Dialogue as a Tool

by Ignazio Ingrao Notebooks of the Council This volume addresses the delicate issue of the Church's dialogue with today's society and the progress it pursues. Recent history has shaken faith in progress. In place of this fallacious prophecy, Christians are called to put hope at the center, since it is neither science nor progress that redeems humanity, but love. As Paul VI stated, “For the Catholic Church, no one is a stranger, no one is excluded, and no one is distant.” The Council presented dialogue as the principal instrument and distinctive style of the Church's relationship with the contemporary world. It is a challenging task that requires the shared commitment of all believers who desire a more fraternal and supportive world. Only through dialogue, understanding, and the spread of a culture of tolerance and acceptance of others can a just coexistence among people arise. The volume is completed by an appendix containing the sections of «Gaudium et Spes» concerning the Church's dialogue with today's society.