Interreligious Prayer in Perspective of Dialogue of Religious Experience

Abstract

In context of interreligious dialogue development, especially the meetings of the representatives of different religions led by the Pope in Assisi and criticized by various ecclesiastical circles, an essential question appears concerning theological ground for Christians’ participation in interreligious prayer. The author of the article indicates the origins of the above mentioned criticism, refutes charges of syncretism and relativism aimed at Assisi, and gives the reasons for the possibility of such a prayer within the so-called dialogue of religious experience. The possibility is grounded, above all, on such facts as common origin and destiny of mankind, unity of God’s economy of salvation, uniqueness of Jesus Christ’s saving mediation, universality of the action of the Holy Spirit in the world and in religions, and uniting role of the Church toward mankind. The practical aspect of the problem resolves mainly to the necessity for taking into consideration the principle lex orandi - lex credendi and sensibly avoiding all appearances of syncretism and proselytizing.