HONG KONG (SE): The Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, in cooperation with the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong and the Taoist Association of Hong Kong, organised the Third Christian-Taoist Dialogue, held from March 11 to 13 at the Yuen Yuen Institute, Lo Wai, Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong.
As the first day of the colloquium came to a close, Cardinal Stephen Chow, S.J., of Hong Kong, and Monsignor Indunil Janakaratne Kodithuwakku Kankanamalage, the secretary of the dicastery, took some time to ponder on the commonalities between Christianity and Taoism.
The conference, themed, “Cultivating a Harmonious Society through Interreligious Dialogue”, brought together scholars and experts from across Asia, as well as some European countries, Vatican News reported.
Cardinal Chow said that the conference sought to “demonstrate how religions can join hands to become constructive partners for building our society.”
The Wu Dang Shan Taoist Association Martial Arts Team from Wudangshan (武當山), Hubei, were among the visitors from the Christian-Taoist Colloquium to the Holy Spirit Seminary on March 11. Photo: supplied
Participants at the colloquium, from left: Deacon Julian Ip Wai-wing, Father Joseph Zhang Liyong of Singapore, and Sister Elizabeth Hyun Min Choi, from Korea. Photo: supplied
Leung Tak Wah, chairperson of The Hong Kong Taoist Association, and Monsignor Indunil Janakaratne Kodithuwakku Kankanamalage, secretary, Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue. Photo: supplied The cardinal noted, “The vision of the Taoist religion is to foster a movement of the world toward peace and unity, where humanity and the Way—we would say the ‘Logos’—are connected.”
He expressed the hope that recognition of this shared spirit of service will help “the value and meaning of religion [to be] better appreciated in China.”
The “values of mercy, simplicity, and not striving for worldly achievements” are shared by both Christianity and Taoism, the bishop of Hong Kong observed.
He stressed the significance of being open to other cultures and religions, and also highlighted that “our Catholic Church accepts that they too are blessed—though to different degrees—with divine revelation for the understanding of life and spirit of living.” He cited Father Matteo Ricci, the 16th century Jesuit missionary famous for his knowledge of the Chinese language and culture, as an example of someone who embodied this approach.
The cardinal said he is “the role model for dialoguing between religion and culture, integrating the spiritualities of the Confucians, Buddhists, and Taoists with our Catholic faith and spirituality.”
Cardinal Chow noted that this “has won much praise and respect from the Chinese people and the Chinese government.”
Meetings like this, therefore, communicate a symbolic message to the world, that dialogue is possible and we can sit together and discuss, work together and walk together
Meanwhile, Monsignor Kodithuwakku stressed the important moments of dialogue in today’s fractious world.
“As we all know, we live in a very difficult time. There is a lack of hope, frustration,” Vatican News reported him as saying.
“Meetings like this, therefore, communicate a symbolic message to the world, that dialogue is possible and we can sit together and discuss, work together and walk together,” the monsignor observed.
Monsignor Kodithuwakku stressed that the Christian-Taoist conference had the potential to “contribute not only to Hong Kong but also to the wider world.”
He also stressed the spiritual value of this kind of exchange, saying, “In this kind of dialogue we enter into the mystery of God. Listening to the other can help us to understand how God has also revealed himself to them … we encounter the sacred mystery of the other.”
