Participants of the two-day 'Basic of Inter-Religious Dialogue' pose for a photo session at the Pilar Theological Institute in the western coastal state of Goa. (Photo: Supplied)
Catholic leaders in an Indian archdiocese have stressed the need to focus on life in inter-religious dialogues as religious hatred and intolerance rise in the country.
“Inter-religious dialogue should be focused on life rather than mere religion because life is greater than religion,” said Father Ivon Almeida, professor at the Pilar Theological Institute in the western coastal state of Goa.
The priest was addressing a gathering of 80 Catholic leaders from 40 parishes across the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman at a seminar on “basics of inter-Religious dialogue” on Aug. 26-27.
Almeida put the thrust on “life” after a video surfaced on Aug. 24, in which a female school teacher is seen asking students to hit a seven-year-old Muslim boy.
The boy cries as his classmates take turns slapping him, while the teacher is heard telling the students “to do it properly.” A man can be heard laughing as the boy weeps while the slapping continues.
The incident occurred in Muzaffarnagar in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, which has the highest number of violent incidents against Christians among India’s 28 provincial states.
Speakers at the seminar underscored the need for respecting life when it comes to inter-religious dialogue.
A “mere dialogue on religion does not create a healthy environment for a healthy life,” they said.
“When a dialogue is meant to protect life, it becomes more meaningful,” they added.
The seminar was jointly organized by the Apostolate of Inter-Religious Dialogue and Sadbhav (goodwill) -- a forum for inter-religious talks in Goa and Daman archdiocese -- and the Society of Pilar.
Father Elvis Fernandes, convenor of Sadbhav, said the seminar was "designed to instill, nurture and develop the value of inter-religious dialogue.”
He said people need to become creative to build new ways of “goodwill and harmony between communities.”
Father Agnelo Pinheiro, archdiocesan convenor of the Apostolate of Inter-Religious Dialogue, said that inter-religious dialogue becomes meaningful when people belonging to different religions “accept and respect” each other.
The Catholic Church “sees goodness in all people” and teaches “to love without boundaries and that God’s mercy and love extends to all,” said Father Santosh Mendonca, a professor at the Pilar Theological Institute.
The seminar was concluded with a commitment to strengthen inter-religious dialogue in local villages and parishes to foster better communal harmony and strengthen secularism in the country.
Christians make up 2.3 percent of India’s 1.4 billion people, nearly 80 percent of them Hindus.
