Excerpt from An Anthology of Texts of the Catholic Church 1986-1994, edited by the Working Group on New Religious Movements in the VATICAN. For full text, click here.
Note: New Religious Movements is abbreviated as NRMs.
What ought to be our attitude towards sects or new religious movements? Is dialogue possible? The inter-dicasterial document of 1986, Sects or New Religious Movements: Pastoral Challenge, answered this question in a rather complex manner: one cannot give a general reply, given the diversity of the doctrinal content and of the more or less respectful and sincere attitudes on the part of the NRMs. But certainly our attitude towards the adherents of the NRMs must be inspired by respect for the dignity and the liberty of the human person, by faith in the invisible action of the Spirit, and by the love of Christ towards every person.
John Paul II, after the interreligious meeting at Assisi in October 1986, has stressed the fact that the radical unity of the entire human family, based on a common origin and destiny, is more fundamental than all the differences, even in the religious field (To the Cardinals and the Roman Curia, Doc. 1). This positive attitude shows through (as seen in the preceding chapters) when, in reference to the new religiosity, emphasis is given to the value of the spiritual quest of mankind.
In recent documents of the Church, we find texts that underscore the difficulty or impossibility of dialogue when conditions for it are missing, as well as affirmations on the necessity of maintaining towards all the attitude of Christ. Besides, there is a distinction between dialogue at the institutional level (ecumenical, interreligious, cultural, according to the common base that offers a starting point) from the dialogical attitude towards all people, and from the capacity to allow ourselves be challenged by positive values that we can find outside our Church.
The Catholic Church is engaged in theological dialogue with eleven other Christian world communions. The basis and justification of these dialogues is the fact that "men who believe in Christ and have been properly baptized are put in some, though imperfect, communion with the Catholic Church" (Unitatis redintegratio, no. 3). The Catholic Church recognizes in these churches and ecclesial communities varying degrees of affinity with herself based on the extent to which they share in those gifts that are constitutive of the Church of Christ. This affinity grounds that sense of belonging and of mutual commitment which fuels the ecumenical movement. One of the principal characteristics of a sect is precisely an exclusivity and lack of any sense of belonging to a shared reality: this makes dialogue impossible or at least difficult.
Cardinal Francis Arinze, Doc. 25
Interreligious dialogue demands religious authenticity, purity of intention, an absence of dishonest methods of proselytism. Dialogue with an NRM cannot be ruled out a priori but needs to be preceded by a discernment. This is the meaning of no. 13 of the document Dialogue and Proclamation published by the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue together with the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
Interreligious dialogue ought to extend to all religions and their followers. This document, however, will not treat of dialogue with the followers of "new religious movements" due to the diversity of situations that these movements present and the need for discernment on the human and religious values each contains.
Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples and Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, Doc. 21
This paragraph refers implicitly to the controversies aroused by some movements and is really an invitation to a prudent discernment. A footnote refers to the document of 1986 that goes more fully into the reasons why dialogue with NRMs can be difficult and which counsels against naively and false irenicism. For some of the movements use methods that run counter to human dignity and freedom, and others are motivated by ideological considerations or economico-political designs that are not in the best interest of humanity.
Most Rev. Michael L. Fitzgerald, Doc. 32
Some people have asked if dialogue with the NRMs is possible. Certainly the nature and the mission of the Church make dialogue with every human being and with religious and cultural groups part of the style of the Church's apostolate. And the Second Vatican Council has called for dialogue with other Christians and with other believers.
The difficulty lies in how to conduct dialogue with the NRMs with due prudence and discernment. The nature of many NRMs and their manner of operation make dialogue with them particularly problematic for the Church. The duty of pastors of the Church to defend the Catholic faithful from erroneous or dangerous associations is a serious one.
There should be no blanket condemnation of the new religious movements. Catholics should always be ready to study and identify elements or tendencies that are in themselves good or noble and where some collaboration is possible. They should also keep up study and observation of movements that so far present an unclear image.
There remains the problem of the NRMs that pursue an aggressive strategy against the Church, sometimes with foreign economic and political support. Without refusing to discuss with such groups, the Church has to consider how to defend herself with legitimate means.
Cardinal Francis Arinze, Doc. 25
Dialogue comes up against a particular obstacle when we are in contact with movements and groups who, although characterized by precise religious or philosophical doctrines that are different from those of the Catholic faith, ask us for "double membership": in other words, they maintain that it would be perfectly possible to adhere to their movement and to remain in the Catholic Church. This is an ambiguous position, a source of confusion and ultimately harmful to dialogue. Many Eastern religious movements—and some Western—propose "double membership" but teach doctrines such as that of reincarnation, which are absolutely incompatible with the Catholic faith; or propose persons other than Jesus Christ as divine incarnations or messengers of salvation. In all these cases, "double membership" is excluded, and priests must patiently explain to those who have joined these movements that they can no longer consider themselves faithful Catholics nor have recourse to the sacraments.
Great care must also be taken in avoiding any confusion between "double membership" and dialogue.... Clarity is necessary because often the episodes and moments of dialogue are exploited by the movements in question, which use them to conclude incorrectly that "double membership" is now permitted.
Most Rev. Giuseppe Casale, Doc. 55
Dialogue with these sects is often difficult because of an unyielding fundamentalism or aggressive proselytizing. Many reject all dialogue outright. With some it may not be locally found prudent to engage in formal dialogue. It is, nevertheless, necessary to develop a Christ-like spirit in relation to all, making the effort to understand them and to enter into dialogue, while recognizing "false prophets" (Mt 24:24), pointing out the inconsistencies in so many of their answers and promises and in some cases warning against the social and political dangers that some sects may pose.
Synod of Bishops: Special Assembly for Africa, Doc. 35
First and foremost, we must start with a principle: even when some Protestants are aggressive towards the Catholic Church, attacking and slandering us, we must recognize, accept and love them like real brothers. We are united to them not only by the fact that as human beings we share in having been created in the image and likeness of God which, basically, is what constitutes human dignity, but also, by the fact that they refer explicitly to Jesus Christ. Even if they conceive of him and accept him only partially, this faith makes our union with them much deeper.
Most Rev. Prospero Penados del Barrio, Doc. 47
We ask understanding from those who belong to the groups we have dubbed sects and new religious movements, if we have fallen into errors of expression or interpretation, and if we have not succeeded in making them see all the affection we feel for their persons, created in the image of God, for whom Christ offered his very life. We are also ready to recognize that Jesus can address his comforting words to many of them, whose good faith and sincere way of life we cannot deny: "You are not far from the Kingdom of God" (Mk 12:34)
With equally fraternal honesty, however, we ask them to question themselves, to reflect, to pray, to invoke the enlightenment of the Spirit, to consider their history and to compare it with the thousand-year-old Christian tradition of the people of God, pilgrims on earth who, although they have suffered injuries, schisms and strife, have remained indefectibly faithful to the profession of the faith, to the celebration of the sacraments and to the witness of charity. From this comparison, we dare hope that nostalgia for reconciliation and the unity with the communities they have left who are trustfully awaiting the day of the glorious Lord, will well up in their hearts.
As we await this day, we hope that a frank and fraternal dialogue will be possible which will make us all more vigilant and ready to accept the coming of the Lord (cf. 1 Pt 4:7).
Episcopal Conference of Italy, Secretariat for Ecumenism and Dialogue, Doc. 52
From Sects and New Religious Movements
An Anthology of Texts from the Catholic Church 1986-1994
edited by The Working Group on New Religious Movements in the VATICAN.
Last updated August 20, 2000 0:00