Scriptural paths for interfaith relations

Abstract

Many aspects of Scripture bear on our relationship with neighbors of other faith traditions and on the realities of religious pluralism. Yet, the Bible does not give us direct teaching about the living religions around us. To find guidance we need to coordinate material from several contexts: material about the nature of believers’ commitment to Christ, general norms by which we should relate to our neighbors (and enemies), examples of interactions of Israelites and the God of Israel with those of other religious backgrounds, the example of the one “other” religion whose validity is affirmed in Scripture—the Judaism of Jesus and of early Christians, and evidence on the witness and encounter of early Christians with those of other faiths. This article will provide a brief overview of these resources and of the multiple perspectives available to orient Christian participation in interfaith relations.