CABALLO, John Quincy A 23/08/2018

Theology of Religions

How do we reconcile our Christian Catholic commitment (confession in Jesus Christ) and our openness
towards other religious believers/ religions?

I would like to draw my reflection from the experience of Jesus and the Greeks (Jn 12:20-26). What
comes quite interesting here is that this encounter caused Jesus some trouble (v. 27). His encounter with
the Greeks served as an inauguration of the climactic coming of the Kingdom and His glorification on the
Cross. This encounter ushers in the long-awaited and yet feared eschatological hour. This is declaration
of Jesus is ratified by the Father’s voice (v. 28) in approval. This declaration is figuratively described in his
choice of the imagery of the grain of wheat (vv. 24-25).

If we are to cooperate for the coming of the Kingdom of God, we have first to allow ourselves to be an
instrument of the Good News of Christ. The necessity of our cooperation in the work of salvation is
exemplified in the intervention of Philip then Andrew (vv.21-22). The call of Christ for us before other
religious is to turn an open ear and an open heart. We do not hear of these Greeks becoming converted.
Not just yet. But the challenge is to allow dialogue to come to the fore.

All peoples seek God in their own way. I would safely say that the Greeks’ search for the truth has
reached it fulfillment in their encounter with Christ. But this encounter is not without suffering. To allow
the Word of God, to allow the Holy Spirit to do Its work, the grain of wheat must fall, must be crushed,
and die in order to grow and bear fruit. This is not necessarily about physical death: more so, our stereo-
types and sense of pride must go down.

But this death does not foment violence. The death that must come about in this dialogue happens
within each one, Christians and others who are not. This death in oneself is a necessary mean towards
genuine conversion, openness, honesty, and mutual respect and appreciation. Whatever will bring
people closer to God no matter how seemingly insignificant is a necessary means for the logo
spermatikos that has been planted in the various cultures and faith-traditions to grown. These seeds are
not merely concepts or practices. There are also people who plant mustard seeds of kindness and love in
the hearts of believers and non-believers. They are like leaven in the world.

If we are to call ourselves missionary-disciples, we must be servants of the Lord who bring His word
close to those who seek it. The work of evangelization does not give way to proselytism. While there is a
need to defend the faith, we are called to live the truth in love and so build the Body of Christ (Eph 4:15-
16), the Church, the UNIVERSAL Church.