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“Establishing an authentic interreligious dialogue among Judaism, Christianity, and Islam is today both a necessary and a complex challenge. However, for this dialogue to be meaningful and not merely rhetorical, it is essential to move beyond certain forms of naivety that—particularly within parts of the contemporary Christian world—risk undermining its credibility and effectiveness.
In recent decades, a significant portion of Christian thought has shown a strong inclination toward an irenic approach, based on the idea that dialogue must begin by emphasizing what unites, while setting aside—or at least downplaying—the deeper differences. Although driven by noble intentions, this approach often proves insufficient, if not counterproductive. The risk is to build a dialogue on partial foundations, avoiding precisely those issues that instead require the greatest clarity.
One of the main forms of naivety lies in considering all religions as essentially equivalent in terms of their nature and their relationship with the public sphere. From this perspective, Islam is often viewed exclusively as a religious creed, while overlooking or underestimating the fact that it has historically developed also as a normative and political system, capable of regulating the entire life of the community. Ignoring this dimension means failing to fully understand the internal dynamics of the Muslim world and, consequently, basing dialogue on fragile assumptions.
Another form of naivety appears in the difficulty, within some Christian circles, of addressing sensitive issues without hesitation—such as the relationship between religion and violence, freedom of conversion, or the distinction between religious and political authority. Out of concern for appearing hostile or for fueling tensions, these topics are often avoided or treated in an abstract way. Yet a dialogue that evades real problems risks becoming little more than a formal exercise, incapable of engaging with reality.
This is compounded by a certain tendency toward historical guilt, which leads parts of the Christian world to emphasize their own past responsibilities while adopting a more lenient attitude toward the critical aspects of others. This imbalance risks distorting the dialogue, making it asymmetrical and, ultimately, less honest.
This does not, of course, mean denying the internal plurality of Islam or ignoring the existence of interpretations that move toward pluralism and coexistence. On the contrary, this very plurality should be acknowledged and valued by identifying credible interlocutors who are open to genuine engagement. But for this to happen, all parties involved must enter the dialogue without illusions and without ambiguity.
An authentic dialogue must rest on clear and shared principles: the rejection of violence as a means of religious affirmation, respect for freedom of conscience, and the distinction between faith and coercion. These elements cannot be taken for granted or left in the background; they must form the explicit foundation of the dialogue.
Finally, it is important to remember that Christianity itself, throughout its long history, has experienced moments of entanglement between religion and power and is not immune to contradictions. This awareness should foster a balanced attitude: neither naively trusting nor prejudicially distrustful.
Ultimately, interreligious dialogue can be a valuable resource only if it abandons simplifications and confronts reality as it is. And for the Christian world, this means first and foremost overcoming those forms of naivety which, however well-intentioned, risk turning dialogue into a sterile exercise, detached from the real challenges of the present.”
