Culture and Intercultural Dialogue - Paperback

by J. Kuruvachira (Author)

The book provides a concise and basic understanding of two concepts, namely, "Culture" and "Intercultural Dialogue". It discusses the meaning and characteristics of culture, some basic concepts connected with it, factors contributing to cultural pluralism, some negative attitudes towards cultural pluralism, and three basic approaches to culture: relativistic, assimilative and intercultural. It also presents the attitude of the Catholic Church towards cultural pluralism. Under intercultural dialogue the study deals with the nature, necessity, conditions and aims of intercultural dialogue, theological and anthropological foundations for it, various forms of intercultural dialogue, the importance of intercultural education, challenges to intercultural dialogue and the view of the Catholic Church regarding intercultural dialogue. The author argues that cultural pluralism and cultural differences, in themselves, are not a threat, but a means for mutual enrichment, a gift and a force to build a better world. This study is carried out from a Catholic perspective. Therefore, references are made to some of the Catholic Church's documents on culture and intercultural dialogue and the magisterium of Popes, especially John Paul II and Benedict XVI. Mainly four important documents were used to prepare this booklet: "Towards a Pastoral approach to Culture" (1999) by the Vatican Pontifical Council for Culture, the "UNESCO Convention on the Protection and promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions" (2005), "White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue" (2008) by the Council of Europe, and "Educating to Intercultural Dialogue in Catholic Schools. Living in Harmony for a Civilization of Love" (2013) by the Holy See's Congregation for Catholic Education.