The Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales has issued a new teaching document on interreligious dialogue. Entitled Meeting God in Friend and Stranger: Fostering Mutual Respect and Understanding between the Religions, it reminds all Catholics that they are called by their baptism to engage in dialogue with others, and specifically with people of other religions.

The document stresses that interreligious dialogue is not restricted to academics, but takes place where everyday life is shared in an atmosphere of respect and openness. Shared experiences of worship—where the worship takes the form not of coming to pray together, but of coming together to pray—is also a valuable aspect of dialogue, one that appropriately meets the desire to share occasions of grief, joy, and remembrance.

A link to downloadable .pdf version of the document is available on the website of the Committee for Relations with Other Religions of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales. There you will also be able to access a series of leaflets that provide useful information about other religions for those who want to overcome the obstacle of ignorance and promote, through dialogue, prayer and action, the Catholic Church's teaching of respect and love for all peoples.