Nostra Aetate – Decree on the Relation of the Church to
non-
Christian religions
‘The Church believes that Christ who is our peace has through
his cross reconciled Jews and
Gentiles and made them one in himself’. (Eph 2:14-16)
We recognise that people belong to different kinds of families
have different coloured skin,
different likes and dislikes, different political opinions and
different experiences of life. So too,
each religion has its own history, set of beliefs, moral code and
acts of worship. The following
chart summarises the main differences between the five major world
religions. Although there
has been a lot of conflict between religions in the past, today
all the major religions are working
to understand one another
better and to build a world where people can live together in peace.
Interfaith dialogue is the term we use to
describe different religions talking to one another.
Interfaith (or interreligious) dialogue is
different from ecumenism because it refers to dialogue
between all of the world religions, not just
the Christian churches.
Catholic Leadership on Interfaith Dialogue
World Day of Prayer Pope John Paul II
During the World Day of Prayer in 2002, Pope John Paul II led two
hundred other religious leaders in
prayers for world peace in Assisi
The members of each community of faith had travelled to Assisi from the Vatican
station in a seven-car train supplied by Italy
use the ‘peace train’ to help all participants of the World Day of
Prayer to feel equal.
Religion Christianity Islam Hinduism Buddhism Judaism
Followers 2100 million 1600 million 900 million 400 million 18 million
Sacred text Bible Qur’an Vedas Tripitaka/ Tanakh
Moral code Two Great Five Pillars Doing good Four Noble Ten
Commandments and meditation Truths Commandment
Place of Church/ Chapel Mosque Mandira Temple
Worship
Building Together Pope
Benedict XVI
A World of Peace and Fraternity
Continuing, then, the work undertaken by my
predecessor, Pope John Paul II, I sincerely pray that
the relations of trust which have developed between
Christians and Muslims over several years, will not
only continue, but will develop further in a spirit
of sincere and respectful dialogue, based on ever
more authentic reciprocal knowledge which, with
joy, recognises the religious values that we have in
common and, with loyalty, respects the differences.
Interreligious and intercultural dialogue is
necessary for building together this world of
peace and fraternity ardently desired by all people
of good will … I am profoundly convinced that in
the current world situation it is imperative that
Christians and Muslims engage with one another
in order to address the numerous challenges that
present themselves to humanity, especially those
concerning the defence and promotion of the
dignity of the human person and the rights ensuing
from that dignity.
Benedict XVI, Address to the Ambassadors of
Countries with a Muslim Majority and the
Representatives of Muslim Communities in Italy
