1. Why is “being religious interreligiously” imperative for us today?

As the world is always in the influx of rapid change and development “being religious
interreligiously” is really something imperative for us today. There are some challenges that
makes “being religious interreligiously” makes an imperative and also an appeal for this new era
like the influence of interreligious dialogue, the reality of Globalization, and the effect of migration
that really shaped the societies’ lifestyle today. We cannot deny the fact that the connection of our
religion to the other’s religion is not something alien, remote, and distant today because those
challenges brought it just on the corner of our streets or in our neighborhoods. And so, “being
religious interreligiously” is imperative for us today so that we may be able to learn something
about them, understand them, admire them, and appreciate them just in order to avoid conflicts
and misunderstandings later on. Today that our societies are becoming more pluralistic about
religions due to the effect of rapid change and development, “being religious interreligiously” is
really a need. Many conflicts and misunderstandings are happening nowadays in the realm of
religions due to the fact that we have the tendency to be an exclusivist on what we believe and
ignore the reality of the massive ‘diaspora’ of other religions that penetrates the boundaries of
every societies. And so, ‘being religious interreligiously’ is an imperative for us today because in
my understanding every religion is unique and that uniqueness is meant to share through dialogue
and considering one another as brothers and sisters in the presence of the Divine.

2. What do you comment on Peter Phan’s proposal of the three models for interreligious
dialogue?

Peter Phan’s proposal is for me a systematic yet an Asian approach for interreligious dialogue.
We Asian have this attitude of being open with dialogue interreligiously and so I could relate and
understood well Peter Phan’s proposal. Peter Phan’s proposal seems to me I am being situate on
a journey that leads me really to be a seeker of the Divine and what made me awe on his three
models is its relation to the ordinary events of our live. From this my understanding on a maxim
‘God is present and could be seek in the ordinary events of our lives’ has been validated.
Moreover, what makes Peter Phan’s proposal appealing to me is its way of dealing with other
religions. It’s down to earth and not more on head tripping. It highlights the value of hospitality,
friendship, openness, and humility as a means for us to approach other religions humanely and
with respect. Even though every religions are instituted divinely, it has also has its human
perspective on which it serves as an avenue for relating and being interrelated and interconnected
with them. I really affirm Peter Phan’s proposal because it rejects some biases and discrimination
which serves as a stumbling block in welcoming and appreciating the differences of other religions.