Interreligious Dialogue

One of the frontier ministries of the Jesuits is global interreligious dialogue. Popes have asked the Jesuits to make this a priority in the 21st century. The Second Vatican Council called on all Catholics to “acknowledge, preserve and promote the spiritual and moral goods found in other religions, and the values in their society and culture,” as a way to “join hands with them to work towards a world of peace, liberty, social justice and moral values.”

Such dialogue is often spearheaded in the midst of extreme social conflict. It seeks to reverse the cycles of violence and retribution entangled in religion, ethnicity, or other forms of group identity. In any social context, this is a deeply spiritual as well as social undertaking, especially for the followers of St. Ignatius. Interfaith dialogue involves understanding what God might be saying through other religious traditions.

In this and many other ways, Jesuits are seeking to multiply sparks of hope for God’s “greater glory.”