The Future of Interfaith Dialogue: Overcoming Prejudice

Abstract

The inter-confessional dialogue that has been going on in recent decades has undergone various phases of development: from the optimistic expectations of its success to the pessimistic mood of its hopelessness. There are grounds for both the first and the second position. But what the future would not wait for this dialogue - barely noticeable mourning or an impressive flowering - the distorted distortions created by our desires and outlooks, erudition and experience, or distorted representations, which are called stereotypes, about the participants in this dialogue will always be disturbed. Since the dialogue between Catholics and Orthodox is perhaps the most dramatic, connected with the individuals involved in this lengthy conversation, based on a variety of unfavorable circumstances, then his success - on the condition of mutual hope for the latter - depends on whether it will be possible to overcome centuries spent false views, assessments, the relationship between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, between the Catholics and the Orthodox.