Official Dialogue Research Articles

CENTRAL ASIA PLUS JAPAN DIALOGUE: ITS ROLE IN JAPAN’S STRATEGY IN CENTRAL ASIA

The article researches the Central Asia and Japan Dialogue (CAJ) which was established in 2004 with the aim of fostering intraregional integration and increasing Japan’s role in the region. It analyses the role it plays in Japan’s strategy in Central Asia, in the way it contributes to the realisation of Japan’s foreign policy goals towards the region. In almost 20 years CAJ has become a permanent framework for discussions which combines official dialogue and informal track and covers wide spectrum of issues, from political agenda to development assistance. CAJ has become instrumental in outlining the areas of practical cooperation although it did not lead to full scale economic integration of the countries of the region. CAJ is an important venue for discussing security agenda as well as maintaining Japan’s engagement in the issues of Afghanistan. Political agenda of CAJ has been restrained as it reflects Japan’s awareness of the close relationship of the Central Asian states with China and Russia, however, in times when Japan’s relations with China and Russia are characterized by a certain level of tensions, Tokyo tends to use CAJ to gain CA supports vis-à-vis these states. . Global issues are less controversial and are usually discussed multilaterally.

CENTRAL ASIA PLUS JAPAN DIALOGUE: ITS ROLE IN JAPAN’S STRATEGY IN CENTRAL ASIA

The article researches the Central Asia and Japan Dialogue (CAJ) which was established in 2004 with the aim of fostering intraregional integration and increasing Japan’s role in the region. It analyses the role it plays in Japan’s strategy in Central Asia, in the way it contributes to the realisation of Japan’s foreign policy goals towards the region. In almost 20 years CAJ has become a permanent framework for discussions which combines official dialogue and informal track and covers wide spectrum of issues, from political agenda to development assistance. CAJ has become instrumental in outlining the areas of practical cooperation although it did not lead to full scale economic integration of the countries of the region. CAJ is an important venue for discussing security agenda as well as maintaining Japan’s engagement in the issues of Afghanistan. Political agenda of CAJ has been restrained as it reflects Japan’s awareness of the close relationship of the Central Asian states with China and Russia, however, in times when Japan’s relations with China and Russia are characterized by a certain level of tensions, Tokyo tends to use CAJ to gain CA supports vis-à-vis these states. . Global issues are less controversial and are usually discussed multilaterally.

Svobodní zednáři v dokumentech katolické církve 1878‒1983 (1985): Od konfliktu k dialogu

The authors of the study present the evolution of the relationship of the Catholic Church with Free Masons during the period 1878‒1983. The pontificate of Leo XIII was characterised by an acute confrontation. This is testified to by many documents of this Pope who accused the Free Masons of enmity toward the Church, of pantheism, relativism, syncretism and dishonouring basic truths of the Christian faith. The Pope sometimes used apocalyptic­-like vocabulary (the synagogue of Satan). This does not amount to, however, accusations of satanism. In papal pronouncements during the twentieth century, the issue of Free Masonry markedly recedes and statements about enmity between the Catholic Church and Free Masons slowly disappear. In the period after the Second World War, there were a number of particular dialogues between Free Masons and Catholics, especially in Austria and Germany. All of this came to a certain degree to an end in 1983 when the Code of Canon Law was published and since then its paragraph 1374 has been applied to Free Masons by most canon lawyers. The authors of the study state that there are lodges among the Masons regular to London that are friendly to the Catholic Church. Every local Church should study the Free Masons in their territory and take a stand towards them according to their findings. Based on their several­-years of research, the authors suggest, to the local Catholic Church in Bohemia and Moravia, starting an official dialogue with the Czech Free Masons regular to London. All of this, of course, depends on the Czech Bishop’s Conference.

Understanding Covenants and Communities: Jews and Latter-day Saints in Dialogue

Understanding Covenants and Communities: Jews and Latter-day Saints in Dialogue

Стратегическая стабильность и китайский гамбит

During the last three years, the prospects of engaging China in the process of nuclear disarmament has moved to the forefront of the arms control agenda. In 2019–2020, it was made the top issue by the Donald Trump’s administration when it withdrew from the Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles (INF Treaty) and refused to prolong the Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (the New START). As for Beijing, it flatly rejected US demands to join arms control and this position was endorsed by Moscow. Thanks to the Joseph Biden’s administration coming to power in January 2021, the New START was extended by five years in February of the same year. In June, the summit of the presidents of Russia and the United States was held in Geneva, and in July, the official dialogue on strategic stability was launched. However, during the same summer, an unexpected event happened. Independent U. S. experts published information from commercial satellites, which revealed an ongoing construction of three large military bases in central areas of China with hundreds of new silo launchers for intercontinental missiles. Afterwards, the Pentagon confirmed this information and predicted that Chinese missiles buildup may reach the level of about 1000 or more nuclear warheads by the year 2030. This news was neither confirmed nor denied by the official Beijing. However, together with continuing Chinese deployment of strategic ballistic missile nuclear submarines, forthcoming introduction of heavy bombers, expanding early warning satellites and tests of antisatellite systems – these developments imply the fundamental shift in the global and regional strategic balances with profound political consequences. American response to China’s strategic buildup and Russian reaction to the U.S. military innovations may entail a next massive cycle of arms race and would cause a new stagnation at the negotiations of the two nuclear superpowers – all highly detrimental to international security. Nonetheless, there is still a chance of reinvigorated diplomatic effort at the U.S. – Russian and U.S. – Chinese tracks, which might lay the foundation of the future multilateral framework of strategic stability.

Community Resilience in Belarus and the EU response

Community Resilience in Belarus and the EU response

Ecumenical Convergences: Romanian Evangelicals Exploring Orthodoxy

Historically, in Romania, the relations between the Romanian Orthodox Church and the evangelical communities have been characterized by tension and mutual distrust. That is why, unfortunately, there has been no official dialogue between the two communities so far. The present article investigates the theoretical possibility for such an ecumenical dialogue to occur by analysing the contributions of several evangelical theologians who published research studies on theological topics specific to Eastern orthodox theology. Their positions were analysed from the perspective of an inclusive theology which allowed us to identify some common themes for both traditions: the authority in interpreting the Scriptures, salvation as a process, and the Church understood through the application of a perichoretic model. All these convergent themes could constitute the basis for a future official ecumenical dialogue between the evangelicals and the orthodox from Romania.

Nepo-India Territorial Disputes Transformation by Dialogue Means

Nepo is a prefix appellation of Nepal. This study is a review that connects with disputed Kalapani area. And it interacts with the concerned actors/institutions motivating for change professed through fundamental transformation by dialogical means. Its objectives are three-fold: (i) to examine the Nepo-India territorial dispute; (ii) to analyse the voices of all Tracks; and (iii) to find-out ways of dispute transformation through Dialogue Track. The lessons-learned centric approach inspired the author to undertake this study. The paper is prepared based on archival research with author’s over 100 international publications tracking snow-ball techniques. Dialogue shares possible transformative ways for negotiation. Any dispute leaves the most significant impact – victimizes the people at the local levels (Dialogue Track 3) the most. Grassroots people are honestly guided by ‘social service is the best philanthropic work of life’ and voluntarily participate in resolving the local dispute. Dialogue Track 2 is an unarmed peacekeeping or watchdog body which belongs to the leaders of professionals at the provincial levels. It connects between Track 1 and Track 3 dimensions. Dialogue Track 1 is the ambitious, complex and supreme authoritative body to hold official dialogue and transform the dispute signing negotiation. The dialogue transforms 3ds (difference, denial and divergence) of dispute in the new form ‘just’ by peaceful means. India adopts 4ds (delay, deny, dilute and deceive) strategies for dialogue in the lack of required testimonies. World’s largest democratic country India isolates itself in this region as it has territorial disputes with all the adjoining neighbours in the absence of sincere dialogue. Therefore, it is high time India sorted out the fault lines in its democracy.

NON-DISCRIMINATION AND NON-STIGMATISATION AS GLOBAL BIOETHICAL PRINCIPLES: INTRODUCING AN OVERDUE PROTESTANT DISCUSSION WITH UNESCO

Until now there has been no official dialogue between UNESCO and the Protestant faith tradition regarding article 11 of the UDBHR; therefore, this article forms a first and preliminary introduction to the discussion. The purpose of this discussion is to formulate a theological ethical foundation for article 11 of the UDBHR. It is important from Protestant and UNESCO perspectives to formulate an ethical foundation. On the one hand, this conversation contributes to strengthening the credibility of the declaration, while on the other hand, it offers this instrument a necessary religious status. It is clear that article 11 of the UDBHR states that non-discrimination and non-stigmatisation are two principles that have been accepted by the world community and should to be promoted in the context of health. These two global bioethical principles are recognised and accepted by Protestant social ethics in the faith framework of the covenant and can, therefore, be promoted by the Protestant community in the context of health in South Africa and the world.

Under What Conditions Would the Orthodox Engage in the Judeo-Christian Dialogue?

Abstract The official dialogue between Churches and Judaism began between the two world wars, in America and then in England and intensified after the Second World War, reaching most Western European countries. The Eastern Churches felt estranged from this dialogue led by the Western Churches, as they have neither the same approach, nor the same history, nor the same texts of reference. This is why the Orthodox Churches wish to enter the dialogue according to their own approach, relying on their own texts, and recontextualizing the Fathers of Church when they speak about Judaism. By basing the dialogue on the origins of the Church, the Orthodox can justify why certain liturgical texts are obsolete and harmful to the Christian conscience. They will also be able to show how their tradition is close to and in continuity with the Jewish tradition. By doing so, they will be sensitive to the rebuilding of the unique people of God, composed of Christians and Jews according to the Epistle to the Ephesians (2.14)

Language Policy and Power in Out-of-Classroom EFL Contexts: The Case of English Departments in Saudi Arabian Higher Education Institutions

Most of the research on language policies in educational institutions has hitherto focused on the creation, interpretation, or appropriation of language policies that govern language use in the classroom. Language policies, however, can be instantiated or implemented in out-of-classroom settings. Hence, the current study examines the impact of language policies, in terms of both beliefs and practices, as mechanisms of power in communication between staff members in official meetings taking place at higher education institutions in Saudi Arabia. An online survey taken by 208 members, in addition to semi-structured interviews with eight department chairpersons, revealed that the implementation of monolingual English language policies can minimize the proportion of engagement of staff members, who are less competent in English, in department council meetings, committee meetings, and other official meetings. The data also suggested that the majority of participants in the study believe that multilingual language policies (allowing the use of both Arabic and English) should be avoided in order to not exclude non-Arabic speaking staff members from participation in official dialogue. The study concludes with implications for language policy creation and implementation for out-of-classroom English use in EFL educational institutions.

PERFORMA KESANTUNAN BERBAHASA INDONESIA DARI SEGI PENGGUNAAN PRINSIP KESANTUNAN WALI KOTA DI SUMATERA BARAT

This study aims to describe the performance of the principles of politeness by the Mayor in West Sumatra. Data are collected in the following manner. (1) downloading a video of a Mayor's speech in West Sumatra either from an official dialogue or when the Mayor went to the field, the researchers collected data from July 4, 2017 to July 18, 2017; (2) transcribes all downloaded videos; (3) observing and determining the data that includes the performance of the use of language-based pronunciation principles. The examination of data validation in this study uses a detailed description technique. After the data collected, then analyzed with the following steps. (1) identify and transcribe data, (2) classify, (3) calculate data using formulas; (4) interpret the data; and infer the data. The conclusion of this research is the performance of language politeness by the Mayor in West Sumatra is very good. This is evidenced from the 275 sentences of speech, found sentence according to the principle of language politeness as much as 259 sentences (94.2%), the corresponding sentence consists of in accordance with the maxim of wisdom, generosity, praise, humility, and inferiority, while the unfit ones is in the use of 16 sentence language (5.8%), the inappropriate sentence consists of the maxim of praise, the maxim of humility and the maxim of agreement.Keywords: politeness, oral communication, mayor

A Joint Commemoration of the Reformation in 2017

When the young Augustinian friar, Martin Luther, affixed his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the Wittenberg Castle Church on October 31, 1517, calling for the reform of the church, he could hardly have anticipated the succession of events that would lead to the division of Western Christendom. Luther had no intention of creating a “Lutheran” Church, nor could he have foreseen that his initiative would give rise to an ecclesial divide that would persist for half a millennium. The Second Vatican Council's Decree on Ecumenism, which acknowledged the need for continual reform and renewal in the church, created the conditions for the Catholic Church to enter in earnest into a dialogue “on equal footing” with other Christian communities. The Lutheran-Catholic Commission on Unity, as it is known today, was established in 1967 and was the first commission for official bilateral dialogue. Thus, as we commemorate five hundred years since the Reformation, we also mark with gratitude fifty years of official dialogue and growth in communion.

Interreligious Dialogue and Politics in Revolutionary Egypt

This article analyses the socio-political dynamics of religious belonging in Egyptian society prior to the revolution and how these have been carried into the revolutionary flux with a focus on official dialogue. Official dialogue, it is argued, is a dialogue form specific to Egyptian society and politics used as a way of negotiating interreligious relations and political ties. First the Egyptian concept of official dialogue as a socio-political phenomenon will be analysed applying theories from sociology and political science, followed by an analysis of how interreligious relations and official dialogue was influenced by the upheaval in socio-political structures following the 2011 revolution.

The Catholic–Orthodox Dialogue: A Catholic Ecumenical and Ecclesiological Perspective

Having distinguished out the various Communions of Oriental Christians which might be covered by the name ‘Orthodox’, this article narrates the history of the official dialogue of the Roman Catholic Church with the Chalcedonian Orthodox, asks after the provenance of the theological notions used in that dialogue and concludes with some reflections on the primacy.

Making the Invisible Visible: Disability Inclusive Development in Solomon Islands

International and national level disability inclusive discourse, policy and strategy typically render invisible the institutional structures, political economies and socio-cultural power relations that constitute the lived experience of disability. The lack of robust information on disability extends these theoretical blind spots to the absence of disability in official statistics, political dialogue and social policy. Empirically grounded, inclusive research that recognises disability as embedded in globalised political economies and culturally specific power relations is required to address the theoretical, statistical and programmatic invisibility of disability. Such research will provide a solid knowledge base on which to build effective inclusive interventions.

Italian Pentecostalism and Ecumenism

The Italian Pentecostals are not much involved in the ecumenical process; only in recent years have they started a serious dialogue with other evangelical churches. With the Catholic Church there is no official dialogue; this is due to the problematic relations of the past that still need to be resolved. In addition, the Italian Pentecostals identify several difficult issues that should be defined in a biblical, theological and legal perspective, in relation to the objectives and purposes of ecumenism. In this, their position is not different from that of other classical Pentecostal churches expressed at international level.

Pentecostal-Protestant Dialogue in the Netherlands

Since 2008 Dutch Pentecostals have been engaged in an official dialogue with the Protestant Church. The dialogue is in the final phase of writing a concluding report that will be presented to the participating churches next year. The delegates selected four themes that were regarded as controversial for discussion during the sessions: Water Baptism (2010), Spirit Baptism (1911), Office (2012), Spirit and Tradition (2013). This paper gives the background of the dialogue, explains its methodology and proceedings and then discusses some of the preliminary findings of the draft report.

Correcting the democratic deficit in the CETA negotiations: Civil society engagement in the provinces, municipalities, and Europe

The federal government claims that the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) negotiations have been the most transparent and participatory in Canadian history. Labour, environmental, social justice, and other civil society groups that are critical of the proposed agreement for various reasons would argue that their perspectives have been excluded from the official federal dialogue. This article looks at some of the efforts of non-governmental (civil society) actors, and in particular the Trade Justice Network and its member organizations, to affect the CETA negotiations in other ways, with an emphasis on contact with provincial governments, municipalities, European decision makers, and other non-governmental groups in Canada and Europe. It is argued that the exclusion of critical views shows an inherent democratic deficit in the CETA negotiations that privileges corporate insiders at the expense of civil society, the public, and even elected officials. Notwithstanding this deficit, the success of the civil society campaigns can be seen in the problem areas delaying a successful conclusion of negotiations, including new public procurement restrictions for Canadian municipalities and pharmaceutical patent term extensions. For the Trade Justice Network, these areas also help explain how the agreement narrows the fields of economic, environmental, and social governance in Canada.

A Catholic Brain Trust: The History of the Catholic Commission on Intellectual and Cultural Affairs, 1945–1965 (review)

Reviewed by: A Catholic Brain Trust: The History of the Catholic Commission on Intellectual and Cultural Affairs, 1945–1965 Dennis O’Brien A Catholic Brain Trust: The History of the Catholic Commission on Intellectual and Cultural Affairs, 1945–1965 By Patrick J. Hayes. Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 2011. 440 pp. $75.00. Patrick J. Hayes splendidly researched book records the short history of The Catholic Commission on Intellectual and Cultural Affairs (CCICA), an exceptionally interesting project started by a small group of United States Catholic intellectual leaders at the conclusion of World War II. From its inception – and largely at the insistence of John Courtney Murray, SJ – it was separated from any official ecclesiastic control and encompassed distinguished intellectuals from many fields, laity and religious. CCICA enjoyed broad initial support from individuals such as Cardinal Spellman and an extended array of Catholic colleges and universities. CCICA was founded to address both a current and a continuing concern facing the Catholic intellectual world in 1945. The current issue was the creation of UNESCO. Given its mandate to address international education and culture, the founders of CCICA were concerned that the voice of Catholic education and Catholic culture would be excluded. A statement by UNESCO’s general director, Julian Huxley, endorsing eugenics in the name of “scientific humanism” was an obvious challenge. The founders hoped that a Catholic “Commission” composed of distinguished Catholic scholars could enter into dialogue with UNESCO. The continuing concern of CCICA was the perceived state of Catholic intellectual life in the United States. The most famous expression of this concern was a paper by CCICA member Monsignor [End Page 98] John Tracy Ellis at the CCICA annual meeting in 1955, “American Catholics and the Intellectual Life.” It can be summed in its most memorable line: “Where are the Catholic Einsteins?” Widely reprinted, Ellis’ critique of the low level of United States Catholic intellectual attainment became a rallying cry for significant upgrading and improvement in academic attainment by Catholic colleges and universities. In keeping with the notion that CCICA was a Commission, not a mere discussion group, CCICA embarked on two major projects: creation of a directory of Catholic scholars and a new Catholic Encyclopedia to replace the by then out-of-date effort of 1907–1914. Given these ambitious projects, Hayes’ history could be read as a story of failure and frustration. There was no official dialogue with UNESCO, the directory of scholars was created but eventually abandoned, and the encyclopedia project was co-opted by Catholic University. Nevertheless, there is ample reason to regard CCICA as a worthy effort with more impact than its limited membership would suggest. Regional discussions and annual meetings created significant interchange on topics such as “the relation of church and state” and “the state of Catholic scholarship.” Individual CCICA members exercised considerable influence in the church, academia, and the larger cultural landscape. Hayes’s history offers a compelling and illuminating account of the ideological cross currents and major personalities in Catholic intellectual life during a time of great change in the church and the country. A personal note: in 2007 I took the initiative to formally dissolve CCICA. While an organization spanning a broad range of Catholic leaders in scholarship, the arts, and professional attainment was an attractive idea, CCICA suffered throughout its history from three fatal defects. Lack of executive leadership because of inadequate funding; uncertainty about membership; and lack of “product” when major projects like the directory faltered and publication from the annual meeting was minimal. In the last decade of its existence, CCICA was unable to find an executive director who could be given significant support; nominations for membership were haphazard; annual meetings were not held; and no publication was produced. Having ceased to function de facto, it seemed appropriate to confirm reality de lege. Hayes’ account of CCICA’s noble failure may encourage a new organization that would benefit from the lessons of his exemplary history. [End Page 99] Dennis O’Brien Middlebury College Copyright © 2012 American Catholic Historical Society