Learning from the Pioneers by Joseph Victor Edwin, SJ
The essence of Christian-Muslim dialogue lies in being open to “receive” rather than in wanting always to “give.”
In this essay, I wish to share some lessons that I have learnt from the remarkable pioneers of Christian-Muslim relations in India. As a student and teacher of Christian-Muslim relations at the Jesuit-run Vidyajyoti Institute of Religious Studies and as a Jesuit engaged with Muslim communities, I continue to learn the art of dialogue and the way to build understanding between these two groups of believers. The trailblazers I will discuss below not only paved the way for constructive interactions but also exemplified the principles of empathy, respect, and collaboration. They made efforts to address historical tensions and to build bridges between the communities based on mutual respect and shared values. Their legacies serve as invaluable guides for contemporary efforts in interfaith dialogue and harmony and illustrate how deep-rooted differences can be transformed into opportunities for new learning and cooperation.
From Fear to Dialogue
Christian-Muslim relations have a long, checkered history. In the West, Islam was either seen as a classic example of ‘unbelief’ or as a dangerously exotic culture. Scholars point out that Orientalism arises out of ignorance. Whenever there is ignorance of another’s faith, polemic has been used as a weapon against the other. Byzantine perspectives on Islam, however, were more complex and grounded in a realistic understanding of religion, reflecting both knowledge of its core principles and familiarity with its followers. One example of this is St. John Damascene who considered Islam a heresy. He viewed it as an Arab reflection of Judaism, constructed from Christian and Jewish sources. John was evidently capable of reading the Qur’an in Arabic and was well versed in the theological debates of early Muslim scholars who were his contemporaries. In his work The Disputation, he recognized the possibility of dialogue and even included a chapter in his writing On Heresies that suggests appropriate Christian responses to Muslim critiques of Christianity.
John Damascene established a foundation for subsequent Byzantine views and approaches to Islam. His insights, while informed, often leaned toward dismissal and even veered into mockery and contempt. His judgment of Islam and its stance on Christianity is said to have limited the opportunity for a more favourable outlook on Islam among later Byzantine Christians, as Andrew Louth points out in his 2018 article “Byzantine Attitudes to Islam.”
A New Approach: The Second Vatican Council
The age of polemics continued in the writings of both Christians and Muslims during colonial times and is also evident in our own times. But in the 1960s, a shift began to appear as a result of the texts produced by the Second Vatican Council, especially Nostra Aetate (“Declaration on the Relationship of the Church with Non-Christian Religions”), which clarified the church’s position with regard to dialogue with non-Christian religions and cultures in general while also referring specifically to dialogue between Christians and Muslims. These authoritative writings of the council marked the culmination of efforts by prophetic pioneers such as Charles de Foucauld, Louis Massignon, W. H. Temple Gairdner, and Kenneth Cragg—to name just a few of the most influential voices for a fresh perspective on the relationship between Christians and Muslims.
In Nostra Aetate, we find important insights about engaging with non-Christians and exploring the purpose and significance of various religions. The passage that begins, “Upon the Muslims, too, the Church looks with esteem” has become well known. The document goes on to convey important lessons for Christians regarding their relationship with Muslims by emphasizing the convictions shared by Christian and Muslims. Moreover, it sidesteps critical themes such as the life and identity of Muhammad as well as the mystical dimensions of Islam. Neither does the document address fundamental political concepts or the ideals that shape the Muslim community. But Nostra Aetate does encourage Christians and Muslims to move beyond past conflicts and grievances and to foster a spirit of peaceful coexistence.
Lessons from Jesuit Pioneers in India
Even before the publication of Nostra Aetate, Jesuit Father Victor Courtois called for a shift in perspective by seeing Muslims not as adversaries but as brothers and sisters. He emphasized the importance of focusing on shared values rather than engaging in divisive debates. Courtois suggested that studies on Islam should cultivate greater love and appreciation of Muslims. He insisted that we should focus on what unites Christians and Muslims rather than on what divides them. This would bring both communities closer to each other and to the heart of Christ. He believed that our approach to studying Islam should be accompanied by prayer and urged Christians to recognize the depth and richness of the spiritual experience of Muslims. He felt that his mission was to expose the hidden treasures present in Islam so that we could find the reflection of our heavenly Father in Muslims brothers and sisters. He concluded: “If they were better understood, they would surely be better loved, and where there is love, there is God.”
Courtois was convinced that a new approach to Muslims can arise out of a theological vision founded on the love of God who sent his Son on a mission of reconciliation to unite all men and women. For this reason, Christians can approach Muslims as their brothers and sisters. Meaningful dialogue hinges on respectful engagement with each other’s beliefs and practices as well as their intellectual traditions. This kind of dialogue can dispel entrenched prejudices about each other.
The second pioneer, Jesuit Father Christian W. Troll, was convinced that the key to a shared future in our diverse, interconnected world lay in fostering honest and open dialogue between religions and cultures. His view was that if we wanted to live together in diversity, every religious community would need to reflect on how their deeply held beliefs, moral principles, and religious laws could be accommodated in the culturally and religiously pluralistic world today.
Troll’s profound understanding of Islam and Muslims, along with his insights regarding the history of Christian-Muslim interaction, has shaped his theological perspectives on the relationship between these two communities. His approach to Muslims consists of two fundamental components, which he identifies firstly as “discernment” and secondly the “commitment to witness to one’s faith.”
Firstly, Troll viewed discernment as a spiritual practice that requires total openness to God and a genuine inner freedom to follow the Spirit of God. He applied this practice to his interactions with Muslims and his study of Islam by recognizing the traces of the Spirit of God in the spiritual lives of the many sincere Muslims with whom he developed friendly relationships. Secondly, Troll approached the study of Islam not merely as a secular academic but as someone sent by the church to identify the convergences and the divergences between Christian and Muslim beliefs. In other words, his commitment to dialogical engagement with Muslims was anchored in his faith, which was nourished by the gospel and the teachings of the Catholic Church, both globally and locally.
Troll felt, furthermore, that dialogue was fundamentally about thinking and conversing together and was concerned with discovering, recognizing, and listening for the Spirit of God in each other’s viewpoints. He neither dismissed nor diminished the significance of other views of truth but conveyed the message that “I want to engage with you, even if we see things differently, so that I can learn from your insights.” A mutual learning experience results in both parties gaining new perspectives, which lead to changes in understanding and attitude. In other words, such exchanges lead both communities of believers to respect and celebrate diversity in our pluralistic world, which require a willingness for personal growth and collaboration for the promotion of peace.
The third pioneer in Christian-Muslim relations was my own mentor, Jesuit Father Paul Jackson. The spirituality of Sufi saint Sharafuddin Maneri (respectfully known by Muslims as Makhdum Sahib) had a profound influence on Jackson’s efforts to engage in meaningful dialogue with Muslims. His own experience as well as the teachings of Maneri and the inspiring lives of many contemporary Muslims both rich and poor shaped his understanding of Islam and dialogue with Muslims. Jackson firmly believed that one could truly know Islam only by getting to know Muslims. He realized that the essence of dialogue lay in being open to “receive” rather than in wanting always to “give.” The process of reflecting on one’s experience is crucial for learning how to “receive” and “share” spiritual richness and brought him to the conviction that “standing with the other” was a fundamental aspect of dialogue. The importance of reflection rooted in experience led to a significant paradigm shift in his model of interfaith dialogue.
Jackson acknowledged that when a committed Christian is fully open and attentive to a dedicated Muslim in dialogue, they both become open to God and enrich each other in the process. He learned to be completely present with his Muslim friends during these conversations. He found that the essence of interfaith dialogue was to be fully present to the other and accepted the idea put forth by Courtois that “in mutual witnessing, we see the features of the heavenly Father in the other.” Through his openness to the religious other, Jackson discovered what it meant to be Christian among Muslims. For Jackson, being totally present to the other resembled the way Christ related with his Father. He also emphasized that the Holy Spirit supports and sanctifies solidarity between Christians and Muslims.
Conclusion
These three pioneers remind Christians that the foundation of dialogue lies in the mission of Jesus Christ who was sent by God to reconcile humanity with one another. Inspired by the mission of Christ, Christians can engage in dialogue with Muslims. They can bear witness to their faith while remaining open to the beliefs of Muslims. True dialogue is characterized by theological understanding, spiritual discernment, the courage to affirm one’s faith, and the humility to find God in the witness of our Muslim brothers and sisters. ♦
Joseph Victor Edwin, SJ, is coordinator of Jesuits Among Muslims in Asia (JAMIA) and secretary of the Islamic Studies Association (ISA) at the Vidyajyoti Institute of Religious Studies in New Delhi, India.