

It can’t replace the seeking of conversions for the salvation of souls. As the metaphor goes,the point of building bridges is so they can be crossed. Too often our professional dialoguers seem to just meet in the middle of the bridge and stay there, or worse, lead Catholics to wander to the other side of the bridge thinking that it doesn’t matter which side you’re on.
 
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Has a non-Catholic professional dialoguer ever been converted as a result of their participation in conferences with Catholic professional dialoguers? I can’t think of a single one.

Yet souls were converted before the advent of the age of such dialogues, and they continue to be in the usual ways to this day.
 
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ontheway1 said:
What is the purpose of this dialogue if it does not lead ultimately to conversion of non-Catholics and to saving of souls?
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Christ did not say the greatest commandments are to go and convert all people; so why should this be our top priority? I feel the greatest way faith groups can come together; is when they serve the common good. Giving shelter to the homeless, feeding the hungry, being kind to our neighbours.
 
Eric_Hyom said:
Christ did not say the greatest commandments are to go and convert all people; so why should this be our top priority? I feel the greatest way faith groups can come together; is when they serve the common good. Giving shelter to the homeless, feeding the hungry, being kind to our neighbours.
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Um, actually yes, He did. Read Matthew 28:19-20. And the ‘social gospel’? It can become an idol, setting our Lord aside for the sake of temporarily comforting those who may be on the road to hell. That is no charity.

 
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Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.
Matthew 28:19-20
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Convert all people is one way of reading this.

Teach others to observe all that I have commanded is another.

These are different but not incompatible
 
Genesis315 said:
The problem is in practice it often seems to be treated like its own end, and simply an opportunity for cocktail parties and photo-ops (with some syncretistic scandal mixed in now and then)
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On one level, working together, including “cocktail parties and photo-ops,” is certainly part of living together. Trivializing it with this kind of language is laughable, or would be if it were not so deaf to what the Church teaches.

On another level, ecumenical dialogue has producd some of the most insightful theology of the past fifty years. In practice, it has brought many churches to focus on Christ in a way that the preconciliar confrontation made impossible.
Genesis315 said:
It can’t replace the seeking of conversions for the salvation of souls.
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Nor does it seek to do this. Everyone is pretty specific that both tracks go on simultaneously, the conversion of individuals and the mutual enrichment of churches et alia.
 
po18guy said:
Um, actually yes, He did. Read Matthew 28:19-20 . And the ‘social gospel’? It can become an idol, setting our Lord aside for the sake of temporarily comforting those who may be on the road to hell. That is no charity.

http://blog.adw.org/2015/05/beware-the-strangest-idol-of-all-a-reflection-on-how-even-works-of-charity-cannot-eclipse-obedience-to-christ/
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When the lawyer asked what must I do to inherit eternal life, Jesus gave him the parable of the Good Samaritan and the greatest commandments. We can do nothing greater than love God and our neighbour.

The priest and the Levite did not want to become unclean; or they would not be able to perform their priestly duties, so they walked by. The Samaritan who was of the wrong religion did the right thing. And even the lawyer had to admit the Samaritan was the good guy.

When we help the poor and oppressed and do it in the name of our Lord; we bring glory to God. In our town the Christian community have funded a basics food bank, four houses for the homeless, recovery courses for addicts, help for people in poverty and more. Christians are coming out of their churches for the good of our community.

We can’t hide away in our churches and pray, there has to be something more.
 
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