Chapter 1

Beginning the Journey

Kieran OMeara

Religion is:
a. Hard to define; endless expressions
b. In the past, not separated from lifes rhythms
= A person or group binds itself to God or to
something else beyond.

Context of Catholics in Dialogue

a) Purpose of course in not to grade or judge
other religions
b) Empathy is important
c) Equality with regards to religion refers to
equal personal dignity of different parties in
dialogue. Respect crucial

Breaking Barriers. . .
1. Pope John XXIII
2. Vatican II

. . . Leads to:
Ecumenism = The movement, inspired and led
by the Holy Spirit, that seeks the union of all
Christian faiths and eventually the unity of all
peoples throughout the world.
Evangelization = The sharing of the Good
News
Pope John XXIII wanted the Catholic Church to
not set itself against the world but engage in
dialogue with the world.

3. Pope John Paul II

4. Consider what the Catholics Church teaches
about other religions in light of Vatican II
documents

Tolerance
Exclusivists regard their own faith tradition as
the only completely true religion. Other
religions might have elements of truth in them
but are ultimately false and will not lead to
salvation.

Tolerance
Inclusivists regard their own faith tradition as
the only completely true religion HOWEVER
they do not view other religions as wrong, and
believe that salvation is available to all but
somehow through their own religion. Other
religions are thus viewed as incomplete or
partially developed faiths

Tolerance
Pluralists view all religions as legitimate valid
and true when viewed from within their
particular culture. All religions can lead to
salvation

The Fundamental Questions

What is the nature of the human condition?
Who is man?
Is our nature good, evil or both?
Existentialism= branch of philosophy that
deals with the study of the nature of the
human condition

2. What is our destiny?

a. What happens after death?
o Heaven/hell/purgatory/limbo
o Reincarnation
o Nirvana

b. Eschatology- study of last matters, death,

the end, etc.

3. What is the nature of the world

a. How did the world begin?
Cosmology= the study of the nature of the
universe
Clash between science and religion

4. What is Good or Bad?

a) ethics- How is right/wrong determined?
10 Commandments/Beatitudes
Five precepts: Buddhism
Five pillars: Islam

b) Why do bad/good events happen?

Karma: Hinduism

5. What is Real?
a.
b.

Reality: What we sense or experience

Deeper reality: the Divine is seen as the source of reality
a.
b.

Theist- believes in the existence of a personal god

Non-theist (deistic or deism) believes in the existence an impersonal
supreme Reality but not a personal god
God creates world and then abandons it

c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.

Polytheistmany gods
Monotheistone god
Henotheistmany gods do exists but ones god is superior
Pantheist god exists in everything and everywhere
Monism all reality is one essence
Atheist does not believe in the existence of a personal god or an
impersonal supreme Reality
Agnostic does not believe that the existence of god can be proven,
therefore they do not concern themselves

Common Elements or patterns of

religion
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Sacred Stories and Sacred Scriptures

Beliefs & Practices
Sacred Time
Sacred Places & Sacred Spaces
Religious experiences/Holy People

1. Scared Stories & Scared Scriptures

Canon= Official list of inspired writings
Myths= Traditional stories that help to provide
a worldview of a people by explaining their
creation, customs or ideal
Hinduism: Vedas
Judaism: Tanakh
Islam: Quran

2. Beliefs and Practices

Creeds- statements of belief
Shema-Jewish

Moral Codes- guidelines for behavior

Five Precepts- Buddhism

Doctrines(dogma)- official teachings from a

hierarchy
Four Noble Truths- Buddhism

2a. Rituals
Rituals/practices may be personal or
communal that may be based on Sacred/
Scripture
Rituals help attain or sustain an individuals
contact with ultimate relevance

 Rituals are usually performed

In a Sacred space
At prescribed times

Passover Seder

Liturgy = A definite set of forms for public

religious worship.

3. Sacred Time
Rituals at particular times of the day/year that
serve to remind us that all time is Sacred.
Ramadan
New Year
Rites of passage

4. Sacred Places & Sacred Spaces

A. Places of worship
Mosque
Synagogue
Temple

B. Land/ Water
Jerusalem, Mecca
Jordan, Ganges Rivers

5. Religious Experiences/Holy People

1. The Religious Experience
All religious begin with one persons story about
their experiences/beliefs/behaviors, etc.
Not only founders of religion have peak
experiences
A peak moment of unity; time sands

St. Paul
Before Experience
Jew persecuting Jewish Christians

Religious Experience
Saw bright light, heard voice of Jesus. Blinded

After Experience
Is baptized and begins preaching to all about Jesus

Muhammad
Before Experience
Caravan trader

Religious Experience
Angel commands him to proclaim

After Experience
Begins preaching about Allah

The Buddha
Before Experience
Sheltered prince

Religious Experience
Discovers suffering; filled with compassion

After Experience
Leaves palace to find end to suffering

5a. Community
Leaders
Dalai Lama, rabbis, imans

Holy Persons live lives of example to religious

followers
Bodhisattva, Sage, Guru

Common Elements or Patterns of Catholicism

Examples:

Sacred stories and sacred

scriptures
---------------------------------- Beliefs and practices
------------------------------------ Sacred time
--------------------------------------- Sacred places and sacred
spaces
--------------------------------------- Leaders/holy persons

Old and New testament,

Beatitudes, Sacred Tradition
------------------------------- Holy trinity(doctrine),
sacraments, prayer mass, Nicene
creed
-------------------------------- Lent, advent, Easter, All saints day
-------------------------------- Jerusalem, Church, Jordan River,
Cathedral
----------------------------------- Pope Benedict XVI, Cardinal
Dolan, St. Paul

Who can be Saved?

1. Salvation is universally available to all
because we have all been created by God.
2. Christians are saved through Christs sacrifice
by Baptism
3. The Church is universal Sacrament of
Salvation since Church is Body of Christ.

4) Catholic Attitude Towards Other Religions

Catholics reject nothing which is true and holy in
other religions

5) God gives sufficient grace to each person.

This grace comes from Jesus as a result of His
death on the cross and is communicated by the
Holy Spirit. Each person achieves salvation
through free cooperation.

Ecumenical Dialogue
1. All Catholics are to evangelize the world through
dialogue with non-Catholics
2. God offers the gift of salvation to all the nations
3. The scriptures of there religions point to a future
of communion with God
4. People from other religions traditions can be
recipients of Gods grace
5. Dialogue can be through words, actions, or
both.