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Document Details : Title: Trends and Developments in Interreligious Dialogue Author(s): EVERS, Georg Journal: Studies in Interreligious Dialogue Volume: 23 Issue: 2 Date: 2013 Pages: 234-250 DOI: 10.2143/SID.23.2.3007341 Abstract : The annual assessment Trends and Developments in Interreligious Dialogue starts with general remarks on the negative repercussions recent political developments in the Near East have on the religious minorities living in this area. This is followed by critically evaluating the legacy Pope Benedict XVI left in the field of the theology of religions and interreligious dialogue. The focus is on the consequences the document Dominus Jesus, issued when Joseph Ratzinger still was president of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, still has today for the official theological position of the Vatican with regard to the other religions. Muslim scholars accuse Benedict XVI of having gone back on the positive position taken by Vatican II regarding Islam, alleging that he revived old patterns of Christian-Muslim polemics. Developments in Jewish-Christian dialogue are more positive, promoted both by Benedict XVI and his successor Pope Francis, whose familiarity with Jewish-Christian dialogue dates back to his time as archbishop of Buenos Aires. Pope Francis gave a new impetus to Christian-Muslim dialogue, when, in a personal letter, he addressed the Muslim community at the end of Ramadan. Several meetings and conferences of Muslim and Christian scholars and clergy show that Christian-Muslim dialogue is alive, in spite of many obstacles and negative incidents. Less problematic are the relations between Christians and Buddhists. During the past year, several encounters and conferences, organized by the Vatican, the World Council of Churches and other organizations dealt with issues of life, justice, and peace by exploring the possibility of finding common ground and pathways from Buddhist wisdom and Christian love. |
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