Transformation by Integration.

How Inter-faith Encounter Changes Christianity

PERRY SCHMIDT-LEUKEL

London: SCM-Press 2009
ISBN 978-0-334-04317-1, £25

A growing number of people see their own spiritual lives as being inspired by more than one religious tradition. Some, among them several pioneers of inter-faith dialogue, have even declared their allegiance to several religious traditions. Multi-religious identity formation and double-belonging are obvious signs of a process of significant transformation as a result of inter-faith encounter – a transformation that had been expected and positively willed by various inter-faith theologians. This book takes up the theological challenge and looks more deeply at a number of issues involved: What does it mean theologically to move beyond tolerance towards a genuine appreciation of other religions? How can multi-religious identity be assessed theologically? Will we have to reconsider the widespread dismissal of syncretism? Can Christian spirituality be deepened by Buddhist insights and can Christians accept the Buddha as a genuine mediator of the transcendent alongside Christ? What are the prospects of Comparative Theology and how can it contribute to the theological dimension of Christianity’s transformation? This book takes the next theological step on the basis of a pluralist paradigm within the theology of religions.