Dietger Demuth CSsR: Introduction to debate

Dietger Demuth CSsR

Introduction:
Thank you very much for your invitation to this conference. As you probably know, Renovabis was founded not only to support the Catholic Church in Eastern Europe, but to be an action of solidarity with people in Central and Eastern Europe. This does implicate of course, that we are open to cooperate with Jewish und Muslim organisations and structures in this countries.

One month ago at the World Youth Day in Cologne the Holy Father met representatives of the jewish and muslim communities.

During his visit in the synagoge of Cologne he pointed out the Jewish roots of Christianity: „This year also marks the fortieth anniversary of the promulgation of the Second Vatican Council’s Declaration Nostra Aetate, which opened up new prospects for Jewish-Christian relations in terms of dialogue and solidarity. This Declaration, in the fourth chapter, recalls the common roots and the immensely rich spiritual heritage that Jews and Christians share. Both Jews and Christians recognize in Abraham their father in faith (cf. Gal 3:7, Rom 4:11ff.) and they look to the teachings of Moses and the prophets. Jewish spirituality, like its Christian counterpart, draws nourishment from the psalms. With Saint Paul, Christians are convinced that “the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable” (Rom 11:29, cf. 9:6,11; 11:1ff.).

During the Meeting with Representatives of some Muslim Communities he told the Muslims: “The Church looks upon Muslims with respect. […] Although considerable dissensions and enmities between Christians and Muslims may have arisen in the course of the centuries, the Council urges all parties that, forgetting past things, they train themselves towards sincere mutual understanding and together maintain and promote social justice and moral values as well as peace and freedom for all people” (Declaration Nostra Aetate, No. 3).[…]

Interreligious and intercultural dialogue between Christians and Muslims […] is in fact a vital necessity, on which in large measure our future depends.
Our participation as an organisation of the german catholics at this congress is also a sign of our sincere engagement to peace, understanding and reconciliation between people belonging to different nations and religions.