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Inter-faith Dialogue; when does it go too far?
Topic Started: Saturday, 9. May 2009, 13:01 (436 Views)
Mrs.Pogle
from the woods
I would be v. interested in others' responses to this page of the Turvey Abbey website, particularly the shared Buddhist/Christian activities.

Personally, I feel more than a little uncomfortable by such things, but what do you think?

Thanks,
Mrs.P xx
:rrose:
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Bob Crowley

I feel less threatened by a place where people of different religions get together to discuss and mediate on commonalities and differences between their faiths, than I would by, say, a new Mosque going up next door.

If I had a choice between Turvey Abbey and a mosque as my neighbour, I'd choose Turvey Abbey. But then I'd prefer a Catholic Church before either.

Bear in mind that if you feel threatened by such an ecumenical outfit, why shouldn't a Moslem or Taliban member feel just as threatened? If we're going to withdraw behind the battlements, why shouldn't they?
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Mrs.Pogle
from the woods
I don't feel threatened. I asked beacuse I am worried about a friend who regularly goes to Turvey.
I think for me there is a line between inter-faith dialogue and inter-faith participation which seems to have been crossed here. It's not just about dialogue and understanding each others religions, but joining in with practises from those religions. I personally feel this is neither wise nor recommended.
Having been a practising Buddhist, in my pre-Christian days, I would not recommend to any Catholic to ever join in with a meditation led by a Buddhist teacher. But I see that Turvey also run enneagram workshops, which are also dubious.
What is happening in some of our Monastic communities?
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Deleted User
Deleted User

I share your unease. The Christian input seems to be entirely based on the works of Meister Johann Eckhart and, although he is certainly orthodox, I did read somewhere that his works are open to misunderstanding. I can't recall where I read that, but the entry in the Catholic Encyclopedia says as much.
Quote:
 
Father Nicholas, O.P., of Strasburg, having been ordered by Pope John XXII to make investigation, declared in the following year that the works of Eckhart were orthodox. In January, 1327, Archbishop Heinrich of Cologne undertook an independent inquiry, whereupon Eckhart and Father Nicholas appealed to Rome against his action and authority in the matter. But the next month, from the pulpit of the Dominican church in Cologne, Eckhart repudiated the unorthodox sense in which some of his utterances could be interpreted, retracted all possible errors, and submitted to the Holy See. His profession of faith, repudiation of error, and submission to the Holy See were declared by Pope John XXII in the Bull "Dolentes referimus" (27 March, 1329), by which the pontiff condemned seventeen of Eckhart's propositions as heretical, and eleven as ill-sounding, rash, and suspected of heresy (Denzinger, Enchiridion, no. 428 sqq.; Hartzheim, Conc. Germ., IV, 631).
newadvent
Much has been said in the Centring Prayer thread that could easily be applied to the Turvey Abbey programme as presented on the website. I think I would want a little more information, and assurance that it was not simply an attempt to assimilate Buddhist, Hindu etc. spirituality which centres on self, not God.
KatyA
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OsullivanB

One of the key beliefs of the Abrahamic tradition is that enshrined in the first commandment. We believe in a supremely good creator God who intervenes in history. The Buddhists believe none of this. I fail to see that we have anything important in common with them. But since the events of 27th October 1986 in Assisi how can we be sure even of the Church's view of this?
Edited by OsullivanB, Saturday, 9. May 2009, 14:12.
"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance - that principle is contempt prior to investigation." Herbert Spencer
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Rose of York
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My immediate reaction was "These nuns cannot possibly have the approval of the Church." Oh yes they do, their Abbey is listed on Northampton Diocese website, with the link that was posted by Mrs Pogle.
Keep the Faith!

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Rose of York
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What impression does this give to our teenagers? Parents do their best and their children are influenced by priests and religious promoting Eastern faiths. What are the mother and father to do, against that?
Keep the Faith!

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Deleted User
Deleted User

Inter-faith dialogue and contact should be given a positive place in our hearts for there are too many people killed through ignorance of each other’s beliefs. I scandalised some American when at a carol service in Saudi Arabia I read a passage from the Koran which praises the Holy Mother the Virgin Mary. In their minds all Muslims were evil and should be destroyed and yet in the Koran it teaches that anyone who defiles the honour of Mary is to be put to death. In other words we have a lot more in common than people realise and if we work with what unites us we may enable a growth in understanding and tolerance which is I believe a far more fertile place to cultivate the seed of Christianity than in the barren soil of haltered and suspicion. I refer you to an article I came across while reminding myself of the events of October 1986.
There are enough wars caused by greed and the lust for power and glory, too often people give religion as an excuse, by praying together we may prevent this excuse being used with any validity.



http://www.ewtn.com/library/papaldoc/b16asspryr20.htm

Turvey Abbey has along and noble tradition of providing a refuge for the weary in times of trouble and praying for peace. I see nothing to be concerned about in the advertised activity.
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Joe Valente
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Quote : " My immediate reaction was "These nuns cannot possibly have the approval of the Church."

NUNS ! That explains it.
What doth it profit a man if he gains the whole world but suffers the loss of his soul
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Deleted User
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Joe Valente
Saturday, 9. May 2009, 15:16


Quote : " My immediate reaction was "These nuns cannot possibly have the approval of the Church."

NUNS ! That explains it.
:lol:
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Joe Valente
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Penfold,

I read your post with interest. However I am not inclined to go along with you.
At the present time Moslems, Budhists, Protestants etc etc etc etc are the least of my worries.
I see a bigger and more challenging apostolate in that of renewing our own Church, I often think that we have become so intent on others that we have forgotten our own. Let us renew and revitalise our own beloved Catholic Church first.
Moslems might honour Mary but they are not too keen on allowing us to erect a Chjurch in her name, or any name, in their homelands.

Family comes first and the Catholic Church is our family, solve our own problems first and then worry about the neighbour.
What doth it profit a man if he gains the whole world but suffers the loss of his soul
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Deleted User
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Joe Valente
Saturday, 9. May 2009, 15:24
Penfold,

I read your post with interest. However I am not inclined to go along with you.
At the present time Moslems, Budhists, Protestants etc etc etc etc are the least of my worries.
I see a bigger and more challenging apostolate in that of renewing our own Church, I often think that we have become so intent on others that we have forgotten our own. Let us renew and revitalise our own beloved Catholic Church first.
Moslems might honour Mary but they are not too keen on allowing us to erect a Chjurch in her name, or any name, in their homelands.

Family comes first and the Catholic Church is our family, solve our own problems first and then worry about the neighbour.
Looking after the whole garden, not just the roses.

I agree with you Joe in that we should put our own house in order but when people are knocking at the door and wondering through we cannot ignore them.
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Mrs.Pogle
from the woods
Penfold
Saturday, 9. May 2009, 15:15
Turvey Abbey has along and noble tradition of providing a refuge for the weary in times of trouble and praying for peace. I see nothing to be concerned about in the advertised activity.
:butbutbut: Penfold, I see no problem in dialoguing with, ie talking to people of other faiths and seeking to understand them, but feel it must be done with evangelism in mind. I have great problems with Catholics joining in with meditations jointly led by Buddhist teachers. The website makes the comparison between meditation/mindfulness and contemplation/practising the presence of God, as if these two things are the same. There is one major difference. One is of God and one is not. Buddhism is not godly, and through Buddhist meditation, I believe one can inadvertently open one's mind to the influence of evil.

I cannot see how we can object to ecumenical sharing, as talked about on another thread between Catholic/Protestant and yet feel that participation between Catholic/Buddhist in this way is ok?
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Mrs.Pogle
from the woods
Penfold
Saturday, 9. May 2009, 15:28
I agree with you Joe in that we should put our own house in order but when people are knocking at the door and wondering through we cannot ignore them.
No, but we can make sure that what we are offering them is true, unadulterated Catholicism, not an adulterated mix of Catholicism + any-other-religion! I don't think anyone has said we should ingnore the enquirer, but anyone dropping in to Turvey Abbey could easily decide to go with the Buddhist option, especially as the Abbey Webpage is telling them where to find the Buddhist communities! The friend I am concerned about has a statue of Mary in her home placed next to a statue of Buddha :(

"Go into all the world and preach the Gospel..."

She is a newly converted Catholic, and my worry is that her involvement with Turvey has already begun to cloud the waters and lead her astray :(
Edited by Mrs.Pogle, Saturday, 9. May 2009, 15:34.
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Deleted User
Deleted User

Mrs 'P' I am simply saying that I trust that in light of what I know of the activity of the Nun's at Turvey they will do things properly. Eccumenical diologue and prayer is acceptable what is not acceptable is the pretence that the Eucharist and sacramnents can be replaced by a joint service.
What is being advertised at Turvey does not compromise our belief in the sacraments and the whether we cal it reflection or meditation, mindfulness no challenge is being made to the faith.
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