New Delhi (AsiaNews) For Mgr Vincent Concessao, Archbishop of New Delhi, inter-faith dialogue in India is "today's great need" and can improve the nation through joint development. Speaking at a two-day seminar on 'Christian-Muslim Endeavours for a Better Society' organised by the Commission for Dialogue and Ecumenism of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India that took place on September 24-25 in the Indian capital, the prelate told AsiaNews that a "[d]ialogue between the two ancient and major global religious communities is needed today".
"Muslim leaders pointed out that fundamentalism and terrorism are not the prerogative of a single religion but are masks that madmen in every religion wear. The majority of Muslims share this view and condemn all that corrodes civil society," Archbishop Concessao said.
"In my inaugural address," he added, "I stressed that India has a rich variety of cultures and religions. . . . Dialogue should not be limited to Christians and Muslims but should be extended to members of other religions too. This diversity and variety could and should contribute positively to the beauty and strength of the nation if religions work together."
Indeed, in the course of the seminar, several participants highlighted what the two religions had in common.
The Archbishop further explained that "during Pope Benedict XVI's meeting with Muslim leaders in Cologne [the Holy Father] said: 'The Church looks upon Muslims with respect, who worship the one God living and subsistent, merciful and almighty.' It is therefore necessary to reject the idea that Christian-Muslim dialogue is impossible; instead, we must see that it is often very strong."
Muhammed Abdul Haq Ansari, president of Jamat-I-Islami in India (a Muslim organisation), responded to Benedict XVI's invitation to dialogue and co-operation saying that "it should be taken very, very seriously" and proposed the creation of a joint Christian-Muslim committee to foster this dialogue.
Mgr George Punnakottil, chairman of the Commission for Dialogue and Ecumenism that organised the seminar, noted that there are various forms of dialogue, that dialogue should not be seen as a forum for discussing theology, bur rather that it should become an incentive for "joint actions."
