Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue
Encyclopedia
The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue is a dicastery
of the Roman Curia
, erected by Pope Paul VI
on 19 May 1964 as the Secretariat for Non-Christians, and renamed by Pope John Paul II
on 28 June 1988.
Its current President
is Jean-Louis Cardinal Tauran
, who assumed his position on 1 September 2007.
, in particular the declaration Nostra Aetate
. It has the following responsibilities:
The Pontifical Commission for Religious Relations with Muslim
s is affiliated with the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, and the President of the Council is President also of that Pontifical Commission
. Archbishop
Pier Luigi Celata is Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and Vice-President of the Pontifical Commission for Religious Relations with Muslims. The Secretary of the Commission for Religious Relations with Muslims is Monsignor
Khaled Akashed. The Undersecretary of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue is Monsignor Andrew Thanya-Anan Vissanu.
The entirely separate Pontifical Commission of the Holy See for Religious Relations with the Jews
reports to the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity
, and is headed by the Cardinal President of that Pontifical Council, Kurt Koch
.
placed the PCID under the leadership of the Cardinal President of the Pontifical Council for Culture
, Paul Poupard. However, as this was seen as reducing the status of interfaith affairs, Pope Benedict again gave the Council its own President in 2007.
Dicastery
Dicastery is an Italicism sometimes used in English to refer to the Departments of the Roman Curia....
of the Roman Curia
Roman Curia
The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Catholic Church, together with the Pope...
, erected by Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
on 19 May 1964 as the Secretariat for Non-Christians, and renamed by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
on 28 June 1988.
Its current President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
is Jean-Louis Cardinal Tauran
Jean-Louis Cardinal Tauran
Jean-Louis Pierre Tauran is a French Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He currently serves as President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue in the Roman Curia, was elevated to the cardinalate in 2003, and is the current Cardinal Protodeacon.-Biography:Born in Bordeaux,...
, who assumed his position on 1 September 2007.
Promotion of dialogue
The PCID is the central office of the Catholic Church for promoting interreligious dialogue in accordance with the spirit of the Second Vatican CouncilSecond Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
, in particular the declaration Nostra Aetate
Nostra Aetate
Nostra Aetate is the Declaration on the Relation of the Church with Non-Christian Religions of the Second Vatican Council. Passed by a vote of 2,221 to 88 of the assembled bishops, this declaration was promulgated on October 28, 1965, by Pope Paul VI.The first draft, entitled "Decretum de...
. It has the following responsibilities:
- to promote mutual understanding, respect and collaboration between Catholics and the followers of others religious traditions;
- to encourage the study of religions;
- to promote the formation of persons dedicated to dialogue.
The Pontifical Commission for Religious Relations with Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s is affiliated with the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, and the President of the Council is President also of that Pontifical Commission
Pontifical Commission
A Pontifical Commission is a committee of Catholic experts convened by the Pope for a specific purpose. Examples include:* Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State* Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei...
. Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
Pier Luigi Celata is Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and Vice-President of the Pontifical Commission for Religious Relations with Muslims. The Secretary of the Commission for Religious Relations with Muslims is Monsignor
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
Khaled Akashed. The Undersecretary of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue is Monsignor Andrew Thanya-Anan Vissanu.
The entirely separate Pontifical Commission of the Holy See for Religious Relations with the Jews
Pontifical Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews
The Pontifical Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews is a pontifical commission in the Roman Curia tasked with maintaining positive theological ties with Jews and Judaism...
reports to the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity
Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity
The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity origins are associated with the Second Vatican Council which met intermittently from 1962–1965.Pope John XXIII wanted the Catholic Church to engage in the contemporary ecumenical movement...
, and is headed by the Cardinal President of that Pontifical Council, Kurt Koch
Kurt Koch
Kurt Koch is a Swiss Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, currently serving as president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity since his appointment was announced on 1 July 2010...
.
Current activities
The activities of the Council today seem focused on communicating on common values and interests to other religious believers and spiritual leaders. It welcomes visitors to Rome, it visits others, runs meetings and publishes "a bulletin, called "Pro Dialogo" three times a year, containing "significant Church texts on dialogue, articles, and news of dialogue activities throughout the world" and an Interreligious Dialogue Directory.Importance of interfaith issues
On 11 March 2006, Pope Benedict XVIPope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
placed the PCID under the leadership of the Cardinal President of the Pontifical Council for Culture
Pontifical Council for Culture
The Pontifical Council for Culture is a department of the Roman Curia charged with fostering the relationship of the Catholic Church with different cultures. Pope John Paul II founded it on 20 May 1982...
, Paul Poupard. However, as this was seen as reducing the status of interfaith affairs, Pope Benedict again gave the Council its own President in 2007.
Presidents of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue
- Paolo Cardinal Marella (19 May 1964 - 26 Feb 1973)
- Sergio Cardinal PignedoliSergio Cardinal PignedoliSergio Pignedoli was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as President of the Secretariat for Non-Christians from 1973 to 1980, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1973.-Biography:...
(6 Mar 1973 - 15 Jun 1980) - Jean JadotJean JadotJean Jadot was a Belgian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as apostolic delegate to the United States from 1973 to 1980, and President of the Secretariat of Non-Christians from 1980 to 1984.-Biography:...
(27 Jun 1980 - 8 Apr 1984 ) - Francis Cardinal ArinzeFrancis Cardinal ArinzeFrancis Arinze, is an Igbo Nigerian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He is Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, having served as prefect from 2002 to 2008. He is the current Cardinal Bishop of Velletri-Segni since 2005...
(8 Apr 1984 - 1 Oct 2002) - Michael L. Fitzgerald (1 Oct 2002 - 15 Feb 2006)
- Paul Cardinal PoupardPaul Cardinal PoupardPaul Joseph Jean Poupard is a French Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who has been President of the Pontifical Council for Culture and also of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue...
(11 Mar 2006 - 1 September 2007) - Jean-Louis Cardinal TauranJean-Louis Cardinal TauranJean-Louis Pierre Tauran is a French Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He currently serves as President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue in the Roman Curia, was elevated to the cardinalate in 2003, and is the current Cardinal Protodeacon.-Biography:Born in Bordeaux,...
(1 September 2007 -)