Introduction

Abstract

Two central questions are the focus of discussion in this book: (1) What is the aim of interreligious dialogue? Under what conditions is this kind of dialogue possible? Is friendship between religions possible? (2) In my response to these two questions, I shall elucidate and defend two propositions: (a) the immediate end of interreligious dialogue is mutual understanding, and (b) the conditions of its possibility are tolerance, empathy, modesty, God-centeredness, mutual respect, and truth-mindedness. I begin the discussion with a brief analysis of the structural and formal conditions in general and then devote my attention to a detailed analysis of mutual respect, mutual understanding, God-centeredness, and religious self-understanding. I have chosen these four conditions primarily because they are the most contentious, most debated, and most essential to an adequate understanding of interreligious dialogue as a concept and as a possible event. In my analysis of these concepts, I restrict myself to the logic that underlies the possibility of interreligious dialogue: What are the logical requirements that need to be met in order to articulate an adequate conception of these conditions? What kind of analysis would inform and enable a meaningful conversation among the various religions of the world? In my endeavor to answer these and related questions, I acted as a logical analyst, as a metaphysician, and as a philosopher of religion. I have kept a steady eye on the following questions: First, what is the ontic basis of religion? How does an understanding of this basis shed a light of understanding on the viability of interreligious dialogue? Second, what are the commonalities and differences among the various religions of the world? To what extent do these differences constitute an obstacle that stands in the way of interreligious dialogue? Third, what is the most effective method for analyzing the main conditions of interreligious dialogue? Or, how can we arrive at an understanding of these conditions that may gain the approval of the different theologians, philosophers, and leaders of the different religions?