Conclusion

Abstract

Conclusion Domenik Ackermann (bio) The most recent generation of scholars engaging in comparative theological discourse has elevated issues of decoloniality and questions around decentering Western Christian theology. The discourses in this issue of CrossCurrents strive to be in line with a decolonial approach both on a meta-level and on the level of theological content. Indeed, in all of the articles presented here, the contributors imply that a comparative theology that wishes to engage seriously in decoloniality must reflect on and rethink the meaning of land, with its many facets of meaning and importance. On the topic, the contributions to this special issue on theologies of land not only showcase a kaleidoscope of meanings that land can have but also reveal that there is potential for further comparative theological engagement. We delineated how places, soil, and geography have theological meanings that reach into relevant meta-theological questions, as well as cultural and even political conversations. By way of conclusion, I should like only to mention possible pathways for further conversation. Clearly, the relevance of land with respect to religious traditions' identities reaches beyond the four perspectives presented here. There has been engagement in historical theology and the question of colonization, as well as studies in scriptures about the meaning of land, soil, and Israel. However, discourse across and between traditions is still a novelty. Our discourse on land, specifically, provokes me to think about what perspectives present themselves from native traditions outside the Batak, Anishinaabe, or Naga traditions. What further insights about the significance of land can we gain from the ongoing cultural-political discourses with Native people in colonized countries (such as those in North America, Africa, and Australia, to name just a few)? How can dialogue about land include Muslim insights, especially in the context of conversations about Israel and Palestine? These are but a few questions of many that must be asked. Finally, how can land, as a [End Page 86] paradox between porosity and particularity, help us further understand multiplicity and interconnectedness? The conversations that the four of us engaged in during the process of compiling this issue were rich and insightful. It is our hope that this conversation sparks interest in a broader theological conversation. I personally thank Michelle Voss Roberts, Hesron Sihombing and O'neil van Horn for availing themselves and creating these thoughtful and thought-provoking articles. I also thank Paul Hedges for introducing us, and S. Brent Rodriguez-Plate for offering CrossCurrents as an outlet for our conversations. [End Page 87] Domenik Ackermann Domenik Ackermann studied Protestant Theology in Göttingen (Germany), Heidelberg (Germany), and Beirut (Lebanon) with a focus on ecumenical issues and interfaith questions. A Ph. D. Candidate at the Theology Department at Boston College, his research interests include comparative theological and liturgical studies on Christianity and Judaism with a particular emphasis on the function of memory in prayerful activity. His dissertation "Prayerful Memory. What Christian Theology Can Learn from Jewish Practice" explores the meaning of prayer as an experience through Jean-Louis-Chrétien and Johann Baptist Metz in dialogue with Jewish liturgical functions of prayer. Domenik is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ (UCC). Copyright © 2023 Association for Public Religion and Intellectual Life