Recent Developments in the Theology of Interreligious Dialogue: From Soteriological Openness to Hermeneutical Openness

Abstract

One of the main challenges to interreligious dialogue is in locating a proper balance between commitment to one's own religion while maintaining openness to the other. 1 "Can one combine openness and identity, dialogability and steadfastness in the interreligious dialogue?" 2 It is generally understood that the problem of the tensive relationship between identity and openness should be addressed from a theological perspective and that interreligious dialogue should be based on a correct theological evaluation of religious traditions. It is up to theological reflection to clarify why Christians must be open-or, conversely, should not be open-to those of other religions. It is theology that sets limits as to how far that openness extends and if there should be limits to one's openness when encountering the religious other. If Christians are to become more open, the questions of why this openness is appropriate (or not) and how this openness to the faith of another is related to one's own faith commitment, are answered, one by one, through theological reflection on, and interpretation of, religious diversity.In the first section of this article I explicitly take up the challenge of reflection from a theological perspective on the relationship between faith commitment and openness. This implies turning to the so-called theology of religions and the threefold soteriological typology of exclusivism, inclusivism and pluralism. My primary interest is to show precisely how the Christian

(The Image Of) God in All of Us

“…As developed and described by scholars of comparative ethics (Hedges ; Moyaert ; Schweiker ; Tracy ; Twiss , ; Twiss and Grelle ), those who participate in a hermeneutical‐dialogical approach examine relevant aspects of religious traditions—their own and/or others’—on some area of shared ethical interest or concern, digging as deeply as they can into the nuances and interweaving voices of the respective traditions and placing the traditions in engaged, respectful conversation with each other. I use this method to consider Sikh and Christian responses to a pressing global concern—the refugee crisis—because I believe that the approach provides a firm basis on which to face, clarify, and ameliorate some of our most pressing moral problems.…”

Inclusivist Soteriology: Mouhanad Khorchide’s Islamic Theology of Mercy and Its Contribution to Inter-Faith Dialogue

“…Inclusivism, on the other hand, looks to God's universal handiwork found throughout all forms of being and made for humanity in its entirety. In inclusivism religions can be seen as different paths towards a common goal and their adherents as collaborators in their quest for communion with the love of God [Moyaert 2012;6]. To show that the Qur'ān permits an inclusivist understanding of the possibility of salvation for those who do not follow Islam, Khorchide has this to say:…”

“…The Pluralist, of whom John Hick is an example, postulates that there might be a common reality which is the basis of all religious expressions concerning the Divine, see Khalil [2007;21] and Moyaert [2012;6]. This means that the pluralist model as a basis for dialogue does not focus on the particulars of each tradition but on commonalities.…”

“…"In short, the emphasis lies more on the unity, universality, and commonality, and less on the plurality, the difference, or the specificity, of the various religions" [Moyaert 2012;9]. For her a 'good theology' applies hermeneutical openness as a necessary tool for 'real dialogue,' in the context of comparative theology.…”

“…In her understanding of a pluralist interpretation of inter-religious dialogue Marianne Moyaert mentions following four pillars: commonality, deabsolutisation of truth, mutuality between dialogue partners, and dynamic understanding that enables openness for the Other [Moyaert 2012;8].…”