The Past, Present, and Future of Theologies of Interreligious Dialogue ed. by Terrence Merrigan and John Friday

Abstract

Reviewed by: The Past, Present, and Future of Theologies of Interreligious Dialogue ed. by Terrence Merrigan and John Friday Peter A. Huff The Past, Present, and Future of Theologies of Interreligious Dialogue EDITED BY TERRENCE MERRIGAN AND JOHN FRIDAY Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2017. xi + 259 pages. $98. ISBN: 9780198792345. The theology of interreligious dialogue is a thriving enterprise in all areas of theological research and one of the growing edges of holistic theological education. Theologians specialize in it. Dioceses organize it. Popes enact and enlarge it. This set of essays, generated by a 2014 conference at the Catholic University of Leuven, communicates both the current vitality of theologies of dialogue and their promise for the future of Christian engagement with a religiously diverse world. The collection's thirteen essays are divided into three sections, each showcasing a category relevant to the theology of dialogue: the Christian doctrinal tradition, religious experience, and the concept of otherness. The authors, some of the leading practitioners of contemporary interreligious dialogue, represent prominent theological faculties in Europe, the United Kingdom, the United States, and India. The co-editors, both affiliated with the conference's host institution, have also contributed substantive chapters to the project. The volume's lead article by Merrigan, [End Page 116] well-known to scholars in Newman studies, launches the multifaceted conversation on dialogue with a consideration of Newman's distinction between doctrine and the underlying principles in the Christian worldview. Systematic theology dominates the book, with historical and comparative theology in support. Perspectives from other branches of the theological discipline are almost wholly absent. The essays address the theology of dialogue from a variety of angles. Some focus on figures who have influence to shape distinctive approaches of dialogue—figures, in addition to Newman, such as Ramon Llull, William James, Paul Tillich, and Bernard Lonergan. Others concentrate on events important in the heritage of dialogue, such as the 1893 World's Parliament of Religions and the Second Vatican Council. Some attempt to shed new light on perennial questions or problems in interfaith dialogue, such as the relationship between Christianity and Judaism. Some facilitate intriguing interface between classic texts. Other, more speculative essays, open new paths in theological reflection on the dynamics of dialogue and the discernment that accompanies dialogue. The most provocative essays are found in the third section of the book, on the acknowledgment of alterity. Jeannine Hill Fletcher's chapter on the original Chicago Parliament argues that modern interreligious dialogue will never fulfill its function until it is liberated from the hegemonic Christian, male, and white perspectives that have defined its methods and assumptions for many decades. Catherine Cornille's essay on soteriological agnosticism calls for a bracketing of questions regarding the salvific character of traditions—questions that have long burdened the mutual exchange between people of faith with concerns peculiar to one faith or one set of faiths. Felix Wilfred's case for religious cosmopolitanism, springing from the conviction that "all religions belong to the entirety of humankind" (217), is a refreshing reminder that the span of dialogue extends far beyond the boundaries of nation, language, and institution. The originality and daring of the contributors make this book an important addition to the rapidly expanding library on theologies of interreligious dialogue. Its bibliography is a generous gift in its own right. Nearly half of the writers are women, but the range of theological, ecclesial, and ethnic perspectives is disappointingly narrow. Atheism, incorporated into Vatican-sponsored interreligious affairs by Pope Benedict XVI almost a decade ago, is not recognized as a vital partner in global dialogue. At the heart of the project is an unresolved tension between the theology of dialogue and the theology of religions. Even with its limitations, the collection points toward the next phase of dialogue's fascinating and evolving career. Specialists, graduate students, seminarians, and church leaders will profit greatly from it. [End Page 117] Peter A. Huff Benedictine University (Illinois) Copyright © 2020 National Institute for Newman Studies