Theology and the Religions: A Dialogue

by Viggo Mortensen (Editor)

Overview

The academic study of religion is undergoing great changes in response to globalization. Just as sociologists now find it necessary to think in terms of "multiculturalism," so religion scholars and theologians today must work in the context of "multireligiosity." Globalization is leading not only to multiethnic societies but also to plurality in religions and worldviews.

Theology and the Religions: A Dialogue offers the first sustained analysis of the trend toward multireligiosity and its implications for the study of religion. Drawing on the resources of cultural analysis, religious studies, and theology, an international slate of scholars explores the relation of multiculturality and multireligiosity, the need for interreligious dialogue, and the possibilities for a "theology of religions." This groundbreaking work is supported by case studies of various religious traditions in diverse cultures from around the world. Special attention is paid to Christian theological reflection, however, since, as a global religion, Christianity is particularly challenged by multireligiosity.

Offering an engaging, wide-angle view of religion worldwide, Theology and the Religions makes a vital contribution to our understanding of the forces shaping the future of religious and social life.

Contributors:
Kajsa Ahlstrand
Theodor Ahrens
Jan-Martin Berentsen
Ulrich Dehn
Helene Egnell
Marianne C. Qvortrup Fibiger
Patrik Friedlund
Virginia Garrard-Burnett
Geomon K. George
Elisabeth Gerle
Friedrich Wilhelm Graf
Hans Hauge
Ulf Hedetoft
S. Mark Heim
Chris Hewer
Klaus Hock
Michael Ipgrave
Andrew J. Kirk
Lene Kühle
Volker Küster
Aasulv Lande
Oddbjorn Leirvik
Ole Skjerbæk Madsen
Hiromasa Mase
Mogens S. Mogensen
Viggo Mortensen
Johannes Nissen
Klaus Nürnberger
Caleb Oladipo
Tinu Ruparell
Risto Saarinen
Lamin Sanneh
Olaf Schumann
Notto R. Thelle
Joachim Track
Vítor Westhelle
H. S. Wilson

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780802826749
Publisher:	Eerdmans, William B. Publishing Company
Publication date:	11/17/2003
Pages:	495
Product dimensions:	6.25(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)

About the Author

Professor of systematic theology and director of the Centerfor Multireligious Studies at Aarhus University, Denmark.

Table of Contents

	Acknowledgments	ix
	Theology Meets the Religions	xi
I.	Multiculturality and Multireligiosity
	Multiculturalism, Postcolonialism, and the Apocalyptic	3
	Cultivating Corporate Identity: Transformation Processes in Postmodern Religious Markets	14
	Multiculturality and Multireligiosity: Introducing the Theme	26
	Multicultural Society: Dilemmas and Prospects	31
	Multiculturalism between Cosmopolitanism and Communitarian Nationalism	46
	Beyond the Multireligious--Transculturation and Religious Differentiation: In Search of a New Paradigm in the Academic Study of Religious Change and Interreligious Encounter	52
	Cases
	The Multireligious Multicultural Society: A Case Study of Birmingham, England	67
	Confession, Tradition, and Perspectives: Response and Reflection of Afro-Americans to the Age of Religious Pluralism	72
	The Centre for Christianity in the Non-Western World	86
	Inculturated Protestant Theology in Guatemala	97
	Multireligiosity Meets Theology: The Sri Lankan Tamils in Denmark	108
	The Danish Church Responds to Multireligiosity	115
II.	Interreligious Dialogue
	Interreligious Dialogue: Theory and Experience	129
	Secular Values in the Midst of Faith: A Critical Discourse on Dialogue and Difference	137
	Christian Mission in Multifaith Situations	153
	Toward a Paradigm Shift in Christian Mission: South Asia and North Europe	164
	Toward an Intercultural Theology: Paradigm Shifts in Missiology, Ecumenics, and Comparative Religion	171
	From Communal to Communitarian Vision among Religions in India: A Proposal	185
	Multifaith Dialogue in Diverse Settings: The Social Impact, with Special Attention to Indonesia and Germany	199
	Muslim-Christian Dialogue--Global Ethics and Moral Disagreement: A Scandinavian Perspective	212
	God and Interfaith Relations: Some Attitudes among British Christians	218
	The Dialogue Party: Dialogue, Hybridity, and the Reluctant Other	235
	Dialogue for Life: Feminist Approaches to Interfaith Dialogue	249
	Theology in Dialogue with New Age or the Neospiritual Milieu	257
	Conversion between Islam and Christianity in a Danish Context	287
	Biblical Perspectives
	Seeking God--Sought by God: New Testament Perspectives on the Gospel in a Multifaith Context	321
	A Biblical Critique of Jewish-Christian Exclusiveness	336
III.	Theology of Religions
	Theology of Religions: A Challenge for the Churches	355
	The Depth of the Riches: Trinity and Religious Ends	387
	Creative Dialogue	403
	After Rescher: Pluralism as Preferentialism	409
	Theology of Religions: What Comes after Pluralism?	414
	Religious Pluralism in Multireligiosity	419
	Religious Pluralism as an Epiphenomenon of Postmodern Perspectivism	430
	Religious Pluralism from a Japanese Perspective	443
	On Difference and Conflict in Theologies of Religion	449
	Life and Spirit: A New Approach to a Theology of Religions	457
IV.	Epilogue
	For All God's People: Being Church in Multireligious Societies	465
	Contributors	480

Editorial Reviews

Theology
"A welcome contribution to the literature. "

From the Publisher