Strangers No More: Catholic Monastics in Dialogue with Other Faith-Traditions
The Catholic Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in these religions. She regards with sincere reverence those ways of conduct and of life, those precepts and teachings which, though differing in many aspects from the ones she holds and sets forth, nonetheless often reflect a ray of that Truth which enlightens all men… The Church, therefore, exhorts her sons, that through dialogue and collaboration with the followers of other religions… [to] recognize, preserve and promote the good things, spiritual and moral, as well as the socio-cultural values found among these men.
–Nostra Aetate, Official Document of the Catholic Church
There’s a great little cartoon of a man meeting a salesman on his doorstep. The salesman is trying to sell him a complete copy of the Encyclopaedia Britannica. The man on the doorstep is saying, “Why would I need that. I’ve got a teenager inside the house who knows everything !”.
In contrast, my late father, before he died, said to me, “The older I get, the less I know”.
I have enjoyed watching this. And perhaps I’m getting a little “older” as well. Thank you Matt.
Senan of Somerset.
Senan of Somerset
September 10, 2016 at 10:20 am
Hi, Senan!
I enjoyed watching the video, too. I myself have been blessed by my contact with other religions, especially Zen Buddhism. I could resonate very much with these words written by the Jesuit missionary as well as one of the pioneers in the Zen-Christian dialogue, Fr. William Johnston:
Your father was a wise man. What he said reminded me of what Socrates said:
Glad that you enjoyed the video…
–Matt
MattAndJojang
September 11, 2016 at 9:38 am