Dialogue, A Challenge?

This seems to be the necessary question after reading the historic and world-acclaimed document, “Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together.”

Unprecedented in history of interreligious relations and variously commended by international commentators the Document was approved and signed by Pope Francis of the Roman Catholic Church “for the Christians of the West” and by Sheik Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, Grand Imam of Cairo, Egypt, and President of the Al-Azhar University, “for the Moslems of the East” on 4 February 2019 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. It is also called The Abu Dhabi Document.

Why is this peace of paper considered very important for people worldwide to live in peace as brothers and sisters? Because the document recommends the promotion of the culture of peace through dialogue. This cultural imperative is crystallized in the principle: culture of dialogue as the path; mutual cooperation as the code of conduct; reciprocal understanding as method and standard.

Our query is: Why is dialogue a challenge in Filipino culture?

Basically culture as a way of living and behaving is created when people professing the same values come together. Coming together is a must as members of society who must interact and relate. One way is dialogue.

But what is dialogue and why is it a challenge? In other words, what in us is challenged by dialogue?

One answer, perhaps the most important among others, is our capacity to listen. Yes, to listen, not only with our right and left ears, but also with the “third ear of the heart”. More on this next week.