Letter To Our Spiritual Leaders

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14 Global 2000 Revisited: What Shall We Do? develop a community of Earth's faith traditions that is an example of the kind of open communication, mutual respect, acceptance, cooperation and good will that should characterize the emerging global community of nations and peoples. Each tradition has at its core a vision of Divine harmony that it urges its followers to embody in the social sphere. These visions have evolved in distinct historic and geographic contexts. The religions have not successfully been able to transcend their own historical origins so as to express their visions of unity in a fashion appropriate to the needs of the pluralistic global society that is taking form at the beginning of the new millennium.* The greatest single scandal in which Earth's faith traditions are now involved is their failure to practice their highest ethical ideals in their relations with one another. *In his recent message acknowledging the Church's error in the conviction of Galileo, Pope John-Paul II introduced some thoughts that might provide a basis not only for increased understanding and respect between science and religion, but also between religions. To paraphrase and abbreviate the Pope's argument: The church must teach the truth, but what are we to do when a new scientific datum seems to contradict the truths of the faith? These are two things we must do. First, it is a duty for theologians to keep themselves regularly informed of scientific advances in order to : examine whether there are reasons for introducing changes in their teachings. Second, it is necessary to recognize the distinction between Sacred Scripture and its interpretation. If it happens that authority of sacred Scripture is set in opposition to clear and certain reasoning, this must mean that the person who interprets scripture does not understand it correctly. Truth cannot contradict truth, and we may be sure that some mistake has been made. From the Galileo affair we can learn a lesson that remains valid in relation to similar situations. In Galileo's time it was inconceivable to depict the world as lacking an absolute physical reference point, which could only be situated in the Earth or in the sun. Today, however, after Einstein and within the perspective of contemporary cosmology, neither of these two points of reference has the importance they once had. The lesson, therefore, is that often beyond two partial and contrasting perceptions there exists a wider perception that includes them and goes beyond both of them. This lesson of Pope John Paul II might point the way for a new approach to the distrust, hatred, and violence that currently plagues interreligious relations. Might there be beyond the "partial and contrasting perceptions" of the many faith traditions "a wider perception that includes them and goes beyond...them?" .