Document Type : Original Article
Author
kharazmi University
Abstract
Hans Küng, a Catholic theologian and thinker, envisions global peace as attainable only through peace among religions. He argues that peace among religions is impossible without dialogue and mutual understanding, and that such dialogue itself cannot be realized without a global ethic. Accordingly, the survival of humanity and the realization of world peace are intrinsically tied to the establishment of a global ethic. Küng seeks shared elements within religions to support this vision, though he does not provide a systematic classification of them. His focus lies primarily on the role of global ethics in interreligious dialogue and in fostering reconciliation between the religious and the non-religious. However, ethics alone does not form the sole foundation for interreligious dialogue. In addition to ethics, there are certain shared doctrinal principles within religions that can serve as a basis for dialogue. Exploring the components of interreligious dialogue is, in fact, a quest for these common religious principles. These components can be broadly categorized into two groups: shared doctrinal/theological principles and shared practical principles. The most important shared doctrinal principles across many world religions include: the belief in a divine origin (God), the afterlife, the created world (cosmology), religious leadership (Prophethood), spiritual beings (angels), and sacred texts. The shared practical principles include two major aspects: first, religious laws, rituals, and prayers; and second, global ethics. From Küng’s perspective, global ethics constitutes the broadest and most inclusive foundation for interreligious dialogue, one that also invites non-religious individuals to contribute to building peace and shaping a renewed future. The consequences of such dialogue are also significant and far-reaching. Interreligious dialogue enables humanity to better fulfill its profound religious responsibilities
attain greater spiritual fulfillment, and foster a more peaceful world with improved conditions for worldly life.
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