The "Other Hand of God," the Church and Other Religious Traditions

• Main Author: Mendoza, Ruben C
• Format: text
• Published: Archīum Ateneo 2011
• Subjects: Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences; Holy Spirit; interreligious dialogue; discernment; Church; Kingdom of God; Catholic Studies; Religion
• Online Access: https://archium.ateneo.edu/theology-faculty-pubs/28; https://archium.ateneo.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1027&context=theology-faculty-pubs
• Institution: Ateneo De Manila University

For the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC), the Holy Spirit appears to serve as a key in understanding and interpreting other religious traditions and how the Church is to relate with their followers. The Asian bishops consistently affirm that the Holy Spirit is actively present in other religions and that these religions contain expressions and practices that are inspired and prompted by the Spirit. This is why these manifestations of the Spirit’s presence demands critical discernment and that these must be in dialogue with the Spirit’s activity in the Church. In and through this the Spirit’s manifold works within and outside the Church, the Church is not only enriched but is enabled to understand more fully the reality of religious pluralism as God’s gift to the Church and the world.