RIFTS, TRUST, AND OPENNESS: POPE JOHN PAUL II'S LEGACY IN CATHOLIC INTRA- AND INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE

To assess Pope John Paul II's legacy in Catholic intra- and interreligious dialogue, I will first evaluate three areas where greater intra-Church dialogue during John Paul's pontificate was-and is-needed: namely, the child abuse scandal, liberation theology, and women and the Church. I contend that the viability of the Church's role in interfaith dialogue is dependent upon the depth and openness of intra-Church dialogue. I then examine whether John Paul's support of both the World Day of Prayer at Assisi and the declaration Dominus Jesus contributes to a coherent or contradictory Church narrative of the Other. After presenting some Muslim and Buddhist views of John Paul, I turn to his impact on Jewish-Christian relations. In the conclusion, I seek to summarize the legacy that John Paul has left in Catholic intra- and interreligious dialogue by highlighting two principal paths for the future of the Church.