Arguably, interreligious dialogue is one of the important aspects in society today. As a matter of fact, in the globalized world interreligious dialogue plays a tremendous role. The world today has become very complex and challenging. Interreligious dialogue refers to positive interaction between individuals from various religious, cultural, and spiritual traditions. It entails formal discussions that are focused on developing a mutual understanding between different religions backgrounds and traditions. This is one of respecting religious diversities in Australia society. In Australian society, interreligious dialogue is important since it brings people from diverse religious background into a common ground where they can work together for the common good of society. The dialogue was launched in Australia in a few years ago by examining the key issues in each religion that could lead to tension and misunderstanding. In general perspective, interreligious dialogue is very important in Australian society since it presents an opportunity to diverse religious traditions and groups to come together and develop harmony and understanding in the Australian context.
Interreligious dialogue marked a new beginning in Australian society. Communities with diverse religious background worked together and lived harmoniously. Perhaps, interreligious dialogue promoted respect among individuals m since each one of the respected the beliefs of other people. In addition, interreligious dialogue is very important in Australian society since it is necessary for the church and other religious group to assert meaning to the voice of society. The world today is diverse, and Australian society is also diverse in terms of religious background and beliefs. Interreligious dialogue helps to eliminate fear and mature own understanding.
Peace and unity has the important tools in the Australian society. Studies show that since the introduction of interreligious dialogue people in Australia have began to live in peace regardless of religious affiliations. It is worth noting that Australian society is a pluralistic society based on multi-faith and multi-cultural diversity. Therefore, interreligious dialogue creates a sense of appreciation and respect for various religions, which is a vital component of a peaceful and harmonious society. Hence, the relevance of interreligious dialogue in Australian society is witnessed peaceful and harmonious living.
The ongoing religious conflict and historical information on persecutions leads to prejudice between different religions leading to division in the Australian community. Some of the interreligious conflict in Australian community includes Jews and Muslims, Christians and Jews, Christians and Muslims, as well as Hindus and Muslims. As a matter of fact, the only way to reduce and eliminate these religious groups from conflicts is the use of interreligious dialogue. Interreligious dialogue focuses on ensuring that people understand each other and empress diversity in religion.
Since the September 11 attack in the United States Muslims all over the world has become victims of circumstance. The ongoing war on terror has put Muslims on the spot in Australian community, and is mostly subjected to prosecution and suspicion. The interreligious dialogue is relevant in this case because it brings people together. The relevance of interreligious dialogue is that fact that it eliminates and breaks down prejudice and stereotype way of thinking towards Muslim community. It is through interreligious dialogue that people in Australia realize that Muslims are not terrorist, but they are human beings who love peace and harmony.
Australian community is made up of human beings who have needs and demands to be met. It is through interaction that people realize what they require in life. Interreligious dialogue is there to build and strengthen relationship between diverse religions. This relationship is believed to drive individuals towards upholding shared values and speaking effectively and more often on common issues. Some of the common issues to be discussed without focusing of religious differences include care for the needy, sanctity of human life, dignity of human beings, peace, as well as justice. In the contemporary American society, interreligious dialogue help people from different religion to be together and work together in proclaiming the importance of spirituality, faith, as well as transcendent issues of life.
In Australian community, religious dialogue is relevant since it helps religious groups to defend each other during times of need. In some occasions, if one of the religious groups faces some challenges, then it is a clear indicator of what other religions should expect the worst. Hence, the only way to support each other is through interreligious dialogue. There are several initiatives at state, national, as well as grass-roots level that Australia seems to be out of place. All these complexity reflects how Australian community is a multi-religious and multi-cultural society. Interreligious dialogue is therefore relevant since is provides a counter voice to xenophobic and racist views. There are many refuges that are entering Australia today; this brings both political and national concern since it makes Australian community so complex and volatile. In this case, interreligious dialogue is relevant because it encourages tolerance and promotes understanding among ethnic, religious, and cultural traditions of Australian community.
Recently, there are many interreligious initiatives that are directed towards the young people in the contemporary American community. These initiatives may seem misguided since most of the youth focus on unity among the Australian people. The young people are less religious but they are the energetic and more informed people in the society. This implies that using the youth to spread understanding of religious diversity is very effective. The relevance of interreligious dialogue on the youth is focused on the fact that it helps the young generation in the contemporary Australian community to address the issue of religious diversity. It also fosters unity and dialogue that recognize multiple identities, which shape the younger generation based on ethnicity, gender, culture, age, politics, sexuality, as well as geographical position.
Interreligious dialogue is also relevant in the sense that it forms an avenue whereby people from different background learn and explore about the faith of each other and appreciate diversity. As a matter of fact, interreligious dialogue increases awareness and knowledge on problems and issues that face each religious community in Australia. For the years that interreligious dialogue has been in place, it has been a good model on how individuals from diverse background and different faith can live in harmony in Australia. This is based on the fact that it builds goodwill and develops a sense of belonging to a community.
Most of the religious teaching focuses on people living together. Interreligious dialogue is a fulfillment of various religious teachings on issues of faith and peace. Perhaps, interreligious dialogue is one of the responses to the changes in the environment of contemporary Australian Society. Nevertheless, religious dialogue gives religious groups a chance to spread its teachings so as to grow appreciation of traditions and at the same time maintain integrity. Interreligious dialogue is relevant because it will ensure that religious education is taught in school. Students should understand the importance of religious unity and religious diversity, and schools are the best place to learn.
The Australian community is become more interdependent due to migration and globalization. Globalization and migration has increased interactions in the country, leading to friction among people of different religion and cultures. In fact, people are erroneously affiliated to crime and other negative things due to their religious background. Interreligious dialogue is crucial since it focuses on differences and elaborates on common values aimed at uniting the people of Australia. Therefore, interreligious dialogue is crucial factor in promoting peace, and preventing fighting, war and terrorism in Australian community. Flowing from liberation and survival is also another reason that makes interreligious dialogue relevant in contemporary Australian community. The issues of liberation and survival are only achieved if all people in Australia work together. Interreligious dialogue is the best way to bring people together in order to work in eliminating these problems.
In conclusion, it is evident that interreligious dialogue is relevant in the contemporary Australian community. Australian community is very diverse and in most cases diversity leads to tension among people. The best ways to make people live in harmony is through interreligious dialogue. Interreligious dialogue is relevant in contemporary Australian community because promotes peace, harmony and unity, asserts knowledge on religious diversity, build a sense of community, explore about other people, and promote corporation towards achievement of a common good. In general perspective, interreligious dialogue ensures that people of Australia live like brothers regardless of their religious diversity.
Bibliography
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Bouma, Gary D. 2006. Australian soul: religion and spirituality in the twenty-first century. Port Melbourne, Vic: Cambridge University Press.
Cassidy, Edward Idris. 2005. Ecumenism and interreligious dialogue: Unitatis redintegratio, Nostra aetate. New York: Paulist Press.
Heft, James. 2012. Catholicism and interreligious dialogue. New York: Oxford University Press.
O'Mahony, Anthony, and Peter Bowe. 2006. Catholics in interreligious dialogue: studies in monasticism, theology and spirituality. Leominster: Gracewing.
Thompson, Roger C. 2002. Religion in Australia: a history. Melbourne: Oxford University Press.
