Comparative Theology (Dec 2015)
Interreligious Communication (Definition, Concepts, Situation)
Abstract
Abstract Religion and monotheistic beliefs are the bases of the human societies and culture and communications are the most important manifestations of these bases. About the three elements of religion, culture and communications, which act as the distinctions of human beings from other beings, and the relationship among them, many discussions have been occurred. In this article, the definitions offered for religion, culture and communication and their relationship, using the literature governing the Intercultural Communication and Cross-cultural Communication as two subjects discussed in the field of Cultural Communication and International Communication, have been reviewed and tried through a novel method to promote the level of religion from a concept usually seen as something such as race, ethnic, identity and life style under the title of international communication and cultural communication to a much higher position and place it under the title of interreligious communication. Following creation of a new field of study, many of the scholars and thinkers who are concerned about that field get together and focus of its issues and try to offer definitions and divisions about the subject. Later, after accumulation of scientific materials about different issues in the field, the human knowledge in that subject starts to develop further and in a more organized way. In this regard, first, the preferred definitions of religion, culture, communication, and Interreligious Communication will be offered. Accordingly, every society includes a meaning structure which is called culture and communication would act as an interaction tool in this system whose task is coding and decoding. Religion is considered the origin of culture and the director of communication. Based on these primary definitions, the interreligious communication is defined as: the relationship between or among the monotheistic religions based on the common understanding of religious concepts, and by highlighting the similarities in order to create an international society having a general religious discourse with no tension but peaceful coexistence. According to this definition, the interreligious communication can be regarded as a vast field of specific inter and cross cultural communication and by focusing on it and after creating its necessary literature it is possible to mix the three fields of interreligious cultural studies, interreligious dialogue and religious cross cultural communication and cause to strengthen and deepen the relationship among different religions. The most important purpose of interreligious communication in present era is to firstly emphasize the similarities of religions in both attitude and action using the three central elements of common understanding, highlighting and institutionalizing and secondly after locating the tension backgrounds and removing them and thirdly by following a proper strategy for appropriate communication, the road for a better and more purposeful communication will be paved. The communication should be based on strengthening the similar points rather than convincing the followers of other religions. To achieve this purpose various tools in three levels of authority, elites and common people should be applied. The most important obstacle for interreligious communication is the radical and extremist movements in different religions. Also the most important barrier for interreligious cooperation in cross religious communication is having a pluralistic conception towards such cooperation. Islamic republic of Iran as the pioneer in promoting religious attitude in present era and because of having successful experience in putting religious patterns into practice and in social life, should take action in making proper policy to develop the three fields of structures, programs and human sources for the purpose of interreligious communication.
