Interreligious Studies: A Relational Approach to Religious Activism and the Study of Religion

Description

The notion of Interreligious Studies signals a new academic perspective on the study of religion, characterized by a relational approach. Interreligious Studies defines the essential features of interreligious studies compared with alternative conceptions of religious studies and theology. The book discusses pressing and salient challenges in interreligious relations, including interreligious dialogue in practice and theory, interfaith dialogue and secularity, confrontational identity politics, faith-based diplomacy, the question of interfaith learning in school, and interreligious responses to extremism. Interreligious Studies is a cutting-edge study from one of the most important voices in Europe in the field, Oddbjørn Leirvik, and includes case study material from his native Norway including interreligious responses to the bomb attack in Norway on 22nd July 2011, as well as examples from a number of other national and global contexts Expanding discussions on interreligious dialogue and the relationship between religions in new and interesting ways, this book is a much-needed addition to the growing literature on interreligious studies. Cover Half-title Title Copyright Contents Acknowledgements Introduction: Religious Activism, Interfaith Dialogue and Interreligious Studies 1 A Relational Approach to the Study of Religion Interreligious or transreligious? Relational studies Defining features A contextual approach 2 Philosophies of Interreligious Dialogue: Practice in Search of Theory Spiritual and necessary dialogues Philosophies of spiritual dialogue Philosophies of necessary dialogue Dialogue and negotiation Mutual change The concept of change in dialogue didactics A critical power perspective 3 Interreligious Dialogue and Secularity Secularization, secularism, secularity Secularity as a common space – for dialogue Does interreligious dialogue strengthen or weaken the established religions? Secularity as a common language A pre-modern, Islamic perspective on common language A humanistic, human rights-inspired language Secularity and the hermeneutics of love 4 The Image of the Other and Othering Discourses Dialogue versus identity politics ‘The Other’ and othering discourses Pre-modern and late modern othering of Islam and Judaism Muslim othering of Jews and Christians Openness and othering as simultaneous tendencies Christian othering of Muslims Stereotypes coming true? 5 Faith-based Diplomacy and Interfaith Activism: Dialogue from Above and Below Conflict between civilizations, or global ethic? Deductive and inductive approaches From neglect of religion to faith-based diplomacy? Faith-based problems Dialogue from above and below Interreligious dialogue and liberation theology: The religious and the suff ering Other Transreligious solidarity: A South-African example 6 Tolerance, Conscience and Solidarity: Globalized Concepts in Ethical and Religious Education? Palestinian Prelude About concepts Tolerance Tolerance as a politicized concept The conceptual history of tolerance Teaching for tolerance Conscience The conceptual history of conscience Globalizing the notion of conscience Conscience in Arabic Conscience, identity politics and the Golden Rule Teaching for tolerance: Th e case of Egypt Solidarity Drawing and transcending limits to tolerance 7 Interreligious Hermeneutics and the Ethical Critique of the Scriptures Interreligious hermeneutics – between texts and people Background problems in interreligious readings Sacred texts in new social contexts Ethical critique of sacred texts Moral critique or moral enrichment? Some Muslim perspectives Critical engagement with sacred texts – in shared spaces? Towards shared hermeneutical approaches? 8 The Sacred Space between: A Relational Theology in Dialogue with Islam Abandoning supersessionist claims? Towards a relational theology in dialogue with Islam Towards a humanization of theological ethics? Religious and secular concerns 9 Interreligious Studies and Interfaith Dialogue, in Academia Critical gender perspectives Education for or studies of dialogue? Living and researching the space in between Postscript: United against Extremism? Breivik’s extremism: Populist perceptions and hyper-violent performance United against extremism – in the name of God? Is extremism part of the religions? Appendices: Three Christian-Muslim Statements Appendix 1 Joint Declaration on the Freedom of Religion and the Right to Conversion (2007) Appendix 2 Say NO to Violence! (2009) Appendix 3 Joint Statement Opposing Religious Extremism Notes Bibliography Index