S. Wesley Ariarajah Bücher

This book argues that interfaith dialogue begins with the basic goal of improving Christian relationships with people of other religious traditions. But gradually we become aware that this new ministry, when taken seriously, presents many new challenges, forcing us to reexamine our approach to religious plurality and our theology of religions. It also raises questions on how we read the Bible, understand Christian mission, and do theological reflections in a multifaith context. As the title of the volume suggests, the emergence and growth of interfaith dialogue has been looked upon by some as a threat to the future of Christianity and its mission in the world. Others consider dialogue a phenomenon that will give new vitality and relevance to Christianity in a religiously plural world.The articles included here were delivered as lectures at conferences or written for periodicals, mainly in Asia, at different times and in response to a variety of circumstances. The unity of the volume lies in the fact that each of the articles addresses one of the issues crucial to interfaith relations.

A plea for reading and understanding the Bible not as a dividing wall between religious communities but as a 'lamp that sheds illumination on the life of Christians as they seek to live with people of other faiths'. Most Christians in the modern world live in situations of religious pluralism. They are constantly challenged, at many levels, to relate to people of other living faiths. But is the Bible supportive of a life in dialogue? That is the question The Bible and People of Other Faiths seeks to answer.