Interfaith Dialogue

Vietnamese American Peter Phan reflects on cultural diversity in spiritual life, focussing on the question of how much uniformity people will tolerate in life, liturgy, & denominational self-definition.

Provides insightful discussions of the exegetic and discursive process begun by the open letter A Common Word Between Us and You.

This book addresses issues central to today’s Catholic Church, focusing on the relationship between various religions in different contexts and regions across the world. The diverse array of contributors present an inclusively interfaith enterprise, investigating a wide range of encounters and perspectives. The essays include approaches from the Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, and Bahá’í traditions, in a variety of geographic contexts. Contributors reflect on Muslims in the West, Christian-Buddhist social activism, and on Chinese, Indian, and Japanese religions. The volume also explores the experiences of communities that are often marginalized and overlooked such as the Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders of Australia and the Karen tribal peoples of Thailand. Contributors examine the works of the Focolare, Gülen, and Risshō Kōsei-kai movements, and integrate the vision of Raimon Panikkar and Ken Wilber. Chapters incorporate discussions of dialogue documents such as Nostra Aetate and Dabru Emet, and methodologies such as Receptive Ecumenism, Comparative Theology, and Scriptural Reasoning. Among other goals, the book seeks to offer glimpses into interfaith dialogues across the world and examine what Christians can learn from other religions and global contexts.

Interfaith dialogue is a practice that could benefit diplomatic strategies but has not yet been brought into diplomacy’s scope. This paper uses the theoretical construct of faith-based diplomacy to recommend interfaith dialogue as a viable strategy within diplomatic activities.

Communication theory provides a compelling way to understand how people of faith can and should work together in today’s tumultuous world. In A Communication Perspective on Interfaith Dialogue, fifteen authors present their experiences and analyses of interfaith dialogue, and contextualize interfaith work within the frame of rhetorical and communication studies. While the focus is on the Abrahamic faiths, these essays also include discussion of Hinduism and interracial faith efforts. Each chapter incorporates communication theories that bring clarity to the practices and problems of interfaith communication. Where other interfaith books provide theological, political, or sociological insights, this volume is committed to the perspectives contained in communication scholarship. Interfaith dialogue is best imagined as an organic process, and it does not require theological heavyweights gathered for academic banter. As such, this volume focuses on the processes and means by which interfaith meaning is produced.

The first of a two-part sequel to the award-winning Zen and Western Thought, this book attempts to clarify a Buddhist view of interfaith dialogue from various points of view. The writings in this volume are divided into three parts. Part One focuses on how Buddhism approaches and contributes to interfaith dialogue, that is, how Buddhism represents a methodological model that serves as a basis for the possibility of dialogical exchange. Part Two contains four essays on the relationship between Buddhism and Paul Tillich, the leading modern systematic theologian who drew on mystical sources and was also receptive to Eastern thought in developing his understanding of non-being or negation. Part Three continues a discussion of earlier themes and opens up several new issues, particularly those involving the role of meditation in the East and West and the ethical implications of the Buddhist doctrine of karma in comparison with Christian moral activity. Topics explored include the Buddhist notion of emptiness, liberation, justice, faith, and ethics.

Amidst successive episodes of interreligious violence in Myanmar between 2012 and 2014, interfaith dialogue emerged as a crucial conflict resolution and prevention mechanism. The 2011–16 Union Solidarity and Development Party administration often indirectly promoted the use of interfaith dialogue to defuse interreligious tensions and conflicts, though its political will was questionable. Various governmental, intergovernmental, and non-governmental actors have engaged in interfaith dialogue, peace, and harmony initiatives in the past seven years. The present National League for Democracy administration has more actively sought to engage in intrafaith promotion of Buddhism and in interfaith peace and harmony initiatives. Intergovernmental, international and local interfaith actors also work in the interfaith dialogue field, but their impact is relatively weak because the government remains the most important actor in Myanmar in transition. Although the National League for Democracy has largely eliminated Buddhist nationalist groups such as Ma Ba Tha, Buddhist identity politics remains influential after the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army’s attacks in Rakhine State in 2016 and 2017 and the consequent refugee crisis. Although extreme anti-Muslim Buddhist identity politics may not see a resurgence in the approach to the 2020 general elections, it may come back in more nuanced forms. Interfaith dialogue and other training and activities for interreligious peace and harmony will thus remain relevant to the political scene.

This volume looks at the history of encounter between the two religions, the types of dialogue that are taking place both locally and nationally, and the hope that conversation brings for better interfaith understanding.