TIEN EDUCATIONAL CENTER
INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE AND COOPERATION SERVICE CENTER

Introduction

In an article entitled "The path from hate to Love" and published in The Tablet of January 5, 2002, Fr. William Johnston, of Sophia University in Tokyo, reflects on the "very terrible confrontation" we are faced with since the "ruthless destruction of the Twin Towers in New York" four months ago, fifty two years after the "day of terror" and the "unspeakable tragedy" of Hiroshima. "Is there any answer?" asks Fr. Johnston. His reply: "I find it difficult to see an answer for the immediate future; but for the distant future there is surely an answer. The answer, the only answer, is dialogue and friendship between the religions, a dialogue in which the religions will challenge one another, lead one another to conversion of heart and help one another get away from fanatical fundamentalism. Through these means we will all find our authentic roots in love and compassion... Interreligious dialogue is the way of the future… We used to say that dialogue between the religions is necessary for world peace. Now we can say that dialogue between the religions is necessary for world survival. Only prayerful dialogue between Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism can save our planet from destruction. What a responsibility we have!"

As I was reading these lines, I remembered the recent intervention of our Father General, Father Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, in the 9th General Congregation of the recent Synod of Bishops (October 2001). The theme of his intervention was "interreligious dialogue". Here are some brief extracts of what he said. "Nearly forty years after the 2nd Vatican Council, many Catholics still do not understand very well what the Church proposes in its mission and in a spirituality of dialogue….. Dialogue is not only the task of experts and professionals. Dialogue means sharing our own life on all levels with people of other religions… On each of these levels (daily life, daily work, ideas and convictions, spiritual experiences), dialogue is the duty and responsibility of every Christian and every Christian community… This dialogue requires an integral approach and cannot remain at the level of polite words, ambiguous language or meetings which, instead of being real encounters, are just media events."

In Taiwan, all through the recent years, we have seen the continuously growing vitality of the Buddhist community and several new religious movements, the rapid development of cultural, educational and social welfare projects initiated by people of different faiths, the rapid development of religious studies and a genuine search for inter-religious dialogue in depth leading to fruitful cooperation. We have also seen the growing importance of the international dimension of most of these developments. One week after the ruthless destruction of the Twin Towers in New York, the International Conference held in Taipei (September 18-21 Conference on "World Peace Through Religious Cooperation", organized by four major Buddhist Associations in Taiwan and "Taiwan Conference on Religion and Peace") has once again strongly challenged many people of different faiths and different cultural backgrounds to open themselves more and more to a genuine dialogue and cooperation with sisters and brothers of other religious traditions.
How can we - Jesuits of Taiwan - meaningfully answer this challenge today?
As Companions of Jesus, we see in interreligious dialogue "an integral dimension of our mission" (GC34, 48.20) and we have a special responsibility
- to "make interreligious dialogue an apostolic priority for the third millenium" (GC34, 130.3);
- to develop the "partnership and cooperation with others (including members of other religions and all men and women of good will) which is an essential dimension of the contemporary Jesuit way of proceeding" (GC34, 551/17);
- to "promote interreligious dialogue and, in our approach to believers of other religious traditions, to develop a 'culture of dialogue' which should become a distinctive characteristic of our Society" (GC34, 154/17).

We also recognize that we cannot carry our mission without "a deep respect for everything that has been brought out in human beings by the Spirit who blows where He wills, attention to the global desire of contemplative experience of the divine, and a desire to be enriched by the spiritual experiences and ethical values, theological perspectives and symbolic expressions of other religions (GC34, 138.9.1)

Increasingly aware that "our spiritual encounter with believers of other religions helps us discover deeper dimensions of our Christian faith and wider horizons of God's salvific presence in the world (GC34, 135.7), we recognize the great importance of strengthening the mystical dimension of our Christian faith and Jesuit spirituality, so that we may "encounter the spiritual traditions of our neighbours of other faiths" (GC34, 140/9.3) and meet Christ waiting for us with his love in each one of us"

All through the last ten years, TEC has been the place of many consultations and preparatory meetings on interreligious dialogue and cooperation, and is now recognized as an ideal place to conscientize young people on the value of interreligious cooperation, to instill in them a deep respect for the faith vision of our neighbours of other faiths, and to develop the "culture of dialogue" which should become a distinctive characteristic of our Society (GC34, 154).

The idea of a TEC "Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation Service Center" as an integral element of TEC's structure began to take shape twenty years ago when KuangChi Bookstore opened a 「宗教諮詢中心」。 Today's project is as follows:

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To follow more closely in Christ's footsteps　　　

To follow more closely in Christ's footsteps, allowing Him to guide us, by means of visits to monastic communities, temples, mosques, other centers of worship - and also of schools, universities, research institutes and all kinds of social service centers created and animated by neighbours of other churches and faiths: this is today one of the most fascinating and challenging ways to "find God in the religious traditions of people from other beliefs, and to engage in respectful dialogue with them" (GC34,6)

With a "deep respect for everything that has been brought about in human beings by the Spirit who blows where He wills" (GC34, 138), we can listen to these brothers and sisters, accept their invitation to share a meal with them, learn to recognize Christ's mysterious presence in their lives, in their prayer, in their work. Through these encounters, we can "discover deeper dimensions of our Christian faith and wider horizons of God's salvific presence in the world" (GC34, 135). Through these encounters, we become more deeply aware that "every man --without any exception whatever-- has been redeemed by Christ… and with each man -- without any exception whatever-- Christ is in a way united, even when man is unaware of it…., providing man -- each man and every man -- with the light and the strength to measure up to his supreme calling'' ('Redemptor Hominis', first Encyclical Letter of Pope John Paul II, 1979, n.42)

It is only in learning, step by step, to share our own life at all levels (daily life, daily work, ideas and convictions, spiritual experiences) that we become more deeply aware of our special responsibility, as Jesuits, to promote interreligious dialogue (GC34, 154). "Interreligious dialogue requires an integral approach and cannot remain at the level of polite words, ambiguous language or meetings which, instead of being real encounters, are just media events." (Fr. Peter-Hans Kolvenbach to the 9th General Congregation of the Synod of Bishops, October 2001, in Rome). We all need to seek to be enriched by the spiritual experiences and ethical values, theological perspectives and symbolic expressions of other religions. (GC34, 138) "Since the core of all true religion consists in its capacity to lead people to an authentic and deeper spiritual experience", we must surely rediscover the great importance of "strengthening in our formation the mystical dimension of Christian faith and spirituality in encounter with the spiritual traditions of others" (GC34, 140).

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Project Description

1. General Goal

To facilitate the development of a genuine dialogue, strong friendship and dynamic cooperation of Jesuit communities with Christians of different churches and followers of other religious traditions in all the Jesuit areas of work in Taiwan.

2. Ways to achieve this goal

a. Through fraternal dialogue and sharing of information and experiences, help our own Jesuit community and our lay collaborators in the various departments of Tien Educational Center evolve creative ways of fostering in their respective areas of work a dialogue in depth and a dynamic cooperation between Christians of different churches as well as between Christians and believers of other religious traditions.

b. Arrange visits of religious leaders and members of other communities of faith to TEC: visits including time for prayer, sharing of experiences and, if possible, a fraternal vegetarian meal.

c. Arrange visits of TEC community members and lay collaborators to churches, temples, mosques, cultural, educational, social welfare and other activity centers of other communities of faith;

d. Little by little, build up a team of Jesuits and lay collaborators committed to the development of a dialogue in depth and a dynamic cooperation with Christians of different churches and followers of other religious traditions in all the Jesuit areas of work in Taiwan.

e. In cooperation with Ricci Institute, the Faculty of Theology and the Graduate School of Religious Studies at FuJen University, arrange lectures, workshops, seminars etc. on interreligious and ecumenical dialogue and cooperation.

"Hospitality and welcome, openness and reconciliation, friendliness and partnership, sharing in the search for the Absolute, are various expressions of dialogue of which the Lord has given us so many examples in the Gospels. This striving for union of spirit and heart in the Society itself, of which LOYOLA 2000 gave eloquent testimony in spite of a disconcerting diversity of cultures and languages, of ecclesial and political sensitivities, will dispose us for working for union among peoples. We will be able to contribute to the gathering of the Father's sons and daughters that the Lord sought with such loving passion, even to the ultimate gift of himself.

IT IS THIS SAME DISPOSITION THAT WILL HELP US TO ENGAGE EFFECTIVELY IN ECUMENICAL AND INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE. "

Fr. Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, Superior General, to the Whole Society, Rome, 8 December 2000

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　apmsj, May 5, 2003

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