I. NOSTRA AETATE (extracted)
DECLARATION ON
THE
RELATION OF THE CHURCH TO NON-CHRISTIAN RELIGIONS
NOSTRA AETATE
PROCLAIMED
BY HIS HOLINESS POPE PAUL VI
ON OCTOBER 28, 1965
1. In our time, when day by
day mankind is being drawn closer together, and the ties between different
peoples are becoming stronger, the Church examines more closely her
relationship to non-Christian religions. In her task of promoting unity and
love among men, indeed among nations, she considers above all in this
declaration what men have in common and what draws them to fellowship.
One is the community of all peoples, one their origin, for
God made the whole human race to live over the face of the earth.[1] One also is their final
goal, God. His providence, His manifestations of goodness, His saving design
extend to all men,[2] until that time when the
elect will be united in the Holy City, the city ablaze with the glory of God,
where the nations will walk in His light.[3]
Men expect from the various religions answers to the unsolved
riddles of the human condition, which today, even as in former times, deeply
stir the hearts of men: What is man? What is the meaning, the aim of our life?
What is moral good, what is sin? Whence suffering and what purpose does it
serve? Which is the road to true happiness? What are death, judgment and
retribution after death? What, finally, is that ultimate inexpressible mystery
which encompasses our existence: whence do we come, and where are we going?
2. From ancient times down
to the present, there is found among various peoples a certain perception of
that hidden power which hovers over the course of things and over the events of
human history; at times some indeed have come to the recognition of a Supreme Being,
or even of a Father. This perception and recognition penetrates their lives
with a profound religious sense.
Religions, however, that are bound up with an advanced
culture have struggled to answer the same questions by means of more refined
concepts and a more developed language. Thus in Hinduism, men contemplate the
divine mystery and express it through an inexhaustible abundance of myths and
through searching philosophical inquiry. They seek freedom from the anguish of
our human condition either through ascetical practices or profound meditation
or a flight to God with love and trust. Again, Buddhism, in its various forms,
realizes the radical insufficiency of this changeable world; it teaches a way
by which men, in a devout and confident spirit, may be able either to acquire
the state of perfect liberation, or attain, by their own efforts or through
higher help, supreme illumination. Likewise, other religions found everywhere
try to counter the restlessness of the human heart, each in its own manner, by
proposing “ways,” comprising teachings, rules of life, and sacred rites.
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. Indeed, she proclaims, and ever must proclaim
Christ "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6), in whom men
may find the fullness of religious life, in whom God has reconciled all things
to Himself.[4]
The Church, therefore, exhorts her sons, that through
dialogue and collaboration with the followers of other religions, carried out
with prudence and love and in witness to the Christian faith and life, they
recognize, preserve and promote the good things, spiritual and moral, as well
as the socio-cultural values found among these men.
[Excluding Nos 3 and 4,
related to Islam and Judaism.]
5. We cannot truly call on
God, the Father of all, if we refuse to treat in a brotherly way any man,
created as he is in the image of God. Man’s relation to God the Father and his
relation to men his brothers are so linked together that Scripture says: “He
who does not love does not know God” (1 John 4:8).
No foundation therefore remains for any theory or practice
that leads to discrimination between man and man or people and people, so far
as their human dignity and the rights flowing from it are concerned.
The
Church reproves, as foreign to the mind of Christ, any discrimination against
men or harassment of them because of their race, color, condition of life, or
religion. On the contrary, following in the footsteps of the holy Apostles
Peter and Paul, this sacred synod ardently implores the Christian faithful to
“maintain good fellowship among the nations” (1 Peter 2:12), and, if possible,
to live for their part in peace with all men,[5] so that they may truly
be sons of the Father who is in heaven.[6]
II. STUDYING NOSTRA AETATE
1. Introduction to Nostra Aetate
The Latin title Nostra
Aetate means “in our time”. Australian Bishops Commission for Ecumenism and
Inter-religious Relations writes:
“This year
marks the 50th anniversary of Nostra Aetate,
Vatican II’s Declaration on the Relation
of the Church to Non-Christian Religions.
This document transformed the Church’s attitude towards believers from other
religions. For the first time in history, the Church spoke positively about
other religions. The Declaration is widely considered a “watershed” in the
relations between Catholics and believers from other religions. Pope John Paul
II and Pope Benedict XVI have called it the Magna Carta of the Church’s new attitude and approach to other religions. It
continues to inspire and to guide Catholics in forging relationships of mutual
respect and collaboration.”
In the above-quoted paragraph, these two
following details should be taken into account:
(a) “For the first
time in history, the Church spoke positively about other religions.”
(b) “The
Declaration is widely considered a ‘watershed’
in the relations between Catholics and believers from other religions.”
According to Caodai historical viewpoint, this present era of
mankind belongs to Tam kỳ Phổ độ - the Third Universalism (i.e., Universal
Salvation). In this era, every religion is to transcend its chronic shell of
religion so as to attain the Great Dao. This transcendence is designated
“returning to the Origin” by Caodaism because the Great Dao (大道 Dadao) is the same origin of all religions.
On the long journey returning to the Origin, rather than
discrimination due to trivial differences, religions should emphasize the
perennial values that they all have in common; simultaneously, all religions
are first and throughout requested to be tolerant and open-hearted towards one
another.
With Nostra Aetate, especially
the two above-highlighted details (a) and (b), since Vatican II the Roman
Catholic Church has been changing itself to be in harmony with Heaven’s plan
for humanity’s new era.
2. A short history of Nostra Aetate
How did Nostra Aetate
come into being? From a brief statement dealing with Judaism only, the document
was gradually expanded so as to include Islam, and finally other religions were
also involved. This historical process is skilfully summarised by Australian
Bishops Commission for Ecumenism and Inter-religious Relations as follows:
“Nostra Aetate is part
of Vatican II’s updating the Catholic Church
to bring it into relationship with the modern world. Its genesis was in the
mind and heart of Pope John XXIII, who had witnessed first-hand the tribulation
of the Jewish people during the Second World War and had used his then office
as Apostolic Delegate to Turkey
“Cardinal Augustin Bea [S.J., 1881-1968] steered the text through several drafts in
the Vatican Council. In the volatile
atmosphere of that time, shortly after the establishment of the State of
Israel, the bishops of the Middle East cautioned that a statement on the Jews
only would be seen as taking political sides and would have negative
consequences for the Christian minorities. Accordingly, a section was added on
Islam and relations with Muslims. The bishops of Asia
then asserted that their very different situation of living as a minority among
the believers of the other world religions was overlooked, so further sections
were added. In the process, the statement became a separate document in its own
right. On 28 October 1965, in the fourth and final session, the Council Fathers
approved the final draft with an overwhelming majority of 2,221 to 88. This
ringing endorsement made Nostra Aetate
the official Catholic teaching on relations with believers from other
religions.”
3. Summary of the contents
of Nostra Aetate
So as to help us read the Declaration again, even
though Nostra Aetate itself consists
of five brief sections, its contents are cleverly shortened by Australian
Bishops Commission for Ecumenism and Inter-religious Relations as follows:
“1. A
statement on the unity of the human race, our shared origin and destiny, with
religions providing answers to our common questions about the meaning of life,
suffering, good and evil and what lies beyond death;
“2. A
description of religion as a response to a hidden power, with reference to the
practices and teachings of Hinduism and Buddhism, stating that the Catholic
Church rejects nothing of what is true and holy in these religions;
“3. A
positive treatment of Muslim affinities with Catholic teaching and practice,
based on references to some of the [five] Pillars
[7] and beliefs of Islam, proposing that past hostilities be put aside in
favour of mutual understanding and cooperation for the common good.
“4. An account of the
spiritual ties between Christians and Jews, which reproves indiscriminate
accusations of Jewish responsibility for the death of Jesus, affirms the
ongoing validity of the Covenant between God and the people of Israel, and
repudiates hatred, persecution and anti-Semitism as contrary to God’s universal
love;
“5. A final affirmation
that since we call God ‘Father’, all human beings are brothers and sisters,
made in God’s image, so there should be no unjust discrimination but Christians
should live peaceably with all.”
4. What is interfaith dialogue?
Reading Nostra Aetate (the
English version) officially disseminated by Vatican, we certainly fail to find
the term “Interfaith dialogue” or “Interreligious dialogue”; however, it is
understood that the Declaration has
paved the way for the Catholic Church’s pastoral activities named Interfaith
dialogue. Thus, where did the term come from? Below is an explanation given by
Australian Bishops Commission for Ecumenism and Inter-religious Relations:
“The new
approach to believers from other religions is called ‘dialogue’. This name and
method had been introduced to the Church by Pope Paul VI in his encyclical, Ecclesiam Suam (1964)…”
In Vietnam, “interfaiths” or “interreligions” has
often been misunderstood as a political plot which aims at ruining social
security; accordingly, “interfaith or inter-religious dialogue” is easily
regarded as something harmful.[8] To correct such
misunderstanding, we might borrow a definition by Nigerian Cardinal Francis
Arinze (born in 1932):
“Interreligious
dialogue is a meeting of people of differing religions, in an atmosphere of
freedom and openness, in order to listen to the other, to try to understand
that person’s religion, and hopefully to seek possibilities of collaboration.
It is hoped that the other partner will reciprocate, because dialogue should be
marked by a two-way and not a one-way movement.” [9]
5.
Implementation of interfaith dialogue
On Pentecost Sunday, 17 May 1964, Saint Pope Paul VI
instituted a special department of the Roman Curia for relations with the
people of other religions. Known at first as the Secretariat for Non Christians, it was renamed the Pontifical Council for Interreligious
Dialogue (PCID) in 1988.[10]
How has the good will of interreligious dialogue been carried
out in reality? Below is the answer given by Australian Bishops Commission for
Ecumenism and Inter-religious Relations:
“Study of other religions
was undertaken, visits to leaders and sacred places of other religions were
arranged, and delegations of representatives of other religions were received
at the Vatican
6. Four forms of
interfaith dialogue
In 1984 the Secretariat for Non-Christians published The Attitude of the Church toward the
Followers of Other Religions: Reflections and Orientations on Dialogue and
Mission. According to Australian Bishops Commission for Ecumenism and
Inter-religious Relations, this document introduces the four forms of dialogue
as follows:
“Dialogue of life – sharing the events of our daily lives at
home, work and play with our neighbours of different faiths;
“Dialogue of action – based on shared religious and moral
values, working together on matters of common social concern for the betterment
of society;
“Dialogue of theological
exchange – sharing and discussing our
religious beliefs to better understand one another and identify more precisely
what we hold in common and where our differences lie;
“Dialogue of religious
experience – sharing about the spiritual
practices and fruits of prayer and worship in our respective traditions.”
Again, as asserted by Australian Bishops Commission for
Ecumenism and Inter-religious Relations, interfaith dialogue is exclusive to no
one, thus:
“All members of the
Catholic Church are called to build relations with believers from other
religions. Each is to do it in his or her own way, according to their state in
life, in response to the shared call to mission. Following one or more of the
four forms of interreligious dialogue mentioned above - dialogue of life, dialogue of action, dialogue of
theological exchange and dialogue of religious experience - opens up many possibilities.”
III. IN LIEU OF A
CONCLUSION
Doctor Hans Küng (Swiss, born in 1928) is Professor of
Ecumenical Theology and President of the Foundation for a Global Ethic; this
brilliant Catholic priest once asserted, “There will
be no peace among the nations without peace among the religions. There will be
no peace among the religions without dialogue among the religions.”
In Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the
Gospel), proclaimed on 24 November 2013, Pope Francis asserted, “Interreligious dialogue is a necessary
condition for peace in the world, and so it is a duty for Christians as well as
other religious communities.” (Chapter IV, No. 250).
In the present era, all religions should unceasingly
strengthen their harmonious and cooperative ties so as to jointly build a
paradise on earth. Interfaith dialogue is thus indispensable for this ideal the
world religions have in common. Interfaith dialogue should not be ignored by
contemporary humans, and thus it should not be mistakenly regarded as something
related to Catholicism only.
On 11 October 1962, in His opening speech to Vatican II, when
relating His decision to summon the Council, Saint Pope John XXIII called it “a sudden flash of inspiration”. I
believe such a sudden flash of inspiration was nothing else but the Holy Spirit
because only the Holy Spirit could bring about the miracle of Vatican II as a
historic milestone on the long journey of mankind’s spiritual evolution as
planned by Heaven.
Once having deep insights into Nostra Aetate, the flower and fruit of Vatican II, Caodai
communities will be much more ready and active for interreligious relations.
Then, every Caodai community will consciously enlarge cooperation with Catholic
communities as well as other religious ones in a joint effort to build up a
society sustainably developed on the pillars of humanistic values, well-being, and progress as proposed by Caodaism.
October
2015
HUỆ KHẢI
[7] The Five Islamic Pillars consist of: (a) Shahadah: Sincerely reciting the Muslim profession of faith; (b) Salat: Performing ritual prayers five
times a day; (c) Zakat: Paying alms
to the poor and the needy; (d) Sawm:
Fasting during the month of Ramadan (the ninth month in the Islamic calendar);
(e) Hajj: Pilgrimage to Mecca the
holy land. [Note by Huệ Khải]
