The Second World Parliament of Religions (Chicago,1993) published a Declaration of a Global Ethic, which had four basic affirmations:
1. Commitment to a culture of non-violence and respect for life
2. Commitment to a culture of solidarity and a just economic order
3. Commitment to a culture of tolerance and a life of truthfulness
4. Commitment to a culture of equal rights and partnership between men and women
It said further: “No world peace without peace among religions; no peace among religions without dialogue between religions.”
A Violent World
We are living in a world of openly violent or subdued conflicts between nations and groups of people. The reasons for conflict may be economic (competition for scarce resources – oil, minerals, water – or their mal-distribution) and/or political (quest for power – direct or indirect – to control these resources). Further reasons could be the defense of ethnic and religious identity and search for social status or respect. The quest for profit, power, and status cannot bring peace; only religions or religion-like ideologies with values like justice, freedom, equality and fraternity can inspire and facilitate peace.
Religions are not Innocent
But unfortunately, religions tend to justify the existing cultural and social structures into which they seek to integrate themselves: the caste system, slavery, the oppression of women, etc have been justified in this manner by practically all the religions. The violence may be hidden or open. Religions can be a fundamentalist, claiming to be exclusively true, looking down on others. Religions can also be communalist – that is, used as tools to gather a group together for political purposes. A basic form of this is identity politics: We are different from the others and we have to protect this identity, even aggressively. We hear of crusades, jihads, fights for dharma (Gita), just wars.
Religions and Ideologies can Help
But unlike economics, politics and social structures, only religions or quasi-religious ideologies like Humanism, Socialism, Communism, etc. are sources of values like freedom, justice, equality and peace. When we speak of religions for peace we should include also such ideologies as dialogue partners. Religions can also be prophetic in the name of the Absolute that transcends, looks critically at and challenges all socio-cultural structures: E.g. the Buddha, Jesus, Krishna in the Gita, Mohammed, Francis of Assisi, Vivekananda, Mahatma Gandhi, Narayana Guru, Ambedkar, etc. have been prophetically critical of society asking for conversion and change.
Religions alone Teach Forgiveness
Besides, religions teach forgiveness. A violent response to violence leads to a never-ending spiral of violence: an eye for an eye, a life for a life… But religion evokes a merciful God who also exhorts the people to be merciful and to love each other. Bishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa, presiding over a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, spoke of restorative, not retributive, justice and of forgiveness that breaks the circle of violence leading to reconciliation and peace. Gandhi spoke of Satyagraha – a non-violent love focused on truth (and justice) that challenges the oppressive other(s) to change.
Secularism and Equality Among Religions
Where there are many religions, as in India and in the world, they can only do this through dialogue and collaboration as equals. Multi-religious India could have affirmed unity by holding on to the religion of the majority as central to its political structure – as does Pakistan. It could have claimed to be totally non-religious like France or China. But India chose to be secular, with a clear distinction, not separation, between the sacred and the secular, treating all religions equally positively. It even protects the different identities and interests of minority religions with special rights.
Religions And Peace: The Way Of Dialogue
In such a multi-religious society – adapting Charles Taylor, a Canadian philosopher, who spoke of multi-culturalism – we can say that we have to recognize, respect and accept the other(s) as part of one community or society. At a minimum, it supposes mutual knowledge and removal of ignorance and prejudice. This can be done through multi-religious education at schools and colleges. Life together can facilitate social participation in each other’s festivals like Diwali, Ramzan, Christmas (as commercial establishments do.) Common prayer services at moments of crisis as Gandhi did – he was killed on his way to one – are possible. This is a dialogue of life and experience.
Overlapping Consensus
Adapting an idea of John Rawls, an American political philosopher, we can develop an overlapping consensus through dialogue around key social values that can guide our common socio-political action and economic projects. The Indian Constitution, which is one of the best in the world, provides us such a consensus in its Preamble, charters of rights and duties and directive principles. A list of these will be long! Our courts have been protective of these. It is for us to interiorize these and act together to build inter-cultural (inter-caste) and inter-religious community. Dialogue is precisely the way of living and acting multi-religiously.
The Way of Dialogue
In a situation of conflict, dialogue should focus on bringing out the truth, doing justice to those affected and facilitating forgiveness and reconciliation. In ordinary life, mutual knowledge can lead to enrichment, but also to mutual challenge and change for the better. For example, the criticism of the caste system, the treatment of women, the protection of nature. The Indian Renaissance at the end of the 19th century with leaders like Ram Mohun Roy and later leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Narayan Guru, Periyar and Ambedkar have shown us the way. Developing an overlapping consensus for common socio-political action involves each religious group finding justification in its own religious resources for developing a consensus on and for the defense and promotion of common human and social rights, duties and values.
Conclusion
Dialogue, especially between the religions, is the way of the future towards peace in India and in the world. Occasional formal or official dialogue between heads or representatives of religious institutions have a symbolic value. But we have to energize and empower the silent and moderate majority, isolating the fundamentalist and communalist minorities. In this area, the Indian people, in the elections in recent years, have shown their maturity. We have to build on it.
Michael Amaladoss, S.J.
Institute of Dialogue with Cultures and Religions, Loyola College, Chennai.