The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Inter-Religious Dialogue

This comprehensive volume brings together a distinguished editorial team, including some of the field’s pioneers, to explore the aims, practice, and historical context of interfaith collaboration.

• Explores in full the background, history, objectives, and discourse between the leaders and practitioners of the world’s major religions
• Examines relations between religions from around the world, moving well beyond the common focus on Christianity, to also cover over 12 major religions
• Features a wealth of case studies on contemporary interreligious dialogue
• Charts a long-term shift away from a competitive rivalry between belief systems, and a change in focus towards the more respectful, cooperative approach reflected in institutions such as the World Council of Churches
• Includes up-to-date commentary on the growing dialogue of recent years, written by some of the leading figures working in the field of interfaith discourse

Notes on Contributors ix

Introduction xii

Part I Focal Topics 1

1 The History of Inter-Religious Dialogue 3
Leonard Swidler

2 Conditions for Inter-Religious Dialogue 20
Catherine Cornille

3 Monastic Inter-Religious Dialogue 34
Pierre-François de Béthune, OSB

4 Comparative Theology and Inter-Religious Dialogue 51
Francis X. Clooney, SJ

5 Scriptural Reasoning as Inter-Religious Dialogue 64
Marianne Moyaert

6 Inter-Religious Worship 87
Michael Amaladoss, SJ

7 Art and Inter-Religious Dialogue 99
Mary Anderson

8 Inter-Religious Dialogue and Interstitial Theology 117
Tinu Ruparell

9 Inter-Religious Dialogue and Social Action 133
Paul F. Knitter

10 Inter-Religious Dialogue and Peacebuilding 149
S. Ayse Kadayifci-Orellana

11 Women in Inter-Religious Dialogue 168
Jeannine Hill Fletcher

Part II Case Studies 185

12 Buddhist–Hindu Dialogue 187
David Peter Lawrence

13 Jewish–Christian Dialogue 205
Yaakov Ariel

14 Jewish–Muslim Dialogue 224
Reuven Firestone

15 Christian–Muslim Dialogue 244
Daniel Madigan, SJ

16 Shinto–Buddhist Dialogue 261
Aasulv Lande

17 Muslim–Hindu Dialogue 279
Anna Bigelow

18 Christian–Confucian Dialogue 296
John Berthrong

19 Dialogue between Islam and African Religions 311
John Azumah

20 Hindu–Christian Dialogue 325
Anantanand Rambachan

21 Native American Spirituality and Christianity 346
Achiel Peelman

22 Islam and Buddhism 360
Imtiyaz Yusuf

23 Christian–Buddhist Dialogue 376
Paul O. Ingram

24 Buddhist–Jewish Relations 394
Nathan Katz

25 Hindu–Jewish Encounters 410
Barbara A. Holdrege

26 The Implicit Dialogue of Confucian Muslims 438
William Chittick and Sachiko Murata

27 A Confucian–Jewish Dialogue 450
Galia Patt-Shamir and Ping Zhang

28 The Mormon–Evangelical Dialogue 468
Robert L. Millet

Index 479

"These chapters show that the Companion is not just a status quaestionis of the established theory and practice of interreligious dialogue: it actually tries to contribute to its theoretical and practical development." (Journal of Empirical Theology, 2014)

"In summation, Cornille has served up what must surely establish itself as one of the core reference texts in any serious library on interreligious dialogue, encounters, and relations." (Journal of Religious History, 3 September 2014)

"Instructively, the volume's impressive breadth and scholarship serve to orient readers to the future and its possibilities rather than to an alleged final word on a given dialogue. Every library and student in this and related disciplines should hold a copy." (Religious Studies Review, 16 June 2014)

"Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through professionals/practitioners." (Choice, 1 February 2014)

Catherine Cornille is Professor of Comparative Theology at Boston College, USA, where she chairs the department of Theology and runs symposia on interreligious discourse. Professor Cornille is a widely published authority in this field, whose books include Many Mansions? Multiple Religious Belonging and Christian Identity (2002), The Im-Possibility of Interreligious Dialogue (2008) and Interreligious Dialogue and Cultural Change (2012).

In recent decades, the notion of dialogue has become increasingly common in describing the proper relationship between religions. Rather than competing with one another over territories, converts, or claims, religions have generally come to adopt a more conciliatory and constructive attitude toward one another, collaborating in social projects and exchanging views on common religious questions. This uniquely comprehensive volume brings together a distinguished editorial team, including some of the field’s pioneers, to explore the aims, practice, and historical context of inter-religious dialogue. It explores the links between a multitude of faiths around the world, from Shinto to Mormonism, separated either by geography or by their disparate ideas and practices.

The companion examines a range of broad developments and issues including the history of dialogue, its pre-conditions, the relationship between dialogue and social action, and peace-building. It combines this with a range of specific case studies exploring interactions between faiths. These faith-groups include Christians and Confucians, Muslims and the adherents of Africa’s diverse faiths, and Jews and Hindus, amongst others. Including up-to-date commentary on the growing engagement in recent years, it explores in full the important channels of communication now open between the scholars and practitioners of the world’s religions.

"The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Inter-Religious Dialogue is a landmark accomplishment that offers a definitive map of the terrain of a robust field and its growing literature. But the internationally recognized experts gathered herein do far more than report on the already known. This treasure trove of essays opens onto new vistas and poses vital questions that must be answered as scholars venture into terra incognita. Comprehensive, authoritative, creative and cutting-edge -- this is a must read collection for beginners and experts alike."
—John J. Thatamanil, Union Theological Seminary