The Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific, in collaboration with the East Asian Pastoral Institute (EAPI), has published a collection of essays exploring Muslim-Christian relations, with a focus on the lived experiences and theological exchanges in Indonesia and beyond. Titled “Toward a Theology of Dialogue with Islam,” the book features articles originally published in EAPI’s journal, Asia Pacific Mission Studies.
The collection is anchored by Pope Francis’ historic 2024 visit to Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation. “The warm welcome extended by President Joko Widodo and Grand Imam Nasaruddin Umar to Pope Francis has been an image of fraternity in the gesture of brotherhood while recognising each other as equal in diversity,” writes the book’s editor, Dr Rene Oliveros.
This milestone serves as the book’s opening narrative, framing broader discussions on the shared spiritual heritage between Islam and Christianity. It is divided into three sections: Muslim-Christian Dialogue, Dialogue of Spirituality, and Theological Dialogue.
Fr Greg Soetomo SJ’s “Immersion Seeking Faith Understanding” introduces the collection, emphasising immersion as a means for theological exchange rooted in the experiences of participants in the Asia Pacific Theological Encounter Program in Jakarta, Salatiga, and Yogyakarta.
In Muslim-Christian Dialogue, Oliveros analyses the Joint Declaration of Istiqlal, co-signed by Pope Francis and Grand Imam Umar, which calls for religious harmony and collaborative action to address global challenges like climate change. Meanwhile, Scholastic Carlos Cesar Barbosa SJ narrates the inspiring collaboration between a Muslim sheikh and a Catholic priest to address homelessness in São Paulo, Brazil.
In Dialogue of Spirituality, Scholastic Pham Van Doan SJ presents pilgrimage as a transformative experience for interfaith understanding. Sr Nurhayati Wiguno OSU shares a personal account of her childhood and the deep bonds formed in “Growing as an Indonesian Ursuline Together with Muslim Friends,” which helped shape her decision to embrace a life in the convent.
Finally, in Theological Dialogue, Scholastic Mark Tri SJ examines the historical migration and cultural integration of Muslim Chinese communities in China. Xavierian Missionary Richard Niyukuri SX explores how shared reverence for Jesus can open avenues for dialogue—especially in missionary work—in “Witnessing to Eisa al-Masih in the Muslim World”. Scholastic Isodorus Bangkit Susetyo Adi SJ concludes the collection with an examination of the theological exchanges between early Muslim scholars and Nestorian and Monophysite Christian theologians in the 9th century and their enduring influence on interfaith dynamics today.
“Toward a Theology of Dialogue with Islam” is available to read and download here.