In the midst of the many fragmentations in our world today, the Church is called to give witness to the possibility that healing and reconciliation are possible, that human beings can still live in solidarity with one another in spite of the many differences that divide them, that mutual understanding and respect for one another is attainable if basic self-respect is restored.
Given this daunting and compelling picture of our world today, the Church cannot rely on its past's "power" to influence and conquer the world. In fact, in many sectors of society and the wor1d, the Church has lost its capacity to effect change in people's lives and value systems. Yet, the call to proclaim Christ and to give witness to his values is always there. But this remains a challenge when Christianity is only one among many faiths, when there are other religions that seemingly are more effective in keeping the moral integrity of a people or nation together, or when religious differences become the source of mistrust and conflict. This is one of the biggest challenges facing the Church today, especially in Asia and the Pacific. To be true to its mission, the Church in this part of the world cannot be and do mission today without entering into interreligious dialogue.
Entering into real dialogue, as the book implies, is not easy, yet it is the only authentic way of being Christian today. Dialogue stretches our hearts and minds. It expands our capacity to listen and to accept one another and ourselves in our differences and uniqueness. The path of dialogue is one way through which mission today can become the sign of God's reign in our midst. Dialogue, in fact, is mission!