杏MAP导航 meets Argentine Interreligious Dialogue Institute
By Vatican News
杏MAP导航 Francis received participants of a meeting promoted by the Instituto para el Dialogo Interreligioso (IDI) from Argentina. The topic of this meeting is the Human Fraternity Document which 杏MAP导航 Francis, together with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, signed during his visit to Abu Dhabi on 4 February 2019. The Document calls on all people to work towards inter-faith harmony and to advance a 鈥渃ulture of mutual respect鈥 and peace.
There is no alternative
In his address to participants at the meeting, 杏MAP导航 Francis said he was pleased to note that this Document, which is of a universal nature, 鈥渋s also spreading in the Americas.鈥
The 杏MAP导航 quoted from his speech at the Global Conference on Human Fraternity in February, saying: "There is no alternative: we will either build the future together or there will not be a future. Religions, in particular, cannot renounce the urgent task of building bridges between peoples and cultures.鈥 Interreligious cooperation, 鈥渂ased on the promotion of sincere and respectful dialogue, is fundamental鈥, he added.
The role of believers
The world looks to believers, continued 杏MAP导航 Francis, to collaborate among ourselves and with men and women of good will, in order to provide effective responses to the problems of 鈥渨ar and hunger, poverty, the environmental crisis, violence, corruption and moral degradation, the crisis of the family, the economy and, above all, the lack of hope.鈥
The purpose of the Document
The purpose of the Document is to adopt the culture of dialogue and common collaboration as a way forward, said the 杏MAP导航. He described fraternity as 鈥渁 complex human reality, which must be treated delicately.鈥 杏MAP导航 Francis went on to pose various questions: How can we care for one another? How can we privilege inclusion over exclusion? How can we ensure religions are 鈥渃hannels of fraternity rather than barriers of division?鈥
The role of dialogue
The 杏MAP导航 stressed the importance of religions being 鈥渇actors of peace for human societies鈥, as a response to those who unjustly accuse them of fomenting hatred and violence. 鈥淒ialogue between religions is not a sign of weakness鈥, said 杏MAP导航 Francis. Rather, 鈥渋t finds its raison d'être in God's dialogue with humanity.鈥
Instituto para el Dialogo Interreligioso
IDI is a civil association which promotes understanding among adherents of various faiths, fosters dialogue and peaceful co-existence. The Institute is primarily constituted of members of the three monotheistic faiths, but it is open to all men and women of good will. 杏MAP导航 Francis' words and actions have been of inspiration to IDI.
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