Interreligious Dialogue: Theology and Practice

Dear Colleagues, 

Some 10 years ago, I received an expected invitation by the Rector of a Pontifical University in Rome. At that time, I had just completed my doctorate in mission and interreligious dialogue, after a 28-year-long experience of dialogue in the Indian Subcontinent. Additionally, I had just been appointed as a co-director of the International Office for interreligious dialogue of the Focolare Movement at its headquarters in Rocca di Papa, near Rome (Italy). Incidentally, this Catholic organization is traditionally very active and committed to building a constructive experience of what Pope Francis defines today as a ‘culture of dialogue’ or ‘culture of encounter’. The meeting with the host was at his university and was supposed to be for less than an hour. In fact, it lasted for the whole morning. Obviously, the topic of the discussion was our respective experiences in the field. He is a renowned scholar of Islam but, having lived in Jerusalem for some years, he also has knowledge from within the Jewish universe and sensitiveness. Personally, at that time, I was more engaged in dialogue with Asian religions. Yet, another great difference which we found was that from the academic level: he was, then, committed to engage also in what is known as ‘dialogue life’; on my part, instead, after almost three decades of dialogue living experiences, I was trying to venture in academic reflections and debates. Both of us were specialists of dialogue, but were somehow one-sided. Our encounter was, for me, an eye-opener. In dialogue, especially with people of other cultures and faiths, one needs both dimensions: intellectual and academic on one side, and living and practical on the other. This is exactly what I am trying to live ever since that enlightening experience, which gifted me, among other things, with a wonderful and rich friendship with that scholar. It is an intellectual and vital relationship that is still growing and enriches me a great deal.

It was upon reflecting on what I just recounted that I decided to accept the great challenge of taking up the responsibility of being the Guest Editor of this Special Issue of Religions. The title, in fact—Interreligious Dialogue: Theology and Practice—seems to summarize one of the crucial issues in interfaith dialogue. In my 35-year-long experience in this field, I have encountered outstanding scholars from different parts of the world, who, on one side, specialized in different religions, at times even focused on a very specific aspect of one tradition. Yet, on the other, some of them had very little knowledge and acquaintance with the daily life, the ethos and practice of the people following that specific tradition. In the same way, many of the people I met in this context were simply practitioners of dialogue, committed to give witness to it in daily life, within the social community where they live, in the institutions where they work or, even more focused, in their neighborhood. The result is that, often, those who confined their interest to academics risked limiting themselves to hermeneutical issues, which may sound interesting to scholars but have no or limited relevance for experience in the field. On the contrary, confining one’s interest and commitment only to experience and practice of dialogue—in daily life and cooperation—means to deprive the academic world of material, stories and narratives on which thinkers can reflect and deepen their analyses and concepts. Theology and practice need to go hand in hand, as one needs the other as much as their actors and protagonists need each other.

Almost 60 years after the Vatican Council, which marked, for the Catholic Church, a way of no return on interreligious dialogue, it may be enriching to pause and reflect on these two dimensions of the dialogical effort: life experience and intellectual reflection. That is why I am grateful to colleagues who wish to contribute to this Special Issue of Religions. I am confident that we can bring an encouraging contribution to the cause of dialogue at the theological and practical level.

Tentative completion schedule:

• Summary Deadline: 14 June 2022
• Abstract submission deadline: 14 July 2022
• Notification of abstract acceptance: 20 September 2022
• Full manuscript deadline: 14 February 2023

We request that, prior to submitting a manuscript, interested authors initially submit a proposed title and an abstract of 400-600 words summarizing their intended contribution. Please send it to the Guest Editor ([email protected]) or to the Religions editorial office ([email protected]). Abstracts will be reviewed by the Guest Editors for the purposes of ensuring proper fit within the scope of the special issue. Full manuscripts will undergo double-blind peer-review.

Dr. Roberto Catalano
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• dialogue
• theology
• theology of interreligious dialogue
• dialogue and daily living