The problem of dialogue in a pluralistic context becomes particularly complex when the religious aspect is an object of attention. Religious convictions cannot be characterised by mere external features. Religious behaviour is not only to be understood at the level of action, but on the level of intention as well. Therefore, at first sight, it may seem problematic to speak of interreligious dialogue.

Notwithstanding universal human rights, the impact of religion on today‟s world still remains strong albeit sometimes unpredictable. Their influence can be quite diverse though. We can emphasise both the positive and negative effects of religion in the public square. If one looks at John Paul II, Desmond Tutu, or the Dalai Lama, one could definitely affirm the essential role of religion in keeping peace. However, the tragedy that happened in September 2001 in the USA evokes precisely the opposite impression. Therefore, interreligious dialogue is no simple issue, because of the necessity to find a common background among fundamentalists who are open to dialogue with, of course, secularist theorists. The reality of religious pluralism and primacy of individualism in religious convictions seems to be a serious obstacle to achieving dialogue at the international level. In this context, one way of dealing with this task is via the politics of respect, which is not always straightforward.

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