Fr. Ingun Kang SJ leads the inter-religious dialogue and intellectual apostolate of the Jesuit Mission in Cambodia. He is actively involved in various initiatives, including giving lectures, workshops, and seminars, participating in the Cambodian Buddhism Peace Walk, and focusing on public relations and human resources. He is responsible for Buddhism Research and Dialogue within the Jesuit Conference of Asia Pacific (JCAP) and oversees the Asian Contextual Theology program for young Jesuits. In September 2020, Pope Francis appointed him as a member of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, which was established to promote mutual understanding and cooperation between the Catholic Church and other religions. Fr. Ingun explains the perspectives of both JCAP and the Roman headquarters on inter-religious dialogue, their support for it, and their shared vision.

Interreligious Dialogue

Following Vatican Council II, “inter-religious dialogue” became a crucial mission within the Church. The 34th General Congregation of the Jesuits declared “interreligious dialogue” as one of three principal missions, alongside “faith that does justice” and “inculturation.” As a result, Jesuits are strongly committed to supporting inter-religious dialogue, emphasizing that all Jesuit companions should consider it a core principle in their missions. In fact, the Jesuit Mission in Cambodia (JMC) prioritizes: (1) Living in harmony in our common home, (2) Transformative education, (3) Addressing the needs of the local church, and (4) Accompanying migrant workers and communities left behind. These priorities can only be achieved in the spirit of collaboration with other religions and people of goodwill. Moreover, pursuing true education, the most important mission of JMC, is impossible without engaging in Buddhist studies and dialogues in Cambodia, where Buddhism is deeply woven into the fabric of life.

There are four dimensions of interreligious dialogue: daily dialogue in everyday life, dialogue on social issues, intellectual dialogue, and spiritual dialogue. Through JMC, we engage with all these dimensions and strive to approach them as comprehensively as possible. Additionally, JCAP has appointed two secretaries under Chairman Fr. Pries—one specializing in Buddhism and the other in Islam. As a secretary, Fr. Ingun organizes gatherings of Jesuit researchers, conducts yearly workshops, and runs month-long programs that enable young priests to experience other religions and engage in theological reflection.

Fr. Ingun emphasizes that inter-religious dialogue and intellectual apostolate are deeply interconnected. The relationship between them is crucial because, as he notes, “while action without theory is blindness, theory without action is vanity.” Human beings progress through a balance of theory and action. By studying theory, one gains new insights and initiates action, which in turn deepens understanding and refines theory. Cambodia, having lost many intellectual resources due to genocide and civil war, faces significant challenges in theoretical studies across all fields, including interreligious dialogue.

The future of Cambodia relies on the development of local human resources capable of pursuing knowledge in the humanities and taking meaningful action. While the Cambodian government supports students in science and technology, the study of the humanities is at risk without external assistance. The fruits of inter-religious dialogue will ripen through the education of local students engaged in the intellectual apostolate. As a poet once said, “Human is the hope.” Fr. Ingun seeks to convey this message to the Cambodian people who continue to suffer from political and economic injustice and poverty. If the youth of Cambodia begin to (1) remain open to other religions and ideologies, grounded in a deep understanding and practice of their traditional religion and culture, (2) commit themselves to building social justice rather than succumbing to materialism and egoism, and (3) dedicate themselves to creating a better world through solidarity despite social corruption and violence, they will illuminate Cambodia as a beacon of hope.