Dialogue with Islam – Islam Days in Polish Catholic Church

Abstract

Interpretation of Christianity and Catholic Church’s relation to other religions is in the Vatican Council II teachings, in the Declaration Nostra aetate, to be more precise. Church discerns truth and sanctity in other religions, gives respect to their life rules and undertaken action regulations, but feels obliged to preach Christ who ensures fulfillment of a religious life and unity with God. Church calls for dialogue and cooperation with other religions followers by giving testimony of faith and Christian life (DRN, n. 2).

In the Vatican bodies, there is the Council for Interreligious Dialogue. For discourse with Islam, Church in Poland created the Comittee for Dialogue with non-Christian Religions, a part of the Council for Religious Dialogue of the Polish Episcopal Conference. In Poland, there exists Common Council of Catholics and Muslims which facilitates the Catholic-Muslim discourse. At its request, Polish Episcopate, in 2000, assigned a day of prayers dedicated to Islam on the 26th of January celebrated every year which has also been called the Day of Islam in the Polish Catholic Church. As a part of its celebration, there are meetings for doctrine discussions organised which aim at solving problems concerning dialogue, mutual learning about religions, common challenges that appear before every religion. Another part of the celebration is the praying time concentrated on the Holy Scripture and Koran texts when prayer intensions meaningful to both religions are offered to God. Those intensions comprise contemporary problems of the human-ity. Among the members of meetings, there are Catholics, Muslims, Christians of other denominations and guests – Musilm countries ambassadors and others. It is in Warsaw, where main celebration of the Day takes place. Locally, this official Day is also celebrated in other cities.