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Dialogue --- Unity...Freedom...CharityIn an age of ecumenism, interchurch dialogue is a notion which many today take for granted. Yet, the sense of adventure which marked participation in the pioneering stages of the ecumenical movement appears to have waned considerably. Despite an apparent ecumenical slow down, the major accomplishments of the ecumenical movement since the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) continue to challenge ecumenists to cross a future threshold where the ultimate doctrinal questions still must be faced. Ut Unum Sint (That AII May Be One), the 1995 encyclical of Pope John Paul injected a renewed mandate for Catholic participation in ecumenical activities. In accord with the ecumenical teaching of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), the encyclical declares that ecumenism is an organic dimension of the mission of the Catholic Church. The promotion of Christian unity is not some optional "appendix" tacked on to the life of the Church. On the contrary, the ecumenical spirit as a constitutive element of the Church's mission should be pervasive. (UUS n. 28) With regard to dialogue, Pope John Paul II notes that the methods of dialogue have improved through the decades of ecumenical experience. Even though such refinements have stemmed largely from the efforts of theological experts, all Catholics can benefit from familiarity with the methods of dialogue. (UUS n. 31) By analogy, the lessons learned from ecumenical activities can present a constructive model for dialogue among Catholics. Pope John Paul II credits Pope Paul Vl for his masterful theological synthesis on the nature of dialogue. (UUS n. 28) Pope Paul VI had developed a theology of dialogue in Ecclesiam Suam (The Paths of the Church), his initial encyclical issued in 1964. A major portion of that encyclical (ES nn. 64-116) discussed the relationship of the Church and dialogue. Ecclesiam Suam captured the ethos of the Second Vatican Council which was nearing its closing stage at that time. Pope Paul Vl had envisioned the dialogic life of the Church as being imaged by a model of interrelated concentric circles. Dialogue, then, is pictured as moving within a spectrum of circles. The most universal circle will focus on humanity itself. A second circumference includes all religious peoples. The third ring is constituted by all Christians. The last and fourth circle encompasses dialogue within the Catholic Church itself. Pope Paul VI expounded on several positive effects which can result from dialogue. First, interfacing with divergent views can direct reasoning "out of the worn paths to more effective ways of expression. Secondly, in addition to the discovery of elements of truth in the opinions of others, the dialectic of dialogue "will force us to express our teachings with great fairness." In a word, "(t)he dialogue will make us wise; it will make us teachers." (ES n. 83) The Second Vatican Council approached the question of dialogue as an integral dimension of the Church's mission in a two-pronged direction. Gaudium et Spes (The Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, 1965) lays down helpful principles and guidelines in this matter. Thus, the Pastoral Constitution identifies dialogue with the Church's role as a sign of human solidarity. The mission of evangelization and inculturation requires the fostering of both unity and diversity through a lived mutual respect and harmony. The roots of dialogue between pastors and the faithful are grounded in a profound communion --- “for the bonds which unite the faithful are mightier than anything dividing them." The Pastoral Constitution ends this section with a classic formula of unity amidst diversity: “… let there be unity in what is necessary, freedom in what is unsettled, and charity in any case." (GS n. 92) Yet there are indications that intra-ecclesial dialogue in some quarters has not been faring as well as ecumenical dialogues. Richard R. Gaillardetz has critiqued the acceleration of "uncivil discourse" which has eroded intramural discussions. While there are several factors contributing to this impasse and polarization, Gaillardetz observes that "discourse within the church mirrors discourse in our larger society." He calls for a return to "eschatological modesty and charity" to reverse the pattern of demonization. As a theologian, Gaillardetz acknowledges that tensions can be healthy and creative, a sign of ecclesial vitality. But, the style of handling disagreement can sabotage the credibility of the Church. He writes: "When we demonize the opposition, when we caricature the positions of our opponents, when we usurp the proper role of the magisterium for ourselves, we are ignoring basic canons for good church order and violating the most fundamental law of the Christian life, the law of charity." [Richard R. Gaillardetz. "Unity, Liberty, Charity," Commonweal (October 4, 1997): 19-25.] In A People Made One: A Pastoral Letter on Christian Unity (1999), the Catholic bishops of Kentucky cautioned about the lack of unity in relationships among Catholics to one another. The bishops state that the will to have personal views dominate may at times supplant a vital principle endorsed at the Second Vatican Council: "unity in essentials," "freedom in the various forms of spiritual life and discipline, in the variety of liturgical rites, and even in the theological elaborations of revealed truth," and "in all things let charity prevail." (Decree on Ecumenism n. 4) A People Made One confronts a sensitive area when it states that "(s)ometimes spiritual ecumenism and the ecumenism of repentance find their greatest need within the churches themselves and not only between members of separate traditions." The pastoral makes a telling observation: "Our own disunity aggravates the disunity found among all." At the annual ministry conference of the Diocese of Colorado Springs In October 1998, Cardinal Roger Mahoney presented an address entitled "Dialogue in the Church. [Origins 28:28 (December 24, 1998): 497-500] Cardinal Mahoney, the archbishop of Los Angeles, observed that dialogue has merit even when it has not produced agreement. In such moments disagreements "can be faced with charity, respect, humility, and love for the truth." Such "habits of the heart" may sometimes disclose personal blind spots. Convictions oblige us always to speak the truth in love but with humility. Humility, however, neither takes offense or offends nor exhibits rancor and bitterness. In March 1999, Cardinal Adam Maida of Detroit delivered a trenchant analysis on the rightful role of religion in shaping culture and law ---"Shaping Culture and Law: Religion's Voice." [Origins 28:42 (April 8, 1999): 721,723-726.] Cardinal Maida aligned himself with the social criticism of Stephen E. Carter who defended the case about the need for regaining civility in public argument in his latest book Civility (1998). [See Stephen E. Carter, Civility: Manners, Morals, and the Etiquette of Democracy (Basic Books, 1998).] Cardinal Maida acknowledges that on occasions and issues religious voices are discredited by failing to engage in genuine dialogue. For this reason, the viewpoints of religious people are in effect silenced, if not dismissed. The failure to build a necessary consensus in the broader society might be attributed to tactics which manifest the tone of condemnation exemplified by the volley of "harsh judgments against people who think differently than themselves." The method of dialogue does not ask for the compromise of convictions or essential beliefs. In his teaching about dialogue in Ecclesiam Suam, Pope Paul VI had emphatically cautioned against “watering down” or the “whittling away of truth.”(ES n. 88) However, with equal force, he counseled that participation in dialogue should not be tainted by arrogance. Dialogue, properly construed, should be “peaceful,” should have “no use for extreme methods,” and should be inclined “towards generosity.” (ES n. 81) Dialogue does not compromise principles. Nonetheless, it cannot be a reality without checking mean-spiritedness and intolerant aggressiveness at the door.
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