Religious dialogue mode

Author: Paul Knitter
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2004-01-01
Features: With his unique reconciliatory and accessible style, Paul Knitter provides us with a masterful summary of the various major tendencies in the theological debates between Christianity and other religions. His analysis in this book is sharp and incisive, revealing where the collision of different perspectives can lead to creative insights. This is the first book one should read in this field. Religious Dialogue Models is an important work by Paul Knitter, which surveys the stances and attitudes of Christianity toward other religions over the past century. He categorizes these stances and attitudes into four models: the substitution model, the fulfillment model, the mutual benefit model, and the acceptance model. Knitter objectively describes these four models and honestly analyzes their strengths and weaknesses, but he does not evaluate their right or wrong or prioritize them. Instead, he encourages dialogue among Christians holding different theological models and calls for more effective cooperation between different religions. The book is written with admirable clarity and an outstandingly fair attitude. It serves as a brilliant introduction to the various religious theologies of Christianity that have developed in response to the contemporary religious pluralism. It outlines the entire debate on interreligious dialogue while also being an original contribution to dialogue theology.