WITNESS AND DIALOGUE

Abstract

World Council of Churches' (WCC) mission conference in Salvador, Bahia, having taken The Gospel in Diverse Cultures as its sub-theme, had necessarily to take into account religious content of these cultures. question of dialogue with followers of different religions was addressed explicitly in section work, particularly in sub-section of section III, which had as its overall theme Local Congregations in Pluralist Societies. Before seeing results of discussion in this group it may be useful to glean what was said about witness and dialogue in presentations to assembly and in other sections. Personal transformation as an essential part of mission address given by Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk was notable for its strong condemnation of proselytism, considered travesty of mission. presentation of Christian message must take into account values of local culture. He was referring in particular to Russian culture, which was still bearer of Christian values even at time of atheistic communism. Mission therefore necessarily involves dialogue with culture. Metropolitan Kirill inveighed against arrogance of certain missionaries. For him mission as a witness to spiritual and ethical heritage of Christianity is number one task of church. So personal transformation, from which witness springs, is all important. It is loss of this personal dimension that has provoked crisis in missionary movement. He suggested that old controversy between mission and dialogue can be resolved by common efforts of churches to save person. Another reference to proselytism came in communication of Fr K.M. George. He spoke of Hindu fundamentalists who have bad memories of Christian mission carried out as massive proselytism of poor and as producing cultural alienation. Yet attempts at inculturation by Christians are regarded with suspicion. So, concludes Fr George, the only way out is to be consistently genuine and transparent. Such authenticity and transparency are thus necessary qualities of witness. Witness to essential Similar sentiments were expressed by two speakers from western Europe. Reverend Kristin Ofstad (UK) presented post-Christian, post-modern context of United Kingdom with its inclination towards do-it-yourself approach to religion. There is temptation to remain satisfied with this fragmentary approach, whereas there is need to recognize fragments as particles of that have to be assembled in order come to recognition of God's action. Christians are called to bear witness to this truth with integrity and honesty. Reverend Cornelia Fullkrug-Weitzel, from Germany, referred likewise to fragmentation, but she also averted to both multi-cultural nature of contemporary German society and to process of globalization. In such context there is need for witness to essential of Christian message, to Resurrection of Crucified One. Yet this witness is to be given in spirit of dialogue, learning to recognize in other cultures wondrous variety of God's creation. Recognizing God's action This recognition of God's action, in creation and in Christ, was forcefully present in communication made by Rev. Wali Fejo, from Australia. He told story of Aboriginal Mowinjin who had vision and who could say, in response to telling of good news, I already have seen Jesus, one you are telling us about. So mission becomes mutual witness. It is still necessary to tell good news, but this is to be done with recognition that others, perhaps in mysterious way, have already had access to truth. Turning now to work of sections: What is striking about report of section I, Authentic Witness within Each Culture, is emphasis on action of Holy Spirit. …