What makes for fruitful dialogue between religious traditions? In our last Book Circle discussion of 2024, participants discussed Bonnie Thurston's and John P. Keenan's evaluations of Thomas Merton's Catholic explorations of Buddhism. From Thurston and Keenan, we learned about the motivations behind Merton's dialogue with Catholicism and the ways in which we might go beyond it in our own understanding of Buddhism.
The nature of interfaith dialogue was a timely topic for conversation, especially given the rise of people who identify as "spiritual but not religious" and the importance of spiritual maturity for such pursuits as the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.
Ultimately, this examination of Merton's dialogue with Buddhism illustrated how deep silence and listening is a prerequisite for authentic dialogue between traditions; this includes a respect for differences as well as recognition of shared truths. Catholic missionaries have not always exemplified this deep listening, and those of us who seek international friendship must keep it in view as we plant seeds for the future.
As we move into 2025 with our mission of peace and friendship among Catholics in the US and in China, the USCCA is glad to announce that the Book Circle will resume in 2025 with a discussion of John C.H. Wu's book, Chinese Humanism and Catholic Spirituality. As we seek a way forward through the building of bridges, we hope to find inspiration in the philosopher and legal scholar John C. H. Wu, who drew comparisons and uncovered parallels between the spiritual traditions of the East and the West. We hope to see you there!
If you are interested in participating in the USCCA Book Circle, please fill out the Book Circle Interest Form. For more opportunities to learn about history, philosophy, Chinese culture, and the life of the Church in China, we also invite you to save the date of December 7, when we will celebrate and continue the discussions of our 29th International Conference. Finally, to support USCCA initiatives like the Book Circle, we invite you to donate $35 to our Annual Appeal in celebration of 35 years of the USCCA. We appreciate your support and your interest in learning from dialogue with our brothers and sisters in China and the US.
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