Issue7_art1

)NTERRELIGIOUS $IALOGUE AND 3ACRED (OSPITALITY &R 0IERRE &RAN½OIS DE "£THUNE / 3 "

!BSTRACT 4HE AUTHOR A "ENEDICTINE MONK WITH DECADES OF EXPERIENCE IN INTERFAITH DIALOGUE ARGUES HERE THAT DIALOGUE IS NECESSARY BUT NOT SUFl CIENT FOR MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN RELIGIONS %VEN WHEN UNCLOUDED BY AN OVERBEARING WISH TO CONVERT AND PERSUADE DIALOGUE IS STILL LIMITED TO VERBAL EXCHANGES WHICH DO NOT NECESSARILY REQUIRE AN EXISTENTIAL ENGAGEMENT (OSPITALITY OFFERS A MODEL FOR MUCH DEEPER UNDERSTANDING )T REQUIRES TRUST AND WELCOME AND IT ALLOWS A CONTEXT FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE ACTIVITIES OF ANOTHER FAITH &R DE "£THUNE EXAMINES VERY SIMILAR TRADITIONS OF HOSPITALITY IN SEVERAL RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL TRADITIONS ALL OF WHICH IDENTIFY THE ACT OF WELCOMING A STRANGER WITH THE ACT OF WELCOMING THE PRESENCE OF 'OD )N PARTICULAR HE DRAWS ATTENTION TO SEVERAL "IBLICAL INSTANCES IN BOTH 4ESTAMENTS OF INSTRUCTIONS TO WELCOME STRANGERS AND TO SEEK WELCOME FROM STRANGERSˆINSTRUCTIONS WHICH hHAVE NOT BEEN FOLLOWED VERY FAITHFULLY v (E CONCLUDES WITH A DESCRIPTION OF WHAT HE HAS LEARNED ABOUT HIS OWN FAITH FROM THE PRACTICE OF "UDDHIST MEDITATION &R DE "£THUNE S ESSAY IS BASED ON THE SIXTH ANNUAL 6EN (SÓAN (UA -EMORIAL ,ECTURE GIVEN IN "ERKELEY #ALIFORNIA IN &EBRUARY UNDER THE SPONSORSHIP OF THE )NSTITUTE FOR 7ORLD 2ELIGIONS

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UDDHIST FRIENDS HAVE WELCOMED ME AND HAVE NOT HESITATED TO PUT AT MY DISPOSAL THE BEST THAT THEY HAVE HAD TO OFFER 4HEIR WELCOME HAS CHANGED ME NOT BY TURNING ME INTO A "UDDHIST BUT BY REVEALING TO ME THE CENTRAL PLACE OF HOSPITALITY IN EVERY RELIGION AND ESPECIALLY IN THE 'OSPELS 4HESE EXPERIENCES LED ME ALSO TO DISCOVER MY OWN PLEASURE IN OFFERING HOSPITALITY ) HAVE THUS RESPONDED TO THE INVITATIONS ) RECEIVED BY OFFERING MY HEART AND MY OWN LIVING SPACE TO BELIEVERS IN RELIGIONS OTHER THAN MY OWN

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&R 0IERRE &RAN½OIS DE "£THUNE / 3 "

) WILL BEGIN HERE BY SHARING WITH YOU SOME EXPERIENCES ) HAVE HAD OF INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE BETWEEN MONASTICS BOTH MEN AND WOMEN 4HESE EXPERIENCES WILL SERVE TO SHOW HOW ) HAVE COME TO ENVISAGE INTERRELIGIOUS ENCOUNTER IN A NEW WAY %XPERIENCES OF )NTERRELIGIOUS $IALOGUE BETWEEN -ONASTICS -ONKS WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE HAVE DONE SO BY DRAWING FROM THEIR OWN PARTICULAR SPIRITUAL GIFTS 4HEY ARE KNOWN BY DIFFER ENT NAMESˆBHIKSU UNSUI LAMA SANNYASI HE SHANG ABBA AMMA ETC ˆBUT THE IDEAL OF THE MAN DEVOTED TO THE SPIRITUAL LIFE IS THE SAME IN ALMOST EVERY RELIGION /NE CAN JUSTLY SPEAK OF AN ARCHETYPE 3TYLES OF LIVING DIFFER BUT THE ORIGINAL ASPIRATION IS IDENTICAL 4HIS IS ATTESTED BY THE COMMONALITY OR EVEN CONVERGENCE THAT IS APPARENT WHEN MONKS MEET !ND EVEN THOUGH TODAY THERE ARE FEWER ASPIRANTS TO THE MONASTIC LIFE THE GENERAL FASCINATION WITH MEN AND WOMEN OF THEIR KIND PERSISTS FOR THE MONK OR NUN EMBODIES A RADICAL ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SPIRITUAL QUEST 4HE MONK IS THE ONE WHO HAS BURNT HIS BRIDGES AND HAS IMMERSED HIMSELF IN AN INTENSE SEARCH FOR THE TRUTH AND WHO IN ORDER TO BE EFFECTIVE IN PURSUING HIS VOCATION HAS WILL INGLY UNDERTAKEN A LIFE OF SECLUSION AND SILENCE /NE MAY WELL ASK WHETHER THESE MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE GIVEN THEMSELVES TO SOLITUDE AND WHO DO NOT ENJOY TALKING CAN BRING ANYTHING TO ENCOUNTER AND TO DIALOGUE !S 3AINT *EROME SAID h4HE MONK IS TO BE RECOG NIZED NOT BY HIS WORDS BUT BY HIS COMMITMENT TO SILENCE AND TO STAYING IN ONE PLACE TACENDO ET SEDENDO v .EVERTHELESS MONKS HAVE MADE IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE FOR THE LAST l FTY OR MORE YEARS )T WILL SUFl CE TO MENTION THE NAMES OF 4HOMAS -ERTON (ENRI ,E 3AUX "EDE 'RIFl THS AND #HRISTIAN DE #HERG£ 4HE CONTRIBUTIONS MONKS HAVE MADE ARE SPECIAL PRECISELY BECAUSE OF THE COMPLEXITY AND EVEN THE PARADOX INHERENT IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH WORDS "UT ) BELIEVE THAT THEY HAVE AN INDISPENSABLE ROLE TO PLAY IN THE CONTEMPORARY MOVEMENT OF INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE 4HE h%AST 7EST 3PIRITUAL %XCHANGEv ! CONSIDERATION OF ONE EXAMPLE OF INTERMONASTIC DIALOGUE WILL BE HELP FUL HERE 4HE %AST 7EST 3PIRITUAL %XCHANGE IS A PROGRAM OF COLLABORATION BETWEEN #HRISTIAN AND "UDDHIST MONKS WHO HAVE SOUGHT TO l ND BENEl T IN THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE A COMMON VOCATION EVEN IF IT IS LIVED OUT WITHIN DIF FERENT RELIGIONS .OWADAYS THIS SORT OF DIALOGUE IS ACCEPTED AND ENCOURAGED IN THE #HRISTIAN WORLD SINCE IT IS SUPPORTED BY THE !BBOT 0RIMATE OF THE "ENEDICTINES AND BY THE 0RESIDENT OF THE 0ONTIl CAL #OUNCIL FOR )NTERRELIGIOUS $IALOGUE 4HE %AST 7EST 3PIRITUAL %XCHANGE IS ORGANIZED BY THE %UROPEAN

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)NTERRELIGIOUS $IALOGUE AND 3ACRED (OSPITALITY

COMMISSIONS FOR -ONASTIC )NTERRELIGIOUS $IALOGUE )N *APAN OUR PARTNER IS THE )NSTITUTE FOR THE 3TUDY OF :EN AT (ANAZONO 5NIVERSITY IN +YOTO WHICH IS WELL KNOWN FOR ITS WORK IN THE AREA OF THE HISTORY OF "UDDHISM ! PRIMARY ASPECT OF THESE EXCHANGES IS RECIPROCITY )T IS CARRIED OUT IN THE SAME WAY ON BOTH SIDES IN THE CONVICTION THAT EACH SIDE HAS AN EQUAL AMOUNT TO GIVE AND TO RECEIVE "UT WHAT MOST DISTINGUISHES THE INITIATIVE OF THE h3PIRITUAL %XCHANGESv IS THE SETTING FOR THE ENCOUNTERS NOT A NEUTRAL SPACE IN THE INTERNATIONAL STYLE SUCH AS A CONVENTION CENTER BUT RATHER THE MONASTERIES THEMSELVES $URING THE ENCOUNTER VERBAL EXCHANGES ARE UNIMPORTANT THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENT IS THE SHARING IN SILENCE OF THE DAILY LIFE OF THE PLACE #ONTACT TAKES PLACE AT THE LEVEL OF CONCRETE EXPERIENCEÂ&#x2C6;AND THIS IS BY NO MEANS INSIGNIl CANT 4IME SPENT IN SUCH A SETTING PROVOKES l RST OF ALL A PROFOUND DISORIEN TATION )N THE MONASTERIES ONE LIVES AS IN ANCIENT TIMES WITHOUT MODERN COMFORT OR CONVENIENCE 7HEN ONE IS IMMERSED IN A FOREIGN SETTING LOST AND WITHOUT ANY REFERENCE WHERE THE LANGUAGE AND FOOD ARE UNFAMILIAR

NOTHING SOFTENS THE SHOCK OF THE ENCOUNTER )T IS AN EXPERI ENCE OF DESTITUTION BUT THAT ITSELF IS A FAVORABLE SITUATION FOR DIALOGUE BECAUSE IN THIS DISORIENTATION EVERYTHING IS 4HE ESSENTIAL ELEMENT IS KEENLY REEXPERIENCED 3UCH A CULTURE SHOCK CAN BE TRAU MATIC IF IT IS NOT DELIVERED WITHIN A CLIMATE OF WELCOME THE SHARING IN SILENCE (OSPITALITY IS THE STEP THAT IS TAKEN IN ORDER TO HUMANIZE THE MEETING BETWEEN STRANGERS 3O FAR TEN SUCH %AST 7EST 3PIRITUAL %XCHANGES HAVE BEEN HELD WITH *APANESE "UDDHIST PARTNERS BUT INTERRELIGIOUS MONASTIC EXCHANGES HAVE BEEN ORGANIZED BY OTHERS AS WELL BOTH WITH 4IBETAN "UDDHISTS AND WITH (INDU MONKS !LTOGETHER MORE THAN #HRISTIAN "UDDHIST AND (INDU MONKS AND NUNS HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THESE ENCOUNTERS WHICH REACH BEYOND THE REALM OF MERE WORDS ) SHOULD EMPHASIZE TOO THAT "ENEDICTINE MONKS HAVE NO MONOPOLY ON THIS SORT OF INITIATIVE IN RECIPROCAL HOSPITALITY 4I BETAN MONKS MONKS OF THE 2AMAKRISHNA -ISSION AND LAYPEOPLE OF SEVERAL RELIGIONS HAVE ORGANIZED SIMILAR EXCHANGES "UT ) CAN ONLY SPEAK OF WHAT ) KNOW WELL 7HAT ) CAN DESCRIBE HERE THEN IS THE PROGRAM OF EXCHANGES IN WHICH ) HAVE BEEN INVOLVED ) WANT TO SPEAK IN PARTICULAR ABOUT THE SPIRIT IN WHICH THESE EXCHANGES HAVE BEEN UNDERTAKEN SINCE THIS SPIRIT INFORMS THE MODEL OF WELCOME THAT ) WANT TO DEVELOP HERE /N THE :EN SIDE ) RECALL A RATHER ASTONISHING STATEMENT MADE BY 0ROFESSOR 5EDA 3HITZUTERU OF (ANAZONO 5NIVERSITY h4HE MOST IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTIC OF :EN IS COMMUNICATION v /NE WOULD HAVE EXPECTED HIM TO SAY SOMETHING QUITE DIFFERENT SUCH AS hEMPTINESSv OR hSILENCE v "UT A GREATER FAMILIARITY WITH LIFE IN THE SODO AND MORE CONTACT WITH THE ROSHI ALLOW ME O >HHJ: D8ID7:G

&R 0IERRE &RAN½OIS DE "£THUNE / 3 "

TO ATTEST THAT THEIR DESIRE FOR ENCOUNTER AND THEIR UNm AGGING CONCERN FOR ALL BEINGS ARE THEIR CHIEF MOTIVATIONS 4HEIR COLLABORATION IN ORGANIZING INTERRELIGIOUS EXCHANGES IS MERELY ONE PROOF OF THIS 4HE "ENEDICTINE 4RADITION OF (OSPITALITY /N THE #HRISTIAN SIDE IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT "ENEDICTINE TRADITION IS PRE DISPOSED TOWARD ENCOUNTER WITH OTHERS 7E KNOW THAT THE $ESERT &ATHERS

WHO WERE THE EARLIEST #HRISTIAN MONKS l ERCELY GUARDED THEIR VOLUNTARY SOLITUDE TO THE POINT THAT THEY FORGOT CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS OF THE 'OSPEL "UT A REBALANCING OR MORE PRECISELY A REEVANGELIZATION WAS LATER BROUGHT ABOUT PARTICULARLY BY 3T "ENEDICT (E EFFECTED A REAL TRANSFORMATION OF THE MONASTIC TRADITION AS IS EVIDENCED BY HIS LIFE AND BY HIS -ONASTIC 2ULE

WHICH WAS WRITTEN IN THE SIXTH CENTURY "ENEDICT BEGAN HIS SPIRITUAL QUEST BY m EEING THE CITY OF 2OME TO LIVE AS THE MOST RADICAL EREMITES LIVED IN THE HIGH VALLEY OF THE !NIENE 4HE INHABIT ANTS OF THE 3UBIACO REGION WERE AWARE OF HIS SECLUDED PRESENCE BUT FOR HIS PART HE HAD ENDED ALL CONTACT WITH THE WORLD AND WITH THE INSTITUTION OF THE #HURCH 3O IT WAS THAT ON ONE %ASTER A PRIEST STRUCK WITH PITY FOR THE YOUNG ASCETIC BROUGHT HIM A GOOD MEAL "ENEDICT MEANWHILE HAD QUITE FORGOTTEN WHAT DAY IT WAS 4O THE PRIEST WHO WISHED HIM A HAPPY HOLIDAY HE REPLIED h9ES IT IS %ASTER EVERY TIME A BROTHER COMES TO VISIT ME v ! BROTHER S WELCOME WAS FOR HIM THE BEST PATH TO COMMUNION WITH THE RISEN #HRIST 3OME DAYS LATER SOME SHEPHERDS ALSO DISCOVERED HIM AND AT THEIR RE QUEST HE CONSENTED TO TEACH THEM )N THE VERY SAME SITUATION 3T !NTHONY OF %GYPT m ED FURTHER INTO THE DESERT TO PRESERVE THE INTEGRITY OF HIS SPIRITUAL QUEST "UT "ENEDICT AGREED TO COME DOWN INTO THE VALLEY TO REDISCOVER HU MAN BEINGS AND TO BRING THEM THE 'OOD .EWS IN HIS OWN WAY 3O IN HIS 2ULE IN THE SHORT SIXTH CHAPTER ENTITLED h2ESTRAINT IN 3PEECH v HE DOES MAKE PLAIN HIS DISTRUST OF COMMUNICATION THROUGH WORDS "UT FURTHER ON THERE IS THE LONG AND TRULY EXCELLENT CHAPTER THE l FTY THIRD ON THE SUBJECT OF HOSPITALITY 4HERE HE REQUIRES IN THE NAME OF THE 'OSPEL

THAT UNEXPECTED GUESTS BE GIVEN A FULL WELCOME EVEN IF THAT SHOULD RISK DISTURBING THE ORDINARY ROUTINES OF DAILY LIFE BECAUSE THEIR PRESENCE IS A BLESSING FROM THE ,ORD 4HIS REQUIREMENT TO ALWAYS GIVE PRECEDENCE TO CHARITY OVER DAILY ROU TINE AND OVER MONASTIC PEACE APPEARS IN OTHER PLACES IN THE 2ULE AS WELL )T OPENS A BREACH IN THE RIGOROUS DISCIPLINE BUT IT IS ALSO WHAT GIVES THE 2ULE ITS EVANGELICAL QUALITY NOT TO SPEAK OF ITS SIMPLE HUMANITY )T IS PROBABLY DUE TO ITS HUMANITY THAT THE "ENEDICTINE 2ULE WAS AT LENGTH ADOPTED BY ALL THE MONASTERIES OF THE 7EST 4HROUGHOUT ITS HISTORY

IN ANY EVENT THE "ENEDICTINE SPIRIT HAS ENSURED THAT THERE WOULD BE AN

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)NTERRELIGIOUS $IALOGUE AND 3ACRED (OSPITALITY

OPENING TO THE WORLD AND TO THE SURROUNDING CULTURE )N MANY MONKS THIS SPIRIT HAS AWAKENED A CURIOSITY ABOUT ALL THAT IS BEAUTIFUL AND GOOD 4HEY HAVE DEVOTED THEMSELVES TO EVERY SORT OF SPIRITUAL INTELLECTUAL AND TECHNICAL INVESTIGATION ACCORDING TO THE INTERESTS OF THEIR TIMES 4HUS DURING THE CLOSING YEARS OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY THE MISSIONARY MOVEMENT MADE ITSELF FELT IN MANY MONASTERIES AND OPENED A VISTA ONTO OTHER CULTURES AND RELIGIONS 4HEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY

MONKS WERE SEEN TO TAKE AN INTEREST IN %ASTERN FORMS OF SPIRITUALITY AND EVEN TO COMPLETELY IMMERSE THEMSELVES IN THEM &INALLY AFTER THE 3ECOND 6ATICAN #OUNCIL IT WAS DECIDED TO CREATE AN ORGANIZATION FOR PROMOTING AND GUID ING DIALOGUES UNDERTAKEN BY MONKS AND NUNS #OMMISSIONS FOR -ONASTIC )NTERRELIGIOUS $IALOGUE WERE ESTABLISHED IN l RST IN THE 5NITED 3TATES AND %UROPE AND SUBSEQUENTLY IN )NDIA AND IN !USTRALIA 4HESE COMMISSIONS GRADUALLY ELABORATED A KIND OF INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE THAT MIGHT BE CALLED A DIALOGUE OF SILENCE "UT ) PREFER TO SPEAK SIMPLY OF INTERRELIGIOUS HOSPITALITY -ONKS AND NUNS APPLY THEIR TRADITIONAL HOSPITALITY WHEN ENCOUNTERING ADHERENTS OF DIFFERENT RELIGIONS OR BELIEFS ) HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING WELCOMED IN SEVERAL :EN MONASTERIES IN *APAN ) ACCEPTED TRUSTINGLY THE HOSPITALITY THAT WAS OFFERED TO ME EVEN TO THE POINT OF BECOMING IMMERSED IN THE :EN WORLD !ND IN RETURN THIS HOSPITALITY REVIVED IN ME THE "ENEDICTINE SPIRIT OF CORDIAL AND MAGNANI MOUS WELCOME )NDEED THIS APPROACH TO HOSPITALITY HAS INFORMED ALL MY SUBSEQUENT DIALOGUES ) HAVE LIVED AT THE MEETING POINT BETWEEN THE TWO TRADITIONS WHERE THE DYNAMICS OF BOTH INTERACT )N THE ENSUING DECADES ) HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DEVELOP SOME REm ECTIONS ABOUT THE PERSPECTIVE OPENED

BY HOSPITALITY FOR THE PRACTICE OF INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE 7HAT ) WILL HAVE TO SAY BELOW IS A RESULT OF THESE INVESTIGATIONS $IALOGUE AND (OSPITALITY ,ET US LOOK THEN MORE PRECISELY AT WHAT MAKES HOSPITALITY A PREFERRED FORM OF ENCOUNTER 4HIS WILL APPEAR MORE CLEARLY IF WE COMPARE HOSPITALITY TO DIALOGUE 4HE WORD DIALOGUEÂ&#x2C6;PARTICULARLY E INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUEÂ&#x2C6;IS E USED IN VARIOUS WAYS NOT ALL OF THEM CORRECT )N SOME INSTANCES THE WORD DIALOGUE IS APPLIED TO SIMPLE NEGOTIATIONS ABOUT RELIGIOUS QUESTIONS 3UCH EXCHANGES ARE OFTEN QUITE USEFUL AND NECESSARY EVEN IF AT THIS LEVEL THE POINT OF THE ENTERPRISE IS TO ENSURE PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE 4HE DEEP QUESTIONS ARE NOT TACKLED )N OTHER INSTANCES THE WORD DIALOGUEE IS USED IN ITS CORRECT SENSE OF UN DERTAKING A COLLOQUY AN EXCHANGE OF WORDS 3UCH INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUES >HHJ: D8ID7:G

&R 0IERRE &RAN½OIS DE "£THUNE / 3 "

ARE MORE AND MORE COMMON AND THAT IS FORTUNATE FOR THEY HELP MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING 3UCH DIALOGUES HAVE LED TO THE RESOLUTION OF NUMEROUS AMBIGUITIES THAT HAVE COMPROMISED RELATIONS BETWEEN CULTURES AND BE TWEEN RELIGIONS $IALOGUE LIES IN THE DOMAIN OF LOGOS AS THE WORD ITSELF INDICATES (ERE LANGUAGE IS THE MEDIUM OF COMMUNICATION %ACH INTERLOCUTOR IS FORCED TO DEPART FROM HIS OR HER SELF SUFl CIENCY IN ORDER TO MEET ANOTHER PERSON ON THE NEUTRAL COMMON GROUND OF A SHARED LANGUAGE 3UCH VERBAL EXCHANGES CANNOT BE DISPENSED WITH BECAUSE THEY ARE EXPLICIT AND ARE DIRECTED TOWARD OBJECTIVITY "UT THIS KIND OF ENCOUNTER IS NECESSARILY LIMITED IN TWO WAYS &IRST

WORDS ARE FREIGHTED WITH A CONTEXT OF HISTORY AND CULTURE ! GREAT DEAL OF AMBIGUITY IS LIKELY ESPECIALLY WHEN PHILOSOPHICAL AND RELIGIOUS QUESTIONS ARE AT ISSUEÂ&#x2C6;SUCH AS TO GIVE A QUITE BASIC EXAMPLE THE MEANING OF THE WORD 'OD 3ECOND IT IS PLAIN THAT THESE VERBAL EXCHANGES NO MATTER HOW PERTINENT AND RESPECTFULLY STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REQUIRE AN EXISTENTIAL ENGAGEMENT 4HEY CAN REMAIN MORE OR LESS NEUTRAL "UT ) THINK IT IS SOMETIMES NECESSARY TO DARE TO GO BEYOND DIALOGUE

IN THE STRICT SENSE OF THE WORD AND TO MOVE TOWARD A MORE VITAL FORM OF COMMUNICATION AND INDEED TOWARD COMMUNION (ERE IS WHERE HOSPITALITY COMES TO THE FORE (OSPITALITY INVOLVES PERMITTING ANOTHER TO ENTER ONE S HOUSE OR ONESELF ENTERING THE HOUSE OF AN (OSPITALITY IS ALWAYS OTHER #OMMUNICATION IS THEN MADE THROUGH GESTURES THAT ARE LESS EXPLICIT THAN WORDS BUT ALSO LESS AMBIGUOUS 4O CARRIED OUT AT THE GIVE LODGING TO A STRANGER TO OFFER HIM FOOD AND DRINKÂ&#x2C6; THESE ARE GESTURES WHICH SPEAK PLAINLY OF ONE S RESPECT FOR LEVEL OF BEING HIM (OSPITALITY THEN BELONGS TO THE DOMAIN OF ETHOS IT IS AN EXISTENTIAL EXPERIENCE WHICH GOES BEYOND LOGOS /NE MUST DEVOTE TIME TO IT AND FURTHER ONE MUST GIVE IT ONE S FRIENDLY AND GENEROUS ATTENTION -OREOVER IT IS GIVEN FREELYÂ&#x2C6;OTHERWISE WE ARE NOT SPEAKING OF HOSPITALITY BUT OF HOSTELRY OR HOTEL KEEPING 7HILE INTERRELIGIOUS COLLOQUIES ARE SOMETIMES LIMITED TO EXCHANGES OF KNOWLEDGE HOSPITALITY IS ALWAYS CARRIED OUT AT THE LEVEL OF BEING 4HERE IS SOMETHING UNCONDITIONAL ABOUT IT WHICH IS SYMBOLIZED BY THE THINGS ONE OFFERS A GUESTÂ&#x2C6;A MEAL A NIGHT S LODGINGÂ&#x2C6;AS EXPRESSED IN THE INSCRIPTION ABOVE THE 0ORTA 2OMANA IN 3IENA h#OR TIBI MAGIS PANDIT 3IENAvv 4O YOU

THE #ITY OF 3IENA OPENS ITS HEART EVER MORE FULLY )T SHOULD BE NOTED l NALLY THAT HOSPITALITY NECESSARILY IMPLIES RECIPROC E ITY )N &RENCH THE WORD H¯TE MEANS BOTH THE GUEST MASTER AND HIS GUEST ! :ENRIN SAYING GOES h!T THE HEARTH THERE IS NEITHER GUEST MASTER NOR GUEST v 4HIS AMBIGUITY SUGGESTS SOME UNEXPECTED IMPLICATIONS

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-ENTION OF THE EXISTENTIAL FREE UNCONDITIONAL RECIPROCAL AND EGALITAR IAN CHARACTER OF HOSPITALITY GIVES US A GLIMPSE OF WHAT THIS APPROACH CAN BRING TO THE PRACTICE OF DIALOGUE )N REALITY DIALOGUE AND HOSPITALITY ARE MUTUALLY DEPENDENT WELCOME IS ONLY COMPLETE WHEN WORDS ARE THERE TO MAKE IT EXPLICIT AND IN RETURN DIALOGUE CAN ONLY BLOSSOM WITHIN A MEAN INGFUL CONTEXT )N ISOLATION WORDS LOSE THEIR POWER 4HEY ARE LIKE TROPICAL PLANTS THAT CANNOT m OURISH BECAUSE THEY ARE UPROOTED OUT OF THEIR OWN ENVIRONMENT "UT WHEN SPOKEN IN AN ENVIRONMENT OF HOSPITALITY WORDS CAN ATTAIN THEIR FULL FORCE ) WOULD SAY THAT HOSPITALITY IS THE NATURAL ENVIRON MENT FOR DIALOGUE THE HABITAT THE BIOTOPE IN WHICH IT CAN BE MOST FERTILE AND MOST DURABLE $IALOGUE CARRIED OUT IN THIS SPIRIT IS VERY DEMANDING AND INDEED NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE "UT IT MUST REMAIN AT THE HORIZON 4HIS PERSPECTIVE CAN PROTECT US AGAINST THE EROSION THAT IS ALWAYS THREATENING DIALOGUE 7E HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST HOW INTERRELIGIOUS ENCOUNTERS ARE OFTEN REDUCED TO MERE DISCUSSIONS IN WHICH EACH PARTICIPANT ENDS UP ARGUING IN DEFENSE OF HIS BE LIEFS IN AN ATTEMPT TO CONVINCE THE OTHERS OF THE SUPERIORITY OF HIS TRUTH "UT WE HAVE NOW BEGUN TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ,OUIS -ASSIGNON MEANT WHEN HE WROTE 4RUTH IS A PURELY SPIRITUAL AND DISPASSIONATE RELATION BETWEEN THE UNDERSTANDINGS OF TWO PARTNERS SUCH THAT THE STRANGER BECOMES THE HOST /NLY SO FAR AS ONE GRANTS HOSPITALITY TO ANOTHER RATHER THAN COLONIZING HIM AND ONLY SO FAR AS ONE SHARES WITH THE OTHER THE SAME WORK THE SAME BREAD CAN ONE BECOME AWARE OF A UNIFYING TRUTH 4RUTH CAN ONLY BE FOUND THROUGH THE PRACTICE OF HOSPITALITY 7HEN WE HAVE FULLY UNDERSTOOD THIS THE CLIMATE OF ENCOUNTER WILL BE WHOLLY RENEWED 3ACRED (OSPITALITY )N APPROACHING THESE QUESTIONS THOUGHTFULLY IT WILL BE NECESSARY TO DESCRIBE l RST AND IN SOME DETAIL THE PRACTICE OF HOSPITALITY AS IT EXISTS IN VARIOUS CULTURES AND RELIGIONS (OSPITALITY IS NOT MERELY A CIVILIZED REl NEMENT )T IS FOUND AS A RE QUIREMENT IN ALL CULTURES AND ITS FUNDAMENTAL MOTIVATION IS TRADITIONALLY RELIGIOUS )NDEED IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A SACRED DUTY )S NOT 'OD HIMSELF THE MYSTERIOUS 3TRANGER WHO COMES TO VISIT US 4HEREFORE THE FOREIGN TRAVELLER WHO APPEARS UNEXPECTEDLY FROM ONE KNOWS NOT WHERE SHARES SOME ATTRIBUTES WITH 'OD AND IS IN ANY CASE RECEIVED AS A MESSENGER FROM 'OD "EFORE 5LYSSES IS RECOGNIZED ON HIS RETURN HOME THE SWINEHERD %UMAEUS SAYS TO HIM h3TRANGER MY CUSTOM IS TO HONOR GUESTS

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&R 0IERRE &RAN½OIS DE "£THUNE / 3 "

EVEN WHEN THEY APPEAR EVEN MORE PITIABLE THAN YOU )NDEED STRANGERS AND MENDICANTS ALL COME FROM :EUS v !ND WE READ IN THE 4AITTIRIYA 5PANISHAD

h,OOK UPON YOUR GUEST AS UPON 'OD HIMSELF WHO ASKS YOUR ATTENTION v 7E COULD l ND MANY SUCH CITATIONS IN THE WRITINGS OF EVERY TRADITION )T WILL BE ENOUGH TO RECALL THE NUMEROUS EXAMPLES OF HOSPITALITY THAT OCCUR IN THE "IBLE #ERTAINLY THE MOST STRIKING EXAMPLE IS THAT OF !BRAHAM AT -AM BRE 4HIS INCIDENT FROM 'ENESIS GIVES A GOOD PICTURE OF THE PRINCIPAL ASPECTS OF HOSPITALITY THAT IT IS FREELY GIVEN RESPECTFUL ATTENTIVE TACTFUL AND THAT IT HOLDS OUT THE POSSIBILITY THAT ONE HAS WELCOMED 'OD (IMSELF ;!BRAHAM= LIFT UP HIS EYES AND LOOKED AND LO THREE MEN STOOD BY HIM AND WHEN HE SAW THEM HE RAN TO MEET THEM FROM THE TENT DOOR

AND BOWED HIMSELF TOWARD THE GROUND AND SAID -Y ,ORD IF NOW ) HAVE FOUND FAVOUR IN THY SIGHT PASS NOT AWAY ) PRAY THEE FROM YOUR SERVANT ,ET A LITTLE WATER ) PRAY YOU BE FETCHED AND WASH YOUR FEET

AND REST YOURSELF UNDER THE TREE !ND ) WILL FETCH A MORSEL OF BREAD

AND COMFORT YE YOUR HEARTS !FTER THAT YE SHALL PASS ON FOR THEREFORE ARE YE COME TO YOUR SERVANT !ND THEY SAID 3O DO AS THOU HAST SAID !ND !BRAHAM HASTENED INTO THE TENT UNTO 3ARAH AND SAID -AKE READY QUICKLY THREE MEASURES OF l NE MEAL KNEAD IT AND MAKE CAKES UPON THE HEARTH !ND !BRAHAM RAN UNTO THE HERD AND FETCHED A CALF TENDER AND GOOD AND GAVE IT UNTO A YOUNG MAN AND HE HASTENED TO DRESS IT !ND HE TOOK THE BUTTER AND MILK AND THE CALF WHICH HE HAD DRESSED AND SET IT BEFORE THEM AND HE STOOD BY THEM UNDER THE TREE

AND THEY DID EAT ,ATER IT BECAME CLEAR THAT THE TRAVELLERS WERE THE ,ORD WHO PROMISED THAT IN THE NEXT YEAR 3ARAH WOULD BEAR A SON 4HUS #LEMENT OF 2OME ONE OF THE l RST &ATHERS OF THE #HURCH COULD CONCLUDE h)T WAS THROUGH FAITH AND HOSPITALITY THAT !BRAHAM WAS GRANTED THE SON THAT HE HAD BEEN PROM ISEDv Â&#x2C6;THAT IS NOT THROUGH FAITH ALONE AS HAS BEEN SO OFTEN CLAIMED BUT THROUGH FAITH AND HOSPITALITY 7E MAY ALSO RECALL THE MANY INSTRUCTIONS THAT #HRIST GAVE HIS DISCIPLES

ABOVE ALL AT THE CONCLUSION OF HIS TEACHING IN -ATTHEW WHEN HE DE CLARED THAT ON THE ,AST $AY HUMAN BEINGS WOULD BE JUDGED ON THE BASIS OF THEIR WILLINGNESS TO WELCOME STRANGERS #HRIST HIMSELF NEVER CEASED TO ASK FOR HOSPITALITY AND AFTER HIS RESURRECTION ON THE ROAD TO %MMAUS HE APPEARED TO THE TWO DISCIPLES AS A TRAVELLER 4HE DISCIPLES ONLY RECOGNIZED HIM AFTER THEY HAD PERSUADED HIM TO STAY AND BE THEIR GUEST AT A MEAL 4HIS APPROACH TO WELCOMING IS CENTRAL TO THE 'OSPEL ) WILL RETURN TO THIS POINT LATER ! PSALM WRITTEN BY 4UKARAM THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY -ARATHI POET

GIVES A l NE SUMMARY OF THE RELIGIOUS IMPLICATIONS OF HOSPITALITY

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9OU OFFER YOUR PRAYERS TO YOUR 'OD "UT IF YOU IGNORE THE MAN WHO KNOCKS AT YOUR DOOR 4HERE IS NO PIETY IN YOUR PRAYERS 9OU CLOSE YOUR DOOR TO THE UNEXPECTED GUEST

!ND THEN YOU MAKE A RITUAL OFFERING OF FOOD TO YOUR 'OD 4UKA SAYS THAT IF YOU THINK A GUEST IS DIFFERENT FROM 'OD

9OUR PRAYER IS NOTHING BUT SPITTLE 7E CAN ONLY BE STRUCK BY HOW ALL THESE TESTIMONIES CONVERGE 4HROUGH OUT THE WORLD WELCOMING STRANGERS IS AN UNCONDITIONAL REQUIREMENT A SACRED DUTY "ESIDES ISN T IT BECAUSE HOSPITALITY ACKNOWLEDGES THAT EVERY HUMAN BEING IS SACRED THAT IT IS EVERYWHERE HELD IN SUCH ESTEEM (ERE WORDS ARE INDICATIVE 'OING BACK TO 4ACITUS IN THE l RST CENTURY

AND THEN TO "ENEDICT IN HIS 2ULE THE ,ATIN WORD HUMANITASS IS SOMETIMES USED AS A SYNONYM FOR HOSPITALITAS )N THE 2ULE hSHOWING HUMANITYv MEANS OFFERING HOSPITALITY (OSPITALITY IS SACRED BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE SACRED 4HIS VERBAL EQUIVALENCE BETWEEN HUMANITY AND HOSPITALITY SIGNIl ES THAT AT THE FOUNDATION OF HOSPITALITY IS A RECOGNITION THAT WE ALL BELONG TO THE HUMAN FAMILY !S (OMER PUT IT IN THE /DYSSEY h$EAR AS A BROTHER ARE THE STRANGER AND THE SUPPLICANT FOR WHO IS BORN WITHOUT A HEART v -OREOVER (OMER REMARKED h2ELIGIOUS FAITH HOSPITALITY AND CIVILIZA TION ARE ALWAYS FOUND TOGETHER v #ARDINAL $ANI£LOU COMMENTED ON THIS REMARK AS FOLLOWS /NE CAN SAY THAT A CIVILIZATION TAKES A DECISIVE STEP AND PERHAPS THE MOST DECISIVE STEP ON THE DAY THAT THE FOREIGNER THE ENEMY BECOMES A GUEST 9ES IT IS ON THAT DAY THAT HUMAN COMMUNITY HAS BEEN CRE ATED 0REVIOUSLY THESE HUMANS WERE BATTLING EACH OTHER LIKE ANIMALS IN THE PRIMAL FOREST BUT ON THAT DAY WHEN THE STRANGER IS SEEN AS A GUEST AND INSTEAD OF BEING HELD IN EXECRATION IS INVESTED WITH THE CONSPICUOUS DIGNITY OF A BROTHER IN HUMANITYÂ&#x2C6;ON SUCH DAY ONE CAN SAY THAT SOMETHING HAS CHANGED IN THIS WORLD !T !SSISI ) WOULD LIKE TO APPLY THIS COMMENT TO RELIGION /N THE DAY THAT THE hPAGANv IS RECOGNIZED AS A BROTHER AND IS INVESTED WITH THE DIGNITY OF A COMPANION ON THE ROAD THAT LEADS TO THE !BSOLUTE ON THAT DAY RELIGION HAS TAKEN AN IMPORTANT AND EVEN A DECISIVE STEP 4HE DAY OF PRAYER FOR PEACE HELD AT !SSISI IN SEEMS TO ME TO HAVE BEEN A MANIFESTATION OF THIS KIND OF HISTORIC CHANGE ) REMEMBER VERY WELL THIS DAY OF PILGRIMAGE FAST AND PRAYER END ING WITH A GENERAL MEETING IN FRONT OF THE 3T &RANCIS "ASILICA 4HE POPE WAS SURROUNDED BY OFl CIAL REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH OF >HHJ: D8ID7:G

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#ONSTANTINOPLE AND OF THE $ALAI ,AMA )T WAS COLD AND EVERYONE WAS BUNDLED UP AGAINST A STRONG WIND BUT THE SPIRIT WAS ONE OF ARDENT AND UNANIMOUS PRAYER ) REMEMBER THE WORDS THAT A 3IKH WHO HAD BEEN PRESENT SPOKE TO ME ON THE NEXT DAY h) WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO PRAY AGAIN IN THE SAME WAY HENCE FORTH ) WILL PRAY ON BEHALF OF ALL BELIEVERS v ! THRESHOLD WAS CROSSED ON THAT TWENTY SEVENTH OF /CTOBER 0RAYERS LIVED TOGETHER OR THE WELCOME OF OTHER BELIEVERS INTO THE SANCTUARY OF OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE ARE EXPERIENCES AT THE HEART OF DIALOGUE 4HEY ARE EXPERIENCES OF HOSPITALITY BETWEEN RELIGIONS 4HIS INITIATIVE IN INTERRELIGIOUS PRAYER HAS SINCE BEEN EVALUATED IN VARIOUS WAYS .OT EVERYBODY WAS SO PLEASED #RITICISM HAS NOT BEEN LACKING EVEN IN THE HEART OF THE 2OMAN #URIA )S )NTERRELIGIOUS (OSPITALITY ,EGITIMATE 3OME PEOPLE ARE RELUCTANT TO ACCEPT THE IDEA OF INTERRELIGIOUS WELCOME SIMPLY BECAUSE THE IDEA IS NEW &OR CENTURIES COMMUNICATIO IN SACRIS

PARTICIPATING IN THINGS SACRED TO ANOTHER RELIGION OR DENOMINATION WAS CONSIDERED AN ABOMINATION AND NOW HERE WE ARE PROPOSING TO COMMUNE WITH hHERETICSv AND hPAGANSv )T IS EASY TO UNDERSTAND WHY SOME MAY l ND THIS IDEA TO BE DISTURBING "UT IT IS NOT SIMPLY A MATTER OF BEING SLOW TO UNDERSTAND 4HE QUESTION REMAINS #AN HOSPITALITY BE LEGITIMATELY EXTENDED TO RELIGIONS OTHER THAN ONE S OWN 7E CANNOT AVOID THIS QUESTION OF LEGITIMACY ! RESPECTFUL ENCOUNTER

EVEN THE FEELING OF FRIENDSHIP THAT CAN ARISE IS ONE THING BUT IT IS SOMETHING ELSE TO WELCOME TRUSTINGLY INTO ONEgS OWN LIFE SOME OF THE ELEMENTS OF AN OTHER PERSON S SPIRITUAL LIFE &OR WE MUST REPEAT THAT THOUGH HOSPITALITY IS HELD IN HIGH ESTEEM IN ALL RELIGIONS THERE IS NO TRADITION OF GENUINE INTERFAITH WELCOMEÂ&#x2C6;NOT AT LEAST IN THE #HRISTIAN WORLD !SHOKA A "UDDHIST EMPEROR OF )NDIA DURING THE SECOND CENTURY " # %

ORDERED THAT EDICTS BE CARVED ON COLUMNS THROUGHOUT THE PROVINCES OF HIS COUNTRY /N THEM IS WRITTEN 4HE FAITHS OF ALL OTHERS MUST BE RESPECTED )N HONOURING THE FAITH OF OTH ERS ONE HEIGHTENS ONE S OWN FAITH WHILE DOING A SERVICE TO OTHERS !ND

0EOPLE ARE MISTAKEN IF THEY THINK THAT THEY ARE EXPRESSING DEVOTION AND GLORIFYING THEIR FAITH WHEN THEY PRAISE THEIR OWN RELIGION WHILE DENIGRATING THE TRADITIONS OF OTHERS )N FACT THEY ARE HARMING THEIR OWN RELIGION

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!ND

4HE KING WISHES THAT PEOPLE OF ALL FAITHS FAMILIARIZE THEMSELVES WITH OTHER TRADITIONS IN THIS WAY THEY WILL GAIN A SOUND DOCTRINE !LSO

4HE OBJECTIVE OF THESE MEASURES IS TO PROMOTE THE VARIOUS FAITHS AND THEREBY TO GLORIFY THE $HARMA 4HIS MOVING TESTIMONY TWENTY TWO CENTURIES OLD PRESENTS US WITH A STRONG CHALLENGE 4HERE ARE OTHER GOOD EXAMPLES OF RELIGIOUS COEXISTENCE IN THE %AST TOOÂ&#x2C6;ONE NEED ONLY THINK OF !KBAR OR OF +ABIR "UT EXAMPLES OF COEXISTENCE AMONG THE MONOTHEISTIC RELIGIONS ARE FEWER )T IS FAR EASIER TO l ND EXAMPLES OF FAILURES TO COEXIST )T WILL SUFl CE TO MENTION THE GHETTOES OF #HRISTIAN %UROPE AND THE LAWS OF THE DHIMMA CONCERNING THE OTHER h2ELIGIONS OF THE "OOKv IN -USLIM LANDS 4HESE SPEAK OF THE DIFl CULTY THAT THE !BRAHAMIC RELIGIONS HAVE IN IMAGINING AN INTER FAITH HOSPITALITY )N RECENT CENTURIES THEY HAVE DEVELOPED INSTEAD THE IDEA OF TOLERANCE "UT TOLERANCE DOES NOT GO BEYOND A MINIMAL ACCEPTANCE SINCE

STRICTLY SPEAKING TO BE TOLERANT IS MERELY TO PERMIT AN ERROR OR A NUISANCE TO CONTINUE 4HAT CAN HARDLY BE CONSIDERED AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR DIALOGUE )NDEED THE EARLIEST BOOKS OF THE "IBLE SPEAK OF ENCOUNTERS WITH FOR EIGNERS AND EVEN RECOMMEND WELCOMING THEM WHATEVER THEIR RELIGION

BUT ONLY TO THE EXTENT OF SPARING THEIR LIVES AND GIVING THEM SHELTER 4HEIR ALLEGIANCE TO A DIFFERENT FAITH NEVER COMES INTO CONSIDERATION )N REALITY

*UDAISM AND LATER #HRISTIANITY ASSIMILATED NONETHELESS MANY FOREIGN CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS ELEMENTS BUT THESE ASSIMILATIONS WERE NOT MADE DELIBERATELY AND THEY REMAINED ALWAYS UNACKNOWLEDGED 4HERE WAS NEVER ANY SUGGESTION THAT OTHER FAITHS MIGHT HAVE SOME VALUE )N CERTAIN CIRCUM STANCES THE STRANGER WAS SINCERELY WELCOMED BUT ONLY IF HE PAID THE PRICE OF RENOUNCING HIS IDENTITY AND HIS FOREIGN RELIGION AS WE SEE IN THE CASE OF 2UTH THE -OABITE AN ANCESTOR OF $AVID OR IN THE FOREIGN PRINCESS WHO IS ASKED TO BECOME QUEEN OF )SRAEL PROVIDED THAT SHE hFORGET HER PEOPLE AND HER FATHER S HOUSE v /THERWISE WHEN THE CONTACT WITH ANOTHER RELIGION IS INEVITABLE ONLY ONE ATTITUDE IS POSSIBLE ABSOLUTE REJECTION )N SUCH CASES THERE IS NO POS SIBILITY OF SACRED HOSPITALITY IT IS THE REJECTION WHICH IS SACRED -ANY TEXTS ATTEST TO A TERRIFYING VIOLENCE PARTICULARLY THOSE WRITTEN AFTER THE "ABYLONIAN %XILE WHEN THE )SRAELITES FELT THAT THEIR VERY IDENTITY WAS THREATENED $UR ING THE CONQUEST OF #ANAAN ACCORDING TO WHAT WAS WRITTEN AT THE TIME IT WAS CONSIDERED NECESSARY TO REGARD VANQUISHED FOES AS hANATHEMA v THAT IS

AS WORTHY OF ANNIHILATION %VERYTHING THAT HAD TO DO WITH OTHER RELIGIONS >HHJ: D8ID7:G

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WAS TO BE DESTROYED AS IF IT WERE THE GERMS OF SOME CONTAGIOUS DISEASE %VERYTHING HAD TO BE BURNED NOT ONLY WHAT BELONGED TO THE CULT ITSELF THE SACRED PILLARS AND THE ALTARS BUT ALSO THE PEOPLE THEMSELVES MAN WOMAN AND CHILD AND EVEN THEIR LIVESTOCK 3UCH A MENTALITY SEES FAITH IN 'OD AS REQUIRING THE BURNING AND SUPPRESSING ALL THAT HAS TO DO WITH hINl DELS v (ERE WE HAVE THE VERY OPPOSITE OF INTERFAITH HOSPITALITY 7ITHOUT IN ANY WAY DEFENDING SUCH XENOPHOBIC ACTIVITIES ONE MUST RECOGNIZE THAT RACISM IS NOT THE ONLY FORCE THAT MOTIVATES THEM 4HERE ARE DEEPER SPECIl CALLY RELIGIOUS MOTIVATIONS FOR THIS SYSTEMATIC REJECTION OF ANY THING RELATED TO THE RELIGIONS OF OTHER PEOPLE 7E MUST THEREFORE RECOGNIZE THAT IT WILL NOT BE WISE TO RECOMMEND UNILATERALLY INTERRELIGIOUS HOSPITALITY WITHOUT SPECIFYING HOW MISUNDERSTANDINGS CAN BE AVOIDED 2EQUIREMENTS FOR (OSPITALITY 7HEN A CORDIAL AND GENEROUS WELCOME IS EXTENDED TO MEMBERS OF OTHER RELIGIONS THE RULES OF HOSPITALITY NEED TO BE APPLIED WITH SPECIAL CARE BE CAUSE THE WELCOME WILL INVOLVE PARTICULARLY SENSITIVE AREAS ) AM THINKING CHIEm Y OF TWO LAWS %XPERIENCING 7ELCOME &IRST IT IS NOT BY GENEROUSLY WELCOMING A VISITOR THAT ONE CAN BEST GRASP WHAT HOSPITALITY ENTAILS )N ORDER TO ENTER INTO THE MYSTERY OF HOSPITALITY

ONE MUST KNOW THE EXPERIENCE OF RECEIVING HOSPITALITY /NLY WHEN ONE IS THE ASTONISHED RECIPIENT OF AN UNDESERVED WELCOME CAN ONE PENETRATE HOSPITALITY S MYSTERY 4HIS WAS THE DECISIVE DISCOVERY MADE BY THE GREAT PIONEERS OF INTERCUL TURAL AND INTERRELIGIOUS ENCOUNTER ,OUIS -ASSIGNON BECAME A #HRISTIAN IN

AFTER HAVING BEEN WELCOMED INTO A -USLIM FAMILY IN "AGHDAD 4HIS EXPERIENCE REVEALED TO HIM HIS OWN STANDING VIS Í VIS 'OD (E WROTE 3TRANGERS ACCEPTED ME JUST AS ) AM )T OVERTURNED ONE BY ONE ALL OF MY ACQUIRED REm EXES ALL MY HABITUAL CAUTIONS AND MY SENSE OF MY PLACE IN SOCIETY 4HE EXPERIENCE LEFT MY VALUES OVERTHROWN AND EXCHANGED MY PEACE OF MIND CONCERNING WHO ) WAS FOR A MISERABLE POVERTY &ATHER #HARLES DE &OUCAULD ALSO HAD TO ENDURE A SIMILAR PROCESS OF BE ING STRIPPED NAKED (E HAD GONE TO THE 3AHARA WHERE OUT OF THE GOODNESS OF HIS HEART HE INTENDED TO HELP THE NOMADS BY MEANS OF HIS SERVICES AND HIS PRAYERS "UT IN HE UNDERWENT A PROFOUND CRISIS HE WAS ILL ISOLATED AND DISCOURAGED AND HE ASKED HIMSELF WHAT USE HIS PRESENCE COULD POSSIBLY

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SERVE IN SUCH AN ENORMOUS DESERT )T WAS THEN THAT 4UAREGS CAME TO HIS AID AND CARED FOR HIM NOURISHING HIM WITH THEIR OWN SCARCE AND PRECIOUS PROVISIONS 4HEY DID NOT KNOW THE #HRIST WHOM HE PREACHED WITH SUCH ARDOR BUT THEY CAME TO SERVE THE ,ORD IN HIM A POOR STRANGER 7ITHOUT KNOWING IT THEY HONORED #HRIST S PRECEPT h&OR ) WAS A STRANGER AND YOU TOOK ME IN v (ERE ) SHOULD ALSO MENTION &ATHER (ENRI LE 3AUX S TIME IN THE VILLAGES OF 4AMIL .ADU AND THE LIFE OF &ATHER 3ERGE DE "EAURECUEIL IN +ABUL NOT TO SPEAK OF MANY OTHERS WHO DELVED DEEPLY INTO OTHER RELIGIONS BECAUSE THEY WERE INVITED TO hSHARE BREAD AND SALTv WITH A COUNTRY S POOR )N GENERAL IN ORDER TO BECOME HOSPITABLE ONESELF IT IS BEST TO BEGIN BY EXPERIENCING POVERTY AND RISK IN A STRANGE COUNTRY OR EVEN BY EXPERIENCING NOT BEING WELCOMED ! NEW READING OF THE "IBLE CAN CONl RM THIS !BRAHAM IS THE ARCHETYPE OF THE HOSPITABLE HOST BUT HE HIMSELF WAS A TRAVELER AND A STRANGER IN #A NAAN 4HE INJUNCTION IN $EUTERONOMY IS EQUALLY CLEAR h,OVE YE THE STRANGER

FOR YE WERE STRANGERS IN THE LAND OF %GYPT v %VERYWHERE IN THE "IBLE WE SEE THAT ONLY THE POOR LIKE THE WIDOW OF :AREPHTA KNOW HOW TO WELCOME 4HEY DO NOT GIVE OUT OF THEIR SUPERm UITY BUT OUT OF THEIR WANT 7HEN A RICH MAN OFFERS HOSPITALITY TO A POOR MAN THERE IS ALWAYS THE DANGER OF INEQUALITY IN THE RELATIONSHIP 4HEN RECIPROCITY IS NO LONGER POSSIBLE 4HE RICH LEAVE THEIR GUESTS OBLIGATED SINCE THEY CANNOT RECIPROCATE IN THE SAME WAY AND IN FACT THEY CAN EASILY BECOME HOSTAGES 2ECOGNIZING THE /THER AS /THER %ARLIER ) QUOTED A SAYING OF THE :ENRIN h!T THE HEARTH THERE IS NEITHER GUEST MASTER NOR HOST v 4HIS IS A WONDERFULLY CONCISE EXPRESSION OF THE IDEAL OF HOSPITALITY AS IT IS REVEALED DURING THE TEA CEREMONY "UT IT SHOULD NOT BE TURNED INTO A SYSTEMATIC RULE 4HERE IS ANOTHER SAYING IN THE SAME COLLECTION

THIS TIME AN EXPRESSION OF OPPOSITES h(OST AND GUEST INDISTINGUISHABLE (OST AND GUEST CLEARLY DISTINCT v 4HIS SAYING EXPRESSES THE PARADOX INHER ENT IN ALL HOSPITALITY /NE WELCOMES THE STRANGER AS A BROTHER AS AN EQUAL

BUT WITHOUT EVER LOSING SIGHT OF HIS IRREDUCIBLE FOREIGNNESS ,ET US RECALL HERE THE REVEALING ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD HOSPITALITY 4HE Y )NDO %UROPEAN ROOT HOSTT IS AT THE ORIGIN OF THE TWO WORDS HOSPITALITY AND HOSTILITY 4HE UNEXPECTED STRANGER IS ALWAYS THE ONE WHO CAUSES AMBIVALENCE Y 4HERE COULD BE PROl T IN WELCOMING HIM BUT AT THE SAME TIME HE MIGHT TURN OUT TO BE AN ENEMY (IS APPEARANCE COULD BE A GOOD OMEN OR A BAD OMEN 4HE WORD HOSTAGEE COMES FROM THE SAME ROOT IT REMINDS US THAT BEING A GUEST IS NOT ALWAYS ENVIABLE /NE MUST RECEIVE A STRANGER AS A BROTHER NEVERTHELESS HE IS NOT ONE S BROTHER "ESIDES SIMPLY TO ASSIMILATE HIM IS NOT ACTUALLY TO SHOW HIM RESPECT >HHJ: D8ID7:G

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7HATEVER ONE S GOOD INTENTIONS IN ATTEMPTING TO ASSIMILATE HIM WISHING TO MAKE HIM OURS CAN NEVER DO HIM HONOR (OSPITALITY THAT HAS BECOME A FORM OF RECRUITMENT WILL ALWAYS BE ODIOUS TO THE SUPPOSED BENEl CIARY 4O ESCAPE FROM THIS IMPASSE WE WILL NEED TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN TWO KINDS OF LOVE 4HERE IS OF COURSE THE WELL KNOWN DISTINCTION BETWEEN EROS AND AGAPE AND ESTABLISHING THE CORRECT RELATION BETWEEN THE TWO CAN HELP US PURIFY OUR MANNER OF LOVING "UT WE SHOULD NOT IGNORE ANOTHER MORE FUNDAMENTAL DISTINCTION ,OVE IS EXPERIENCED IN TWO WAYS ACCORDING TO CIRCUMSTANCES ON THE ONE HAND THERE IS LOVE FOR ONE S BROTHER AND ON THE OTHER HAND THERE IS LOVE FOR THE STRANGER /N THE ONE HAND IT IS LOVE FOR THOSE WHO ARE NEAR AND ON THE OTHER HAND IT IS LOVE FOR THOSE WHO ARE DISTANTÂ&#x2C6;WHO ARE IN THE EXTREME CASE ONE S ENEMIES 4O MAKE USE OF THE VOCABULARY OF THE 'REEKS THERE IS PHILADELPHIA

LOVE AMONG FRIENDS AND PHILOXENIA LOVE FOR STRANGERSÂ&#x2C6;THE OPPOSITE OF XENOPHOBIA 0HILOXENIAA IS IN FACT THE 'REEK WORD FOR HOSPITALITY .OW IT HAPPENS THAT THE #HRISTIAN TRADITION FAVORS PHILADELPHIA THE LOVE WHICH LEADS TO UNANIMITY AND OBEDIENCE !NIMATED BY A SOMEWHAT INGENUOUSLY EGOCENTRIC VIEW OF REALITY #HRISTIAN TRADITION HAS CONSIDERED PHILOXENIA THE LOVE FOR STRANGERS TO BE MERELY AN EXTEN SION OF PHILADELPHIA 2ATHER THAN RESPECTING THE STRANGER 4O ASSIMILATE IS NOT FOR BEING A STRANGER FOR BEING FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT

#HRISTIAN TRADITION HAS OFTEN SUPPOSED THAT IT DID STRANGERS ACTUALLY TO SHOW RESPECT AN HONOR BY PROPOSING TO ASSIMILATE THEM AND TO INTEGRATE THEM INTO ITS OWN UNIVERSE )N EFFECT IT HAS ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE DISTANT INTO THE NEAR WITH THE IDEA THAT OTHERWISE THE STRANGER WOULD HAVE NO CHANCE TO BE RECOGNIZED AND TO BE SAVED ! CON CERN FOR UNITY AND ORTHODOXY IF NOT AN OBSESSION WITH THEM IS IMPOSED ON THE PROCESS )NSTEAD OF REJOICING IN DIVERSITY #HRISTIANS HAVE SEEN DIVERSITY AS A DRAWBACK NOT TO SPEAK OF A MOTIVE FOR EXCLUSION )N ANY CASE THE NOTION OF PHILOXENIA PROVIDES US WITH A KEY FOR ENTER ING FURTHER INTO THE MYSTERY OF HOSPITALITY 4HIS ATTITUDE TOWARD THE XENOS

THE STRANGER TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE FOREIGNNESS OF A GUEST AND MAKES NO ATTEMPT TO ASSIMILATE HIM $IALOGUE MUST RESPECT THE INCOMPATIBLE DIFFER ENCES BETWEEN THE PARTNERS AND MUST RECOGNIZE WHICH DIFFERENCES MAY BE NEGOTIABLE 4HE SAME HOLDS FOR HOSPITALITY WHICH MUST ACCEPT THE LAWS AND THE CONDITIONS IMPOSED ON IT BY THE FOREIGN CHARACTER OF THE GUEST AND THE CONSTRAINTS OF HIS SOCIETY (OSPITALITY ALSO ENTAILS A PHILIA A FRIENDSHIP THAT DOES NOT CARRY WITH IT AN INTENTION TO BE REPAID FOR ONE S GENEROSITY WITH SOME SORT OF SECONDARY BENEl T 4RUE IT SOMETIMES IS ACCOMPANIED BY AN EXCHANGE OF GIFTS BUT THIS IS FOREIGN TO ITS FUNDAMENTAL NATURE 0HILOXENIA SHOULD NEVER BE TREATED AS A

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MEANS FOR OBTAINING SOMETHING ELSE )T IS OFFERED FREELY AND IT LEADS TOWARD TRUE FRIENDSHIP NOT IN RESPECT ONLY BUT ALSO IN SINCERE ESTEEM !T THE (EART OF THE 'OSPEL (OSPITALITY IS CENTRAL TO THE 'OSPEL )T IS NOT ONE ATTITUDE AMONG OTHERS IT IS EMBLEMATIC OF ALL ENCOUNTERS %VEN THOUGH THE WORD DOES NOT APPEAR OFTEN IT IS CONSTANTLY AT ISSUE *ESUS OFTEN PRESENTS HIMSELF AS ONE WHO ASKS FOR REFUGE (E IS NOT A STRANGER BUT IS NEVERTHELESS TREATED AS ONE h(E CAME UNTO HIS OWN AND HIS OWN RECEIVED HIM NOT v (E WAS BORN WHILE HIS PARENTS WERE REFUGEES hBECAUSE THERE WAS NO ROOM FOR THEM IN THE INN v 7HEN HE EMERGED FROM HIS YEARS IN OBSCURITY IN .AZARETH IN ORDER TO PROCLAIM THE 'OSPEL HE LIVED BY THE GENEROSITY OF HIS HOSTS AND HOSTESSES /FTEN HE HAS TO DO WITH LESS h4HE SON OF MAN HATH NOWHERE TO LAY HIS HEAD v 4HE 'OSPELS OFTEN DESCRIBE HIM AS A GUEST BUT NEVER AS THE HOST AT A MEAL WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE ,AST 3UPPER WHERE HE OFFERS HIMSELF AS NOURISHMENT (E IS CONSIDERED AS A MARGINAL A MAN WHO hIS BESIDE HIMSELF v AND WHO SPEAKS hHARD SAYINGS v (E DIES REJECTED AND EXPELLED FROM HIS CITY "UT THIS IS ALSO THE WAY THAT WALLS OF HATE HAVE BEEN DEMOLISHED THE WAY THAT ALL THE WALLS THAT SHUT OUT WELCOME HAVE BEEN OVERTHROWN )N PLACE OF A TRADITION THAT HAD DEVELOPED A l ERCE XENOPHOBIA DIRECTED AT STRANGERS WHO MIGHT BRING WITH THEM ANOTHER RELIGION *ESUS PREACHED THE LOVE OF ONE S ENEMIES (E ENLARGED THE SCOPE OF PHILOXENIA SO THAT IT WOULD INCLUDE EV ERYONE 4HE EVANGELISTS RECORDED SOME SIGNIl CANT ANECDOTES ON THIS SUBJECT *ESUS VIOLATED THE PROHIBITIONS BY VISITING PEOPLE WITH WHOM CONTACT WAS FORBIDDEN FOR REASONS OF HYGIENE MORALITY ETHNICITY OR RELIGION (E SINCERELY ADMIRED STRANGERS AND PRAISED THEIR FAITH SUCH AS THE 2OMAN CENTURION OR THE 3YRO 0HOENICIAN WOMEN AND AS AN EXAMPLE OF GOOD COMPORTMENT HE PRAISED THE 'OOD 3AMARITAN WHO WAS BOTH A FOREIGNER AND A HERETIC 4HUS WHEN HE SENT HIS DISCIPLES OUT TO PROCLAIM THE COMING OF THE +INGDOM HE ASKED THEM TO APPROACH PEOPLE AS HE HIMSELF WOULD HAVE DONE

ENJOINING THEM TO GO UNPROVIDED SO THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO ASK FOR HOSPITAL ITY 7HEN HE TOLD THE DISCIPLES TO hTAKE NOTHING FOR YOUR JOURNEY NEITHER STAVES NOR SCRIP NEITHER BREAD NEITHER MONEY NEITHER HAVE TWO COATS APIECE v IT WAS NOT BECAUSE HE WISHED THEM TO PRACTICE ASCETICISM IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE NON ATTACHMENT 2ATHER IT WAS SO THAT THEY WOULD BE OBLIGED TO ASK OTHERS FOR HELP AND TO DEPEND ON THE GENEROSITY OF THEIR HOSTS (E DIRECTED THEM

h)NTO WHATSOEVER HOUSE YE ENTER l RST SAY @0EACE BE TO THIS HOUSE v (E BADE THEM LIVE IN A HOUSE AND TAKE SUCH FOOD AND DRINK AS WAS GIVEN TO THEM 4HAT THEY MIGHT NOT BE RECEIVED HE ALSO PREDICTED SINCE HOSPITALITY WAS NOT THEIR RIGHT BUT RATHER SOMETHING THAT MUST ALWAYS BE REQUESTED IN HUMILITY >HHJ: D8ID7:G

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! .EW #ONVERSION !ND TODAY HOW CAN WE PUT INTO PRACTICE *ESUS REQUEST THAT WE APPROACH OTHERS THROUGH THE PORTAL OF HOSPITALITY )T IS CLEAR THAT WE WILL HAVE TO CHANGE FUNDAMENTALLY OUR MANNER OF ENCOUNTERING OTHER RELIGIONS )N #HAPTER OF !CTS OF THE !POSTLES WE SEE 0ETER ENTERING THE HOUSE OF THE 2OMAN CENTURION #ORNELIUS A PAGAN IN ORDER TO PREACH THE 'OSPEL #ROSSING THE THRESHOLD OF THE OTHER WHOEVER HE MAY BE WILL REQUIRE A RADICAL CHANGE OF ATTITUDE 4RADITIONALLY #HRISTIANS HAVE PREFERRED TO MOVE BOUNDARIES RATHER THAN CROSS THEM )N ITS EARLIEST YEARS WHEN #HRISTIANITY WAS A MINORITY RELIGION #HRISTIANS BROUGHT THEIR FAITH ACROSS BOUNDARIES

BE THEY SOCIAL GEOGRAPHIC RACIAL OR CULTURAL BUT WHEN THEIR RELIGION HAD BECOME MORE POWERFUL #HRISTIANS QUICKLY ESTABLISHED NEW BOUNDARIES AROUND THE TERRITORY THEY CONTROLLED AND EXCLUDED THOSE WHO DID NOT ACCEPT ASSIMILATION 4HE #HRISTIAN MISSION WAS THUS DEVOTED TO EXPAND ING THE FRONTIERS OF #HRISTIANITY -ISSIONARIES INVITED OTHERS TO ENTER THE #HURCH EVEN SOMETIMES USING A BIT OF COERCION BUT THEY HAD NO INTENTION OF ENTERING THE HOUSES OF THE OTHERS 4HIS OPERATION UNFOLDED THROUGHOUT THE MILLENNIUM THAT FOLLOWED #ONSTANTINE 4HEIR CONQUESTS

OR RECONQUESTS WERE SUCCESSFUL THROUGHOUT %UROPE UNTIL THEY COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER EXCLUSIVIST RELIGION "UT EVEN WITH SUCCESS #HRISTIANS DID NOT CHANGE THEIR ATTITUDE 2ELATIONS WITH OTHER RELIGIONS CONTINUED TO TAKE THE FORM OF CONQUEST )N CONTRAST TO THIS WE SEE 3T &RANCIS OF !SSISI DURING THE &IRTH #RU SADE CROSSING THE FRONT LINE OF THE CRUSADERS IN ORDER TO MEET 3ULTAN -ALIK AL +AMAL (E LEAVES THE CAMP OF THE #HRISTIAN ARMY TO WALK UNPROTECTED TOWARD THE ENEMY CHIEFTAIN )N SO DOING HE PREACHES THE 'OSPEL MUCH MORE CLEARLY THAN THE CRUSADERS WHO TRIED TO CONQUER THE CITY OF $AMIETTE ,ET US RETURN NOW TO A MEDITATION UPON hMISSIONv AS IT IS DESCRIBED IN THE 'OSPELS *ESUS DIRECTED THAT THOSE WHO WERE WELCOMED INTO THE HOUSES OF OTHERS WERE TO EAT AND DRINK WHAT WAS OFFERED TO THEM 4HIS INSTRUCTION

SO PERFECTLY PLAIN HAS NOT BEEN FOLLOWED VERY FAITHFULLY SINCE THE TIME OF THE APOSTLES 7E MUST ACKNOWLEDGE THE ASTONISHING FACT THAT THE MISSIONARIES WHO WERE SO ZEALOUS TO PROCLAIM THE 'OSPEL BY ANY MEANS EVEN AT THE RISK OF THEIR OWN LIVES DID NOT BEGIN TO APPLY IT IN THIS PRECISE POINT NOTWITHSTAND ING THE INSTRUCTION OF *ESUS (ERE AGAIN THERE ARE SOME EXCELLENT EXCEPTIONS

BUT MOST MISSIONARIES IN MODERN TIMES HAVE NOT BELIEVED THAT THEY HAD TO RESPECT THE LAWS OF HOSPITALITY WHEN THEY ARRIVED IN FOREIGN LANDS 4HEY HAVE COME WITH ARMS AND PROVISIONS AND HAVE FELT NO NEED WHATEVER TO ASK FOR AID FROM THE PEOPLE WHOM THEY HAVE COME TO EVANGELIZE 0ERHAPS IT NEVER OCCURRED TO THEM TO DO SO SINCE THEY WERE CAPTIVES OF A CULTURE THAT WAS CONVINCED OF ITS SUPERIORITY

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/F COURSE TO ASK FOR HOSPITALITY IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO BE IN NEED 7E MUST ALSO HOLD IN ESTEEM THE PEOPLE OF WHOM WE ARE ASKING AID 4HAT REQUIRES US TO APPRECIATE WHAT OUR HOSTS OFFER USÂ&#x2C6;THEIR FOOD THEIR DRINK THEIR LODGING 4HIS WILL NOT BE EASY IF THEIR DAILY LIFE SEEMS MEANINGLESS OR REPUGNANT TO US "UT IT IS NOT SIMPLY A MATTER OF MATERIAL NEEDS OF FOOD AND SHELTER !LL THAT IS NECESSARY TO LIFE MUST BE INCLUDED HERE #HARLES DE &OUCAULD AND OTHERS ) HAVE ALREADY MENTIONED WHO WILLINGLY ACCEPTED THE HOSPITALITY OF THOSE THEY VISITED AND WHO TOOK A LIKING TO THEIR HOSTS DAILY FARE ALSO HELD IN ESTEEM THEIR HOSTS SPIRITUAL FOOD THEIR CULTURE THEIR SACRED WRITINGS THEIR RITUALS AND THEIR FEAST DAYS 4HEY APPRECIATED THE SPIRITUAL LODGINGS THAT THEIR HOSTS INHABITED THAT IS THE ENTIRETY OF THEIR CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS )N SO DOING THEY ALREADY PUT THE 'OSPELS FULLY INTO PRACTICE NOT TO SPEAK OF THE FUNDAMENTAL REQUIREMENTS OF RESPECTFUL HUMAN RELATIONS )N FACT IT IS ONLY WHEN WE HAVE ACCEPTED FROM OUR HOSTS WHATEVER IT IS THAT THEY UNDERTAKE TO OFFER US THAT WE OURSELVES CAN THEN BRING FORTH WHATEVER WEALTH WE HAVE COME TO OFFER THEM 7E HAVE TOO MUCH NEGLECTED THIS PROPER ORDER OF DOING THINGS )T IS TRUE THAT hIT IS MORE BLESSED TO GIVE THAN TO RECEIVE v BUT ) WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT IT IS MORE URGENT TO RECEIVE THAN TO GIVE IF WE WISH TO ESTABLISH A PROPER RELATIONSHIP IN ANY CONTEXT .EW 0ERSPECTIVES #LEARLY INTERRELIGIOUS HOSPITALITY MUST TAKE PLACE ON ALL LEVELS NOT ONLY THE MATERIAL LEVEL BUT ALSO ON THE SOCIAL CULTURAL AND SYMBOLICAL LEVELS SINCE IT MUST BE FULLY REm ECTIVE OF ALL ASPECTS OF THE HUMAN CONDITION %VEN MORE THAN OPENING OUR DOORS WE MUST OPEN OUR HEARTS FOR HOSPITALITY IS SITUATED AT THE HEART OF THE SPIRITUAL LIFE )N A PUBLICATION OF THE 0ONTIl CAL #OUNCIL FOR )NTERRELIGIOUS $IALOGUE ENTITLED h$IALOGUE AND -ISSION v A PARAGRAPH WRITTEN WITH THE HELP OF MONKS WHO ARE INVOLVED IN DIALOGUE STATES

!T A DEEPER LEVEL PERSONS ROOTED IN THEIR OWN RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS CAN SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES OF PRAYER CONTEMPLATION FAITH AND DUTY AS WELL AS THEIR EXPRESSIONS AND WAYS OF SEARCHING FOR THE !BSOLUTE 4HIS TYPE OF DIALOGUE CAN BE A MUTUAL ENRICHMENT AND FRUITFUL COOPERATION FOR PROMOTING AND PRESERVING THE HIGHEST VALUES AND SPIRITUAL IDEALS OF MAN )T LEADS NATURALLY TO EACH PARTNER COMMUNICATING TO THE OTHER THE REASONS FOR HIS OWN FAITH 4HE SOMETIMES PROFOUND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE FAITHS DO NOT PREVENT THIS DIALOGUE 4HOSE DIFFERENCES

RATHER MUST BE REFERRED BACK IN HUMILITY AND CONl DENCE IN 'OD WHO hIS GREATER THAN OUR HEARTv *OHN

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4HIS DOCUMENT OFFERS A GOOD DESCRIPTION OF DIALOGUE AT THE SPIRITUAL LEVEL WHICH AMONG #HRISTIANS HAS NOT DEVELOPED VERY FAR 4HIS LEVEL SHOULD NOT BE THOUGHT OF AS A PLACE BUT AS A PATH OR RATHER AS MOVEMENT ALONG A PATH 7HEN WE EXPERIENCE PRAYER IN COMMON OR SHARE IN AN INVESTIGA TION OF OUR FUNDAMENTAL CONVICTIONS WE DISCOVER THIS MOVEMENT WHICH IS ALWAYS WITH US !N IMAGE WILL SERVE TO ILLUSTRATE THIS /UR PATHS CONVERGE AT THE EDGE OF A WELL AS IF WE WERE TRAVELLERS IN A GREAT DESERT 4HERE ARE #HRISTIANS "UD DHISTS AND OTHERS TOO EACH ARRIVING FROM A DIFFERENT DIRECTION EACH WALK ING TOWARDS 4RUTH AND ,IFE WHICH LIE BEYOND MERE WORDS AND IDEAS 7HAT DRAWS US IS A DEEP -YSTERY THAT COMPELS US AND SURPASSES US 7E ENCOUNTER EACH OTHER AS MEMBERS OF THIS COMMON THIRST BUT THIS BOTTOMLESS WELL IS NOT ONLY DEEP IT IS ALSO INl NITELY BROAD AND THUS WHILE IT UNITES US IT ALSO ALLOWS US TO MAINTAIN OUR SEPARATENESS AND OUR FREEDOM 4HAT IS WHY ALL TRUE SPIRITUAL INVESTIGATIONS ARE COMPATIBLE WITH EACH OTHER *UST AS IT IS POSSIBLE TO OF "Y SUPPOSING THAT RELI FER HOSPITALITY TO STRANGERS ON THE BASIS OF OUR COMMON GIONS ARE INCOMPATIBLE HUMANITY SO AN ENCOUNTER WITH SOMEONE OF A DIFFERENT FAITH WHATEVER ITS TRUTHS ARE IS POSSIBLE BECAUSE HE IS CAPAX $EI OPEN TO THE !BSOLUTE 4HIS OPENNESS IS GIVEN TO EVERY WE CONDEMN OURSELVES HUMAN BEING WHO SEEKS IT SINCERELY )F WE SUPPOSE THAT

ON THE CONTRARY RELIGIONS ARE FUNDAMENTALLY INCOMPAT TO STERILE ISOLATION IBLE AND THAT #HRISTIANITY IN PARTICULAR SUPERSEDES ALL OTHER RELIGIONS THEN WE MUST DESPAIR OF EVER ACHIEVING AN INTERRELIGIOUS ENCOUNTER AND WE WILL HAVE CONDEMNED OURSELVES TO STERILE ISOLATION $IALOGUE WITH OTHERS WILL LACK ANY FOUNDATION "UT IN FACT WE HAVE PARTICIPATED IN INTERRELIGIOUS ENCOUNTERS WHICH WERE AUTHENTIC RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCES AND IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT WE CAN ATTEST THAT IT IS NOT MERELY POSSIBLE FOR SUCH DIALOGUES TO BE SPIRITUAL EX PERIENCES BUT THAT SUCH SPIRITUAL DIALOGUE IS THE MOST AUTHENTIC DIALOGUE )NDEED IT IS THE KEY THAT OPENS THE VAULT TO ANY AND ALL DIALOGUE )T LENDS VALUE AND COHERENCE TO ALL ATTEMPTS AT INTERRELIGIOUS ENCOUNTER 7ITHOUT THAT KEY TO THE VAULT THE WHOLE ENTERPRISE COLLAPSES 4HOSE WHO CAN TRAVEL THIS ROAD ARE NECESSARILY FEW /NLY WITH THE COMING TOGETHER OF MANY CONDITIONS CAN THIS EXPERIENCE BECOME POSSIBLE 4HERE MUST BE A SUFl CIENT DEVELOPING OF ONE S HUMANITY AND SPIRITUALITY

AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ENCOUNTER A SIMILARITY IN THE PARTICIPANTS WALKS OF LIFE AND SUFl CIENT TIME 3TILL IT IS NECESSARY THAT THERE BE SOME WHO DEVOTE THEMSELVES TO THIS KIND OF DIALOGUE !MONG THE VARIOUS KINDS OF DIALOGUE

THIS KIND MUST MAINTAIN ITS EXISTENCE AT THE HORIZONS SO THAT ALL MEETINGS AMONG BELIEVERS MAY HAVE A WIDE l ELD OF REFERENCE AND WILL THEREBY BE

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ASSURED OF THE RELIGIOUS QUALITY OF THEIR MEETINGS ,ET US HOPE THAT IN THE FUTURE THERE WILL BE MANY WHO WILL CARRY THE TORCH THAT HAS BEEN IGNITED BY PIONEERS -ONKS AND WOMEN CONTEMPLATIVES OF ALL THE RELIGIONS ARE SURELY WELL SUITED TO CARRY OUT THIS WORK 2ELIGIOUS )DENTITY )T IS IN THE EYES OF OTHERS THAT WE COME TO KNOW OURSELVES BETTER )N CLOSING THIS ACCOUNT ) MUST STATE EXPLICITLY WHAT ) HAVE BECOME AS A #HRISTIAN AFTER YEARS OF INTENSE CONTACTS WITH :EN "UDDHISM ) AM NOT ALONE IN THIS SITUA TION ) KNOW OF MANY #HRISTIANS WHO HAVE FOUND THEMSELVES TRANSFORMED

BY ENCOUNTER WITH ANOTHER RELIGION 7HEN ) THINK BACK TO YEARS IN THE PAST THE YEARS BEFORE MY ENCOUNTER WITH "UDDHISM ) CAN HARDLY RECOGNIZE MYSELF .EVERTHELESS MY IDENTITY AS A #HRISTIAN FORGED IN THE CONTEXT OF A PLURALISTIC WORLD AND ILLUMINATED

TOO BY "UDDHISM HAS NOT THEREBY STRAYED OR BECOME ABERRANT IN ANY WAY ) REDISCOVERED THANKS TO "UDDHISM A NUMBER OF ELEMENTS ALREADY PRESENT IN #HRISTIANITY #HRISTIANS WHO LIKE MYSELF HAVE ACCEPTED UNRESERVEDLY THE HOSPITALITY OFFERED TO THEM HAVE BEEN PROFOUNDLY CHALLENGED ) CAN VERIFY THIS WITH THE EXAMPLE OF #HRISTIAN MONKS AND NUNS WHO HAVE LIVED IN A "UDDHIST MONASTERY 4HEY HAVE BEEN CALLED TO LIVE THEIR OWN MONASTIC LIFE AND THEIR OWN #HRISTIAN FAITH MORE COHERENTLY )T SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT EXPERIENCE GIVEN BY AN INTERRELIGIOUS ENCOUNTER )T IS AN INVITA TION TO DEVELOP MORE FULLY OUR OWN COMMITMENT IN RESPONSE TO THE WITNESS THAT CHALLENGES US 4HE PROCESS OF INTERRELIGIOUS ENCOUNTER IS NOT THEN A MIXING AS IS SO OFTEN SUPPOSED BUT RATHER A FRUITFUL JUXTAPOSITION A PLACING SIDE BY SIDE )T DOES NOT INVOLVE A MERGING OF DIVERSE INGREDIENTS ACCORDING TO A FORMULA IN ORDER TO CREATE A HYBRID 2ATHER ) WOULD COMPARE IT TO THE PROCESS OF l RING CERAMICS A PROCESS WHICH PROFOUNDLY ALTERS THE OBJECTS THAT ARE EXPOSED TO THE m AME 4HE OBJECTS THAT ARE PUT INTO THE KILN HAVE BEEN DULL IN COLOR AND FRIABLE BUT THE l RE PUTS THEM TO THE TEST AND BRINGS OUT THEIR UNEXPECTED POTENTIALÂ&#x2C6;IN COLORATION IN BRILLIANCE IN SOLIDITY EVEN IN SONORITY .OT ONE OUNCE OF FOREIGN MATERIAL HAS BEEN ADDED THE SHAPE HAS NOT CHANGED BUT THE CERAMIC HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED 4HERE IS NO NEED TO ELABORATE THE METAPHOR FURTHER BUT IT DOES EXPRESS HOW THE SPIRITUAL LIFE CAN BE CHANGED WHEN IT IS l RED BY CONTACT WITH THE RELIGIOUS ARDOR OF A TRUE PRACTITIONER WHETHER OR NOT THAT PRACTITIONER IS A MEMBER OF ONE S OWN COMMUNITY OF FAITH ) CAN DESCRIBE NUMEROUS INSTANCES IN WHICH SUCH ENCOUNTERS HAVE TAKEN PLACE AT THE CENTER OF MY SPIRITUAL LIFE WHEN CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE >HHJ: D8ID7:G

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"UDDHIST TRADITION HAVE CONNECTED WITH MY OWN PRACTICE AND HAVE m OUR ISHED IN THE CONTEXT OF AN ALREADY ESTABLISHED SPIRITUAL LIFE !MONG THEM ) MIGHT MENTION ZAZEN THE METHOD OF MEDITATION THAT LED ME TO DISCOVER SILENCE ) RECEIVED ALSO MUCH FROM THE WONDERFUL "UDDHIST RESPECT FOR EVERY LIVING BEING WHICH THE "ENEDICTINE AND &RANCISCAN TRADITIONS FOSTER !ND THEN THERE IS THE CONSTANT CALL UPON EXPERIENCE THIS ASTONISHING INSISTENCE AMONG "UDDHISTS THAT ONE MUST TEST ONE S BELIEFS ON A DAILY BASIS "UDDHISTS BELIEVE IN THEIR DOCTRINES OF COURSE BUT THEY DO NOT CONSIDER THEM TO BE ABSOLUTE VALUES AND WHILE THEY HAVE HAD THEIR OWN DOCTRINAL DISPUTES THESE HAVE NEVER BEEN THE BASIS FOR PERSECUTION "Y CONTRAST #HRISTIANS SINCE THE EARLIEST CENTURIES HAVE BEEN l XATED ON DOCTRINAL PURITY A l XATION THAT ) AM AT A LOSS TO UNDERSTAND ) CANNOT l ND ANYTHING IN THE 'OSPELS THAT WOULD JUSTIFY SUCH A l ERCE ATTACHMENT TO A FORMULATION OF FAITH THAT ONE WOULD REJECT ANYONE WHO WOULD INTERPRET THE 3CRIPTURES DIFFERENTLY *ESUS INSISTED THAT HIS DISCIPLES CONSTANTLY REm ECT ON THEIR OWN LIFE EXPERIENCE (E SAYS IN ,UKE S 'OSPEL h7HY DO YOU NOT JUDGE FOR YOURSELVES v ) THINK #HRISTIANS WOULD HAVE MORE RESPECT FOR THE 'OSPEL IN THIS DOMAIN WERE THEY INSPIRED BY THE "UDDHIST WAY OF THINKING ABOUT THE RELATION BETWEEN FAITH AND EXPERIENCE 4HESE ELEMENTS OF "UDDHISM THAT ) HAVE ACCEPTED THUS FAR ARE BY NO MEANS MARGINAL THEY ARE IMPORTANT EVEN IF THEY DO NOT LIE AT THE VERY HEART OF "UDDHISM "UT WHAT ABOUT OTHER ELEMENTS THAT ARE MORE CENTRAL ) THINK HERE OF ESSENTIAL PARTS OF THE $HARMA WHICH ) CANNOT INTEGRATE SUCH

THE CHAIN OF CO DEPENDENT ORIGINATION AND THE AS THE PRAT TYA SAMUTPADA

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FUNDAMENTAL TEACHINGS OF AN NATMAN

THE NONEXISTENCE OF SELF AND OF ||SUNYAT EMPTINESS 4HESE ARE HARD TO RECEIVE INTO THE #HRISTIAN VISION (OW CAN ) BE HOSPITABLE TO THESE ELEMENTS AND GIVE THEM A WELCOMING ACCEPTANCE #AN ) HAVE A REAL CONTACT WITH "UDDHISM WITHOUT BECOMING MYSELF A "UDDHIST /R IF ) WANT TO REMAIN A #HRISTIAN AM ) CONDEMNED TO REMAIN AN OUTSIDER INCAPABLE OF UNDERSTANDING THE HEART OF "UDDHISM -UST WE BE PARALYZED BY AN IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE TO ASSIMILATE SOME ELE MENTS AT OUR BENEl T OR TO BE ASSIMILATED 7ILL WE HAVE TO FORGO A MORE FUNDAMENTAL ENCOUNTER 4HESE ARE SERIOUS QUESTIONS AND ) AM NOT SURE OF THE ANSWERS "UT WHEN ) AM WITH MY "UDDHIST FRIENDS WHO LIVE ACCORDING TO THE CENTRAL CONCEPTS OF THE $HARMA ) CANNOT FAIL TO TAKE AN INTEREST IN THEIR FAITH ) CANNOT BE INDIFFERENT TO THE "UDDHA S GREAT INSIGHTS INDEED THEY INTRIGUE ME BECAUSE ) SENSE THAT THEY POSE FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS ) CANNOT INTEGRATE THEM BUT NEITHER CAN ) IGNORE THEM )N TRUTH THESE QUESTIONS ARE FOR ME A KIND OF KOAN A PARADOX !CCORDING TO THE COMMENTARY TO THE l RST KOAN OF -U -ON +AN A KOAN IS AN ASSERTION THAT hCAN T BE SWALLOWED AND

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YET CAN T BE SPIT OUT v ) CAN T LET GO OF THESE QUESTIONS UNANSWERABLE THOUGH THEY MAY BE ) HAVE INVITED THEM IN WITHOUT RIGHTLY KNOWING WHEN OR HOW 7ITH TIME THEIR COEXISTENCE WITHIN ME IS CERTAIN TO BEAR FRUITÂ&#x2C6;ALTHOUGH ) DON T KNOW IN WHAT WAY )T TAKES A GOOD DEAL OF TIME FOR A KOAN TO DO ITS WORK BUT ) AM CONl DENT THAT IT WILL 7HAT IS CERTAIN IS THAT THESE ENCOUNTERS WITH "UDDHISM IN ITS VARIOUS FORMS HAVE OPENED OUT MY UNIVERSE ONCE AND FOR ALL 4HE #HURCH IS STILL MY SPIRITUAL HOME BUT ) DO NOT FEEL CLOSED IN BY IT BECAUSE MY IDENTITY IS WIDER THAN IT IS 4HE #HURCH IS MY ESSENTIAL POINT OF REFERENCE TO WHICH ) RETURN GRATEFULLY AND OFTEN BECAUSE IT KEEPS ME IN CONTACT WITH THE WHOLE OF MY TRADITION AND WITH MY CONTEMPORARIES WHO ARE MY FELLOW DISCIPLES OF *ESUS 4HE #HURCH IS LIKE THE GREAT HOUSE OF MY PARENTS IT IS ESSENTIAL TO MY IDENTITY "UT ) NO LONGER IDENTIFY MYSELF SOLELY WITH REFERENCE TO ANY DWELLING PLACE WHERE ) FEEL TRULY AT HOME /N THE CONTRARY ) FEEL CALLED UPON TO OPEN WIDE THE DOORS TO ALL THE PLACES WHERE ) LIVE AND TO SEE THAT THEY STAY OPEN TO EVERYONE 4HUS ) DON T SEE MYSELF AT THE CENTER OF THINGS ANY MORE AND MY OWN SPIRITUAL FAMILY NO LONGER SEEMS TO ME TO BE A POLE AROUND WHICH ALL THE WEALTH OF NATIONS GATHERS AS IN )SAIAH S VISION 7ITH MY BROTHERS AND SIS TERS ) TRY TO MAINTAIN A HUMBLE PRESENCE WHEN IT IS REQUIRED OF ME "UT THE EVANGELICAL APPROACH THAT IS NEEDED NOW IS THE SAME THAT *ESUS DESCRIBED FOR US IN THE PARABLE OF THE 'OOD 3AMARITAN WHO WAS A FOREIGNER 4HE ONLY QUESTION ) HAVE TO ASK IS h/F WHOM AM ) THE NEIGHBOR v )N CLOSING ) WILL SAY THAT THE SHOCK OF ENCOUNTER WITH "UDDHISM INVITES ME TO TAKE A NEW LOOK AT MY OWN TRADITION 7ITH MY SPIRIT MADE MORE SUPPLE AND WITH MY HEART S SCOPE EXPANDED BY THIS ENCOUNTER ) AM ABLE TO DISCOVER NEW POSSIBILITIES IN THE VENERABLE TEXT OF THE 'OSPEL 2EMAINING FAITHFUL TO IT WILL INVOLVE RECONNECTING MYSELF WITH THE MILIEU IN WHICH IT WAS WRITTEN SO AS TO REDISCOVER ITS FUNDAMENTAL INSIGHTS "UT ) WISH ALSO TO TURN TOWARD THE FUTURE 4HERE IS SO MUCH TO DISCOVER 4HE 'OSPELS HARBOR VAST POSSIBILITIES WHICH HAVE NOT YET BEEN BROUGHT TO LIGHT 7HILE WELCOMING THE QUESTIONS THAT OTHER RELIGIONS SET BEFORE ME ) WILL HOLD FAST TO THE LIV ING RELEVANCE OF *ESUS MESSAGE "UT AS ,OUIS -ASSIGNON SAID h7E l ND THE TRUTH ONLY THROUGH THE PRACTICE OF HOSPITALITY v !ND ) WILL NEED TO PRACTICE HOSPITALITY EVEN MORE FULLY IN ORDER TO DISCOVER THE TRUTH OF THE 'OSPEL FOR OUR TIMES s .OTES %PISTOLA 0 ,

:EN 3AND THE BOOK OF CAPPING PHRASES FOR KOAN PRACTICE COMPILED TRANSLATED AND ANNOTATED BY 6ICTOR 3¯GEN (ORI (ONOLULU 5NIVERSITY OF (AWAI I 0RESS

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