Italian
Ambrogio Bongiovanni proposes a vision of the Mediterranean as a living space for interreligious dialogue and theological reflection, capable of building bridges of peace in a world marked by crises and divisions
ROME. The Mediterranean as a space for encounter, dialogue, and theological reflection – this is the vision proposed by Ambrogio Bongiovanni, professor at the Pontifical Gregorian University, director of the Interreligious Studies Center of the same university, and president of the Magis Foundation. He spoke during a discussion on the role of theology in contemporary contexts at the international conference of the Centesimus Annus pro Pontifice Foundation.
According to Bongiovanni, “an increasingly contextual theology is developing, capable of reading the signs of the times and rooting itself in the concrete places of history.” And the Mediterranean, also thanks to the impetus of Pope Francis, is becoming more and more the object and subject of theological reflection.
Not only a theater of crises and tragedies – such as migrations and shipwrecks that dramatically mark the headlines – but also a place of ancient relationships, exchanges, and shared knowledge among different cultures and religions, the Mediterranean represents for the professor “a space to learn not only from the clashes of the past, but above all from the many encounters that have shaped its history.”
The so-called “Mediterranean theology” is therefore a thought that reflects on the cultural and religious specificities of the Mediterranean basin, aiming to build bridges of peace and interreligious dialogue. “It is a theology – explained Bongiovanni – that looks at the contexts with great interest and seeks to enrich contemporary Christian thought by relating it to other traditions and cultures.”
A clear message in a time marked by global tensions: theology can and must become a tool for peace, starting from a deep understanding of contexts and authentic dialogue among differences. And the Mediterranean, always a vibrant center of civilization, can once again become a laboratory for reconciliation and coexistence.
