Christianity and Islam at the crossroads
Rooted in Xaverian Charism and responding to the needs of the local Church – the Catholic Church in the Philippines will dedicate the year 2020 to Ecumenism, Inter-Religious Dialogue, and Indigenous People local Church – the community of International Xaverian Theologate of Manila is moving forwards by integrating the interreligious dialogue as part of necessary dimension for the present and future missionaries. Besides the conferences on interfaith dialogue organized by the Xaverian Theologate, the extracurricular formations are encouraged. In this perspective, from July 1-15, 2019, two Xaverian theology students were given the opportunity to join the Silsilah Dialogue Movement that promotes the Culture of Dialogue and Path to Peace in Mindanao, Philippines and to the world. This Second Special program on Muslim-Christian Dialogue treated the theme: Christianity and Islam at the Crossroads. The aim was to cultivate awareness of what is happening today in Christianity and Islam and how the culture of Dialogue can help to build peace focusing on the Dialogue with Creation.
The formation guides the participants towards the mutual understanding about how the two religions can help each other if the Christians and Muslims enter into a deeper experience of the culture of dialogue. To make this culture of dialogue become a genuine spirituality, it is fundamental for each believer to strengthen first his or her religious identity. Since the doctrinal teachings alone are not enough to promote this spirit of dialogue, we were given two weekends of immersion where Christian participants were sent to live with Muslim families whereas Muslim participants with Christian families. The experience was meaningful due to the mutual sharing with our foster parents who share their joys, sorrows, their faith commitments, and challenges. The moment of immersion is fundamental to move on with courage and continue living the spirituality of dialogue. For us, it is a reminder that the culture of dialogue does not aim to create a super-religion or a super-culture rather it is an answer to the unity in diversity.
The outcome of the program was a great experience for all 31 participants from the two religions in which 16 were Muslims and 15 Christians. On the side of Christianity there were priests, seminarians, Evangelical, the so-called Born Again, college students and teachers. On the side of Islam, the participants were: ustads, imams, teachers in madrasas, and staffs of different organizations helping for the rehabilitation of the Marawi city after ISIS siege. The starting of the special course was quite difficult because some of the participants came with prejudices. After the orientation and vision-mission of the Silsilah dialogue Movement, the group was able to overcome all the fears and became friendly. Due to friendship, the first week, we started to share openly our feelings, biases, and were able to listen to the lectures on Christianity, Islam, and dialogue with open minds and hearts. In the second week, the reality of Christianity and Islam at the crossroads was the main focus. Through the presentations and open forums, we came to a better understanding on how the of secularism and radicalism as alarming challenges for both Christians and Muslims.
Among many significant experiences and sharing, there is one from a Christian and another from a Muslim participant.
A Christian participant: “For the past 15 days of staying here in Harmony Village, together with all my Christian and Muslim brothers and sisters, with all the activities and immersions, all I can say is “wonderful!”. The people in Silsilah, Fr. Sebastiano D’Ambra, the organizers, and staff are wonderful people. They love and care. The silence makes you really feel God’s presence and His love for us as His creations. Lastly, during my two immersions, my foster parents are really wonderful people that I rarely meet, that is why I grabbed this opportunity to thank you for making me feel that I am part of your family, for treating me like their child. My 15 days of staying here makes me realize and open my mind that there is still so much work to do, a work to achieve harmony and peace. For almost 10 years, I was confined in the four walls of the seminary, with all the comfort and security offered to me. I have been doing my apostolate heartily and I thought all of that is enough and I did my best. If I did not join this special program, maybe I would still the same, that old person before, “A frog in a well”.
The Silsilah program opened another path for me, a different perspective of looking at things. All of us here gathered together have only one goal and that is to achieve the peace that we longed for – a dream to have a peaceful life, a life where everyone who live together in harmony, solidarity and love. Believe it or not, that is not a dream anymore, because we already experienced that for the past 15 days right here, right now. How does it feel? It feels wonderful.”
A Muslim participant: As-salamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh (May the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be with you). Maayong (good) morning. Silsilah, it was a strange word for me though I heard it from my co-officemates but I have no idea about their mission and vision. I came here without any expectations. I was just to attend the two-week special program and now, it’s done. After the first meeting, I somehow got the gist of this program’s mission. From having priests, brothers, ustads, professors and youth classmates. As I look at them every meeting, I realized that I’m very blessed and grateful that I grabbed this rare opportunity when you can express and share your learnings and experiences of your gender, your status, and your belief. We learned a lot from our speakers the way they taught us to practice culture of dialogue as a way of instilling peace.
One of the most memorable moments of this program was the immersion. Living in unique families who follow a different faith from us. The warm welcome they gave to us is one of a kind that we will bring when we got here. Their names will be kept in our hearts. Yes, it was a short time but the learnings and experiences that we get here is worth it. I hope the friendship and family that we build will be carried whenever we go. I also invite my co-participants to continue working for peace. We will harvest the fruits of our hard work. Thank you and wassalam.”
At the end of the program we came up with this statement of commitment which recapitulates our learnings and experiences: rooted in our pearl of giftedness, we people of diverse religions, commit ourselves to be the bridge that links others towards harmony, justice, love, and peace throughout our lifetime.
From this commitment, it is clear that the dialogue becomes a culture or a spirituality whenever many people of sincere heart and mind believe in it, live it, and promote it in all levels of the society. Therefore, we do dialogue with no other expectation but love manifested in action, silence, and harmony. Otherwise, the so-called ‘dialogue’ will be a strategy to convince others. In the words of Fr Sebastiano D’ Ambra, the founder of Silsilah movement in Zamboanga, “Dialogue without love is nothing. It becomes a strategy and a dangerous way of relating when people do not see each other as having the same dignity. It becomes a new way of controlling and dominating others. The real dialogue motivated by love not only requires pain but also gives joy. Real dialogue can only be sustained by love.”[1]
What happened in the 2nd special program of Silsilah, Christianity and Islam at the crossroads, can give hope to both Christians and Muslims that we can live united despite our diversity of believes. Our commonalities and differences have to be seen as treasures rather than barriers to build our mutual fraternity.
Cassien Nshimirimana
Patrick Fornah Abdul
[1] D’Ambra, Sebastiano, Call to a Dream: Silsilah Dialogue Movement (Zamboanga: Silsilah Publications, 2008),10.
