30/06/2026 15:30 - 17:30

HALL: Parenzo - A13

Contact: Tonelli D.

Chair: Tonelli D.

The geopolitical context increasingly includes the religious dimension among the decisive factors in political choices (D. Johnston - C. Sampson 1994; Cesari 2022) and the proliferation of organizations dedicated to interreligious dialogue within different traditions is further confirmation (Howard 2021; Driessen 2023; Phan-Tran 2024) of its importance, regardless of one's possible affiliation.
The conciliar document Nostra Aetate (28 October 1965) led the foundations for interreligious dialogue. For the first time, other faiths are being viewed not through the category of true/false, but with fraternity, seeking to discover what unites the different traditions and what elements might be used for dialogue and coexistence. The significance of this new path immediately reveals a political face: in fact, interreligious dialogue is a tool for freeing faith from political exploitation and to overcome the social-political inequality. The knowledge of religious traditions can therefore be a way to foster public discussion, facilitating inclusion and negotiation, unmasking the prejudices that can lead to social polarization, to overcome the social-political inequality and contributing to a social cohesion that transcends affiliations (Cesari 2022; Phan-Tran 2024).
At the intersection of geopolitics and interreligious dialogue, this panel explores the connection among the hermeneutics of sacred texts, political power, and eschatological visions. Specifically, it aims to highlight the questions that emerge from the interaction among the interpretation of sacred texts — which contributes to the construction of religious imaginaries — the horizon of meaning, including its ultimate destination, and political legitimacy. The goal is to acquire tools to address the complexity of this interaction, with a particular focus on inequality


In this panel, organized by Georgetown University Rome Office, scholars present their reflections from different disciplinary fields.