VATICAN CITY, JAN 28, 2000 (ZENIT).- The various religions are not equivalent,

  because Christ is the Savior of mankind. John Paul II was emphatic this

  morning, when he received the participants of the plenary session of the

  Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which today

  concluded the sessions begun on January 25.

  The Pontiff addressed certain ambiguities that have arisen in

  theological circles, which consider inter-religious dialogue as a

  justification for syncretism. The Holy Father said that "in some

  ecclesial environments, a mentality has arisen over the last few years

  that tends to relativize Christ's revelation and his unique and

  universal mediation in regard to salvation." If this is permitted, the

  Church would also lose her reason for existing because she would no

  longer be "the universal sacrament of salvation."

  "It is against the faith of the Church to hold the thesis on the limited

  character of Christ's revelation, which would find its complement in

  other religions." According to this theory, "the truth about God could

  not be accepted and manifested globally and completely by any historical

  religion, not even Christianity, nor by Christ himself."

  The Holy Father continued with an interesting clarification. The truth

  of Jesus, "full and complete revelation of the mystery of God," must be

  carefully distinguished from "the understanding of the infinite mystery"

  that must "always be studied and pondered in the light of the Spirit of

  truth."

  "The truth about God is neither abolished nor reduced because it is

  expressed in human language. On the contrary, it continues to be unique,

  full and complete, because he who speaks to us and acts is the incarnate

  Son of God," the Pope explained.

  Therefore, one cannot coherently accept Christ and reject the Church he

  founded. The Pope recalls that it was Jesus himself who established "his

  Church as a salvific reality: as his Body, through which he himself acts

  in the history of salvation." Vatican Council II itself, which opened

  the doors to dialogue with other religions, confirmed at the same time

  with total clarity, that "the pilgrim Church is necessary for

  salvation."

  "Therefore, it is an error to consider the Church as one more road to

  salvation together with that of other religions, which would be

  complementary to the Church, although converging with it toward the

  eschatological Kingdom of God. Consequently, a certain mentality of

  indifference characterized by religious relativism that leads to

  believing that religions are equivalent among themselves, must be

  excluded," continued John Paul II.

  The Holy Father recalled the passage of the Council which states that

  "Christians can reach eternal life under the influence of grace, if they

  seek God with a sincere heart. But, in their sincere quest for the truth

  of God, they are in fact ordered to Christ and his Body, the Church. In

  any event, they are in a deficient situation, compared to those in the

  Church who have the fullness of the means of salvation." Because of

  this, the Church has been, is, and will be missionary, in the sense that

  she announces Christ -- "Way, Truth, Life." If in dialoguing with

  believers of other religions the Church were to renounce her message,

  the dialogue would no longer be such, as the Church would lose her

  identity.

  Finally, the Pope asked the members of the Congregation for the Doctrine

  of the Faith to continue to foster the ecumenical dialogue with other

  Christians. He congratulated them for the work carried out in

  preparation for the signing of the Joint Lutheran-Catholic Declaration

  on the Doctrine of Justification, and he encouraged them to continue on

  this road, in spite of the difficulties.

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