Clement of Alexandria, one of the early fathers of the church, said that nothing that is not against nature is against Christ. In other words, when we hear the truth whether it’s from another religious tradition or whether we hear it from science, if it’s the truth, it is an expression of God’s presence. And the teaching of the church today, the Catholic Church, is that we reject nothing that is true and holy in other religions, that we respect it, because if Christ is the truth wherever we find the truth we find Christ. And indeed it is our responsibility to revere the truth that we find wherever we find it, just as we revere Christ. That’s the basis of dialogue, not that we are trying to convert the other person – that’s the work of the Holy Spirit – but that we are seeking the truth and we have the courage, the confidence, and also the humility to seek the truth with others, to help each other, to learn from each other.
Christian Life in the Light of Christian Meditation 3: Evangelisation: by Laurence Freeman OSB
