Interreligious Dialogue Research Articles

From Tradition to Mainstream: Understanding the Integration of Islamic Law in Various Global Settings

The study highlights the importance of integrating Islamic law in global legal settings, enriching the legal framework, and promoting interreligious dialogue. This is an important area that needs to be understood and taken seriously in the context of ongoing world changes. The study used a qualitative approach to analyze academic literature, legal documents, and related research reports from various sources. The research findings identify several significant examples of integration of Islamic law in different global settings, including Muslim and non-Muslim majority countries. The integration of Islamic law in a worldwide legal environment offers meaningful potential. First, values such as social justice, balance, and common good in Islamic law can provide a different and complementary perspective to the principles of secular law. This impacts more inclusive and fair policies for the Muslim community. Second, the integration of Islamic law can better facilitate interreligious dialogue. Non-Muslim communities' more profound understanding of Islamic law may open the way for constructive dialogue, mutual understanding, and cooperation in addressing global legal issues. This has the potential to reduce tensions and increase interreligious tolerance. However, challenges and controversies are also part of integrating Islamic law. Recognition of the validity and relevance of Islamic law in more comprehensive legal settings is still doubted by some. At the same time, differences in interpretation and implementation can lead to tensions in diverse societies.

The Contribution of Mohammad Natsir's Thoughts in The Formation of The Unitary State of The Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) Perspective of Religious Moderation Da'wah

This research is qualitative in nature which produces descriptive data. This research is a type of library research, which is conducting research by studying and reading literature that has to do with the problem that is the object of research. This type of research is included in the explanatory, which is looking for new things from historical facts in the form of the application of Mohammad Natsir's da'wah thought to then be formulated analytically as a strategy pattern in religious moderation da'wah using descriptive analysis methods. This technique begins with reducing data, then organizing and explaining, verifying then ending with impending data on "The Contribution of Mohammad Natsir's Thought in the Formation of the Sovereign State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) Perspective of Da'wah Religious Moderation". The purpose of this study is to find the concept of Religious Moderation Da'wah Mohammad Natsir and its implementation in the formation of the Republic of Indonesia. The concept of Da'wah Religious Moderation carried out by Mohammad Natsir by explaining what Mohammad Natsir's contribution to the Republic of Indonesia and in preaching, The concept of Mohammad Natsir's religious moderation da'wah is Robbaniyah, Tawasut and Tasammuh, then implemented in: First in Statehood this is illustrated during the discussion of Pancasila, Islam as the basis of the state, Integral Motion and tolerance towards political opponents. Second, in Da'wah by conducting inter-religious dialogue, proposing Modus Vivendi, socializing the Islamic Concept, da'wah against Sekularism and establishing a Da'wah Institute (Dewan Dakwah Islamiyah Indonesia / DDII). Third in Education by establishing educational institutions such as UII, UIKA, Bandung Islamic University, Islamic University of North Sumatra, Riau University, STID and Pendis. Mohammad Natsir also initiated the Concept of Integral Education by uniting Campuses, Mosques and Pesantren.

Should moral commitments be articulated? An introduction

ABSTRACT This Special Issue questions a basic assumption in thinking about morality: the idea that the explicit articulation of moral commitments that usually remain implicit is the basis par excellence for dialogue and rapprochement between people of opposing views. Nicholas Adams shows in the main article of this Special Issue that there is a paradox behind this assumption concerning ethics itself: articulating moral commitments may end up undermining them. It inherently stands in tension with forms of life as people actually inhabit them. Adams associates this basic paradox of ethics with the problem of forced articulation in particular discursive regimes, such as interreligious dialogue. The practice of Scriptural Reasoning is introduced as an alternative mode of dialogue that is less vulnerable to the distortions of articulation. The five response articles (by Petruschka Schaafsma, Ariën Voogt, Rob Compaijen, Dominique Gosewisch, and Sophia Höff) address aspects of Adams’ challenge to articulation in relation to morality, rather than the setting of interreligious engagement. They point out the value of articulation in spite of its inherent imperfection, or constructively elaborate on how to deal with the paradox of ethics as analyzed by Adams. Finally, Adams responds by addressing the concerns of these replies.

The Role of Vakya Vidya in The Digital Era Dialogue

Mastery of philosophy and theology is very influential in internal and inter-religious dialogue. Besides critical thinking and well-established argumentation, dialogue, debate, and discussion are central knowledge in darśana. Hindu thinkers mastered Tarka-Vāda and were able to dialogue with adherents of Sanatana Dharma and with followers of other faiths. The expertise of di Ādi Śaṅkarācārya and other Hindu thinkers in the field of Tarka-Vāda is essential today for Dharmapracārakas, teachers, Hindu Scholars, academics, and Hindu devotees. In addition, the mastery of Tarka-Vāda as an effort to support the science of communication (Vakya Vidya) in the Hindu tree of knowledge and glorify Vācaspati.

Relevance of Interreligious Dialogue Amidst Multiplicity in the Society

Purpose: The study aimed to examine the relevance of interreligious dialogue amidst multiplicity in the society
 Methodology: The study applied desktop review methodology to gather relevant literature.
 Findings: We are living in pluralist world, confronted with a supermarket of ideologies and religions. The variety of ideologies particularly religious ideologies and beliefs poses problems when any one of them is regarded as the supreme and absolute truth and the rest of them are considered to be of no use. In the past centuries religious exclusiveness cause enough suffering locally, but today clashes between religious have global repercussions. Today, when the world has attained a great technological progress and scientific achievements, it is disconcerting to say that the people are making disputes in the name of religion. Thousands of people are killed and nations have been divided. In this era of confusion and distressed life, where we grow more afraid than the previous day, afraid of our neighbors, or folks, our society and other’s beliefs. To protect the humanity form this appalling condition the only solution would be interreligious dialogue which is mandatory if not dynamic for everyone to have the understanding of different religions.
 Recommendations: this study believe that education is the most important thing for smooth education dialogue process. Evidence has shown that interreligious dialogue is one of the paths to build bridges among diverse cultural and religious communities that otherwise would be in conflict.

Religious education in Catholic schools in Ireland and South Korea: complex layers of diversity, policy and teacher agency

ABSTRACT This paper explores and compares the experiences and perspectives of primary teachers regarding the teaching of religion in Catholic schools in Ireland and South Korea. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten teachers from each country. The findings highlight the contrasting perspectives of teachers from the two countries regarding the importance of and approach to religious education as a response to the challenges posed by pluralism. Teachers from Ireland predominantly exhibit a proactive approach, valuing diverse viewpoints and making efforts to engage in interreligious dialogue. Conversely, many teachers from South Korea demonstrate a deep appreciation for their own belief in God and prioritise the faith development of children. The comparative study highlights the importance of understanding teachers’ experiences and the ways in which they navigate the intersection of religious diversity, national policies, Catholic ethos, and their own personal faith perspectives. Our findings demonstrate the central role of teachers’ beliefs and future-oriented agency in the construction and implementation of religious education which does not always follow prescribed confessional or secular-neutral approaches.

Integration of Religious Moderation in Developing an Islamic Religious Education Curriculum

This research aims to explain the integration of various modes in developing an Islamic religious education curriculum. This type of research is qualitative with a research library approach. Research data consists of data on religious moderation, curriculum development, and PAI material from primary sources in the form of relevant books and journals. Data collection techniques are carried out using documentation. The researchers' data sources were obtained from books and journals about religious moderation, curriculum development, and PAI materials. Data analysis uses Content Analysis. Based on the research results obtained, the integration of religious moderation in the Islamic religious education curriculum has the potential to produce education that is more inclusive, tolerant, and respectful of diversity of beliefs. A curriculum development process that considers principles of religious moderation tends to create a learning environment that is more open to interreligious dialogue and better understanding between religious groups. The importance of training for teachers and education stakeholders in implementing the integration of religious moderation in Islamic religious education practices. Periodic evaluation of the curriculum that has been integrated with various moderations needs to be carried out to ensure that integration goals are achieved and are in line with societal developments. This research results provide recommendations for stakeholders in Islamic religious education to adopt and develop a diverse moderation approach in curriculum as a step towards a more harmonious and inclusive society. Thus, this conclusion shows that the integration of religious moderation in developing an Islamic religious education curriculum can make a positive contribution to creating more inclusive and tolerant education, as well as encouraging better understanding between religious groups. In addition, this research also highlights the importance of training and sustainability evaluation in carrying out this integration effectively.

RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE: EXPLORATION IN THE LIGHT OF ANTHROPOLOGY OF RELIGION

Religion is a major cultural element that holds an integral role in societies formation and organization. But differences in religious ideologies and beliefs, results in societal conflicts. Study aims at highlighting the arguments that arise due to religious differences amongst individuals of a community and is focused on the role of religious anthropologists to highlight the consequences of the increasing religious issues and to propose solutions through cultural relativism and cross-cultural approaches. Studying various religious rites and practices fosters cross-cultural communication and interfaith understanding, resulting in the enhancement of research in the field of the anthropology of religion and correction of misconceptions at different levels. A multireligious community with a majority Muslim population and minorities of Christianity and Sikhism at 6th Road, Rawalpindi for primary data collection with unstructured in-depth interviews with an interview guide as a qualitative mode has been observed. The explanatory research methodology was applied to examine how or why interfaith harmony occurs or not. Also, the findings indicated that Emile Durkheim’s approach to a house of worship, where the community served as a place to practice different religions, brings people together and establishes bilateral relations. Keywords: Interfaith Harmony, Cultural Relativism approach, Cross Cultural Study, Inter Religious Dialogue, Community Development, coexistence

Religious Freedom as a Political Technology

The principles of freedom of conscience and of non-discrimination on religious and national grounds, forming the basis of international declarations and constitutions of most states of the world, have become a great historical achievement of mankind. However, at a certain stage, the freedom of conscience became a political tool. This was caused by the desire of Western governments, mainly the United States, to create their own democracy canon that could be introduced into other societies and states, making them open to American interests. The religious factor has acquired a great political signifi cance both in regional and global confl icts, and in the struggle between neoliberal anti-traditionalism and identism, which protects the right of nations, cultures and conservative religions to preserve their identity, instead of transforming along with the pattern of left-liberal elites, LGBT communities, feminists and environmentalists. Neoliberalism, or anti-traditionalism, eagerly brands any declaration of civilizational identity as “xenophobia” and “fascism”. Religion has become one of the main fi elds, where the struggle between identity and anti-traditionalism or “liberal democracy” takes place. The article highlights several areas, where the religious freedom is used as a technology in real politics. The fi rst one is the democratization of legislation in individual countries and the adjustment of its provisions related to the freedom of conscience, the status of religious associations and the regulation of their activity. The second one is the shaping of public opinion and the formation of public interest organizations that promote the principles of religious freedom and act in line with the neoliberal understanding of democracy and the norms of political correctness. The third one is interreligious round tables and trainings with the participation of public off icials, religious leaders and public associations, which is something other than just an interreligious dialogue. They “equalize” Muslims, Orthodox Christians, Catholics, and Protestants in the public fi eld. The principles of religious freedom that the society and the state need in the context of Western anti-traditionalism have become their opposite. Pluralism and religious diversity started to be used as the primary target, since they both most closely corresponded to the demands of American liberal democracy and world anti-identity. The current religious freedom turned out to be far from the tolerance of the Peace of Westphalia. Instead of peaceful coexistence, the new concept of the freedom of conscience, on the contrary, often suggests the oppression of dominant churches and traditions.

The Performance of Interreligious Dialogue in the Realm of International Relations

Interreligious Dialogue (IRD) is neither a simple concept, nor a simple practice. Even before we consider the issues of such things as the ethics, hermeneutics, and praxis of understanding across diverse worlds of meaning, it is something that is enacted and performed according to social, cultural, and political discourses. The agendas of participants, sponsors, and any supposed audience all have consequences for the performativity of IRD. This paper will specifically focus on the concept of performance in relation to IRD in the political sphere, most particularly the way that IRD has become part of international relations. Attention will be given to typologies and framings of IRD, including what does, or does not, get classed as being IRD, or “true” dialogue, but herein no definition is prescribed, taking a broad approach. We will look at some specific examples of IRD in relation to track 1.5 diplomacy, noting how it relates to a securitised framing of dialogue and to what Oddbjørn Leirvik has termed “necessary dialogue”. The whole paper will be framed within the concept of performance, or performativity, which will be the main analytical approach, but taking a wider critical religious studies approach to considering how IRD is performed, or operates, within international relations.

Communicating the Message Analysis on Tiktok @Huseinjafar to Maintain Interfaith Tolerance

Tiktok has become one of the most popular social media for many Indonesian young millennials. They seek the content at Tiktok mostly for their daily references. Husein Ja’far Al Hadar, a trending moslem scholar utilized Tiktok to deliver the message of inter religious dialogue. We analyzed one short video content using semantic method on Tiktok @huseinjafar which only contained the conversation among Islam, Christian and Buddhist. They talked about their perspectives on tolerance. The finding shown that the harmonious interreligious dialogue could bring the mutual understating when it communicated in peaceful way. The constructive communication process of their dialogue in the video brought the message of living in harmony and respecting each other toward the differences. Tiktok @huseinjafar wanted to deliver the true message of human values by worshiping God and the loving all mankind to shape harmonious interreligious environment.
 Keywords:, Communicating, Tolerance, Human Values, Tiktok

The role of religion in conflict and peace-making

ABSTRACT This article seeks to describe the role of religion in society both in terms of cohesion, where it can provide a spiritual and moral ‘glue’ for a particular society and in terms of its ‘prophetic’ aspect, where it can challenge the state or society and the direction it, or some elements in it, may be taking. It will then consider how religion can go wrong and fuel conflict between ethnic groups within nations or between nations. Examples will be given from the Middle Ages, early modern Europe and contemporary nationalisms in Asia and Europe. Religion can also, the article argues, be a powerful force for making and maintaining peace between groups and nations. This can arise directly from religious conviction or it can be the result of patient dialogue between representatives of religious traditions about how each tradition encourages, or even requires, them to work for peace whether locally, nationally or internationally. Particular attention will be given to the ‘Abrahamic’ faiths because of their global reach and because they are a factor in conflict, as well as in peace-making, in so many parts of the world. There will also be discussion of the accountability of religious traditions in the context of inter-religious dialogue, in the media and in the public square, regarding their role in promoting fundamental freedoms, good stewardship of the natural world, bringing conflict to an end and promoting peace and collaboration among diverse ethnic, religious and socio-economic groups.

Jesus as a Historical Man Based on Oddbjørn Leirvik’s Thoughts: Interreligious Dialogue between Islam and Catholicism

This article discusses Jesus anthropologically and his implication as well as historicity in the Islamic context. In Islam, Jesus is called ‘Īsā al-Masīḥ. In this article we discuss Jesus in the Quran and the Hadith, the anthropology of Jesus in Islam, the miracle of Jesus in the Islamic context, the Christian polemic against Islam in the Middle Ages and the dialogue and peace between Christians and Muslims. The method employed is content analysis of relevant primary and secondary data. The data collection method uses library research to explore various reference sources. The primary and secondary data obtained are then analyzed using a qualitative approach. The result is that the figure of Jesus based on Oddbjørn Leirvik’s thought can be used to promote harmony and peace in religious relationships, and it is very relevant to Indonesian context. The awareness of the figure of Jesus based on Islamic and Catholic teachings is essential to promote harmony especially in Indonesia.

The Faiths of Others: A History of Interreligious Dialogue. By Thomas Albert Howard. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2021. xii + 360 pp. $38.00 cloth.

The Faiths of Others: A History of Interreligious Dialogue. By Thomas Albert Howard. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2021. xii + 360 pp. $38.00 cloth.

THE PHILOSOPHY OF DIALOGUE AND COEXISTENCE IN THE LIGHT OF THE TORAH, THE GOSPEL AND THE HOLY QUR’AN: PRESENTATION AND CRITICISM

The researcher sought to study the nature of the dialogue of religions and what are its reasons and objectives and its relationship to coexistence, and then clarify the dialogue of religions in the Torah, the Bible and the Holy Quran. Among the most prominent results obtained through the study is that the issue of interfaith dialogue is found in some texts of the Torah and is inconsistent with other Jewish biblical rulings that call for peoples' discord and differentiation and incite against peoples. The Jews, their personality and their history are incompatible with the issue of dialogue. The issue of interreligious dialogue is not incompatible with the Bible. On the contrary, the Bible emphasized the principle of dialogue with others, defined its etiquette, and sought to overcome social, political and religious barriers. The most prominent forms of dialogue in Christianity are: the dialogue of coexistence and the dialogue of missionary (evangelization). As for the position of the Holy Qur’an on dialogue and the principle of coexistence, it has a positive role. There are explicit texts indicating the legitimacy of religious dialogue, its conditions and etiquette, and that the dialogue of religions in the Qur’an has four levels as follows (calling, arguing, mubahala, and disavowal)

Ересь и адиафора в лютеранской догматике

This article is a historical, philosophical, and religious analysis of the reception of the concepts of "heresy" and "adiaphora" in Lutheran dogmatics. There is tension between the condemnation of heresies in Lutheran confessional books and the unconditional recognition of heresies as such by all Lutheran denominations. The problem of understanding the term "heresy" among Lutherans is considered, and a conclusion is made about the similarity of the terminological reception of the Reformation period with the era of the early church, when the lack of a clear definition of the concept of "heresy" did not prevent it from being used in a polemical sense, loading it with negative connotations in order to emphasize the unity of true Christian teaching. Such Lutheran confessional books as "Augsburg Confession", which is a sufficient basis for confessional self-determination and is recognized by all conservative and liberal Lutheran denominations, and the "Formula of Concord", which strictly defines the boundaries of Lutheran confessional identity, are studied. A number of historical examples of heresies mentioned and condemned by Lutheran theologians in the corpus of religious confessional writings are considered. The fact of the practical acceptance of church tradition by confessional Lutherans, in particular the results of the first ecumenical councils, the patristic tradition as evidence of faith and understanding of Holy Scripture, as well as a number of other significant aspects of church heritage, is emphasized. The change in the context of the use of the concept of "adiaphora" is analyzed, a conclusion is made about the preservation of the semantics of the term "adiaphora" in essence, and it is proved that the ethical context of its use among the Stoic philosophers and in the patristic tradition is transformed into a dogmatic one in Lutheranism. It is emphasized that this paradigm contributes to the formation of a tolerant attitude among Lutherans towards dissent and heterodoxy, which opens up opportunities for interreligious dialogue and the development of interchurch communication. A generalizing conclusion is made about the role of discussions of early Lutheranism in the formation of key tenets of Lutheran teaching and Lutheran confessional identity.

“Who is my Neighbour? Interfaith Dialogue and Theological Formation” (Responses)

The following are three response papers that were presented at the “Who is My Neighbour? Interfaith Dialogue and Theological Formation Conference,” held on October 19, 2022, and are indirectly responding to Amy-Jill Levine's discussion on Christian-Jewish dialogue.
 The first response paper by Jean Duhaime, entitled “Christian-Jewish Dialogue and Theological Formation,” discusses how Christian-Jewish dialogue has been viewed and theologically negotiated in the Catholic tradition since Vatican II. By also addressing various Jewish reactions to the shift in Catholic attitudes towards the Jewish tradition, Duhaime illustrates the work still needed to be done for the Catholic Church to clarify its understanding of the relationship between Christianity and Judaism while simultaneously highlighting the value of including Jewish-Christian dialogue in the formation and training of religious leaders.
 The second response paper by Sherril Gilbert, entitled “Why Training in the Art of Interreligious Dialogue Is Necessary for Theological Education: Thinking About ‘Who Is My Neighbour?’ From a Jewish Perspective,” discusses her personal experience in the seminary and her work as a Rabbi in multifaith contexts. Rabbi Sherril Gilbert’s response shifts the focus from the dialogue of theological exchange to what interreligious dialogue theorists would call “the dialogue of life” – which is to say, she articulates the wholistic value of interfaith dialogue, and, in doing so, demonstrates why it is crucial to incorporate a concern for interfaith dialogue into modern theological education.
 The last response paper by Hassan Guillet, entitled “La Table interreligieuse de concentration du Québec: A Case Study” examines his personal experiences with interfaith dialogue during the COVID-19 pandemic, as a founding member of the Table Interreligieuse de concertation du Québec. He explains how this experience opened his eyes to the power of interfaith dialogue and collaboration, and also to the need to expand interfaith dialogue initiatives to include as many faith communities as possible, including Indigenous faith communities that are not as clearly demarcated as, say, Christianity, Judaism, or Islam

Asian Christianity and Theology: Inculturation, Interreligious Dialogue, Integral Liberation, written by Edmund Kee-Fook Chia

Asian Christianity and Theology: Inculturation, Interreligious Dialogue, Integral Liberation, written by Edmund Kee-Fook Chia

Care as a Way of Interreligious Dialogue

Abstract Intentional interreligious learning and dialogue usually take place at the academic level and deal with conceptual issues, but in pluralistic societies dialogue takes place naturally in interpersonal situations, such as therapy and other forms of helping or caregiving. In this essay, the author demonstrates the usefulness of care, an essential human expression and value, as a topic and means of interreligious dialogue. As a topic, studies on care in different cultural or religious contexts can uncover an underexplored aspect of those contexts. As a way or means of dialogue, care can help dialogue partners overcome conceptual issues and focus on the basic aim of dialogue itself: social and individual well-being. To demonstrate this, the author critically compares care and caring in Western and Chinese perspectives. A brief glimpse of a diverse but misunderstood Chinese caregiving tradition reveals new possibilities for the subject and practice.

Determining the Characteristics of Faith-Themed Routes in Order to Receive an International Certificate: Studies on St. Paul’s Travels

The religious journeys of humanity and their components are now recognized as cultural heritage values. UNESCO, WHC, ICOMOS, CIIC, and COE are organizations that actively work and issue international certificates for the protection, promotion, and survival of religious routes. These organizations have certified 14 faith-based routes as of 2023. A route’s certification is critical since it allows the route to be recognized globally and accessible to international tourism. However, each institution has its own set of requirements to obtain these certificates. When all religious cultures are examined, 14 routes are insufficient to explain the phenomenon of religion to today’s people. For this reason, it is beneficial to increase the current number by re-activating the religious routes that have affected large masses. Many countries apply every year to obtain certificates from these organizations with various route studies. However, many applications are rejected as insufficient. Therefore, the goal of this study is to determine the effective criteria for religious routes to receive international certification. In this regard, St. Paul’s Route stands out for its extensive geography spanning 12 countries and international potential. St. Paul is regarded as the most important figure in the spread of Christianity from Jerusalem to Anatolia and Europe. However, the St. Paul Routes being implemented do not meet the criteria of the any certificates. But the authentic St. Paul Route has the potential to receive certification from all organizations. In this research, the criteria required for the St. Paul Route to be certified by international organizations were investigated. A certified St. Paul Route will benefit many issues, including inter-religious dialogue between 12 countries, international cooperation, world peace, and sustainable tourism. It is thought to be an exemplary route with these features.