Intercultural Theology, Volume Three

Ten Outstanding Books in Mission Studies, World Christianity and Intercultural Theology for 2019 — International Bulletin of Mission Research (IBMR)

Christianity is not only a global but also an intercultural phenomenon.

In this third volume of his three-volume Intercultural Theology, Henning Wrogemann proposes that we need to go beyond currently trending theologies of mission to formulate both a theory of interreligious relations and a related but methodologically independent theology of interreligious relations.

Migratory movements are contributing to an ongoing process of religious pluralization in societies that tended to be more religiously homogenous in the past. Interreligious platforms, movements, and organizations are growing in number. Meanwhile, everyday life continues to be characterized by very different modes of interreligious cooperation. Coming to a better understanding of such modes is a major concern for societies with high levels of religious and cultural plurality.

Wrogemann's conviction is that much would be achieved if we posed new and different questions. When it comes to interreligious relations, what is significant, and what is meaningful? What exactly is a dialogue? Which factors are at play when people from different cultural and religious traditions come into contact with each other as physical beings in real-life situations? What about the different images of the self and of the other? Which interests and hidden motives underlie which claims to validity? Exploring these questions and more in masterful scope and detail, Wrogemann's work will richly inform the study of interreligious relations.

Missiological Engagements charts interdisciplinary and innovative trajectories in the history, theology, and practice of Christian mission, featuring contributions by leading thinkers from both the Euro-American West and the majority world whose missiological scholarship bridges church, academy, and society.



Henning Wrogemann (DTheol, DHabil, Ruprecht-Karls University of Heidelberg) is a world-renowned missiologist and scholar of religion. He holds the chair for mission studies, comparative religion, and ecumenics at the Protestant University Wuppertal/Bethel in Germany, where he also heads the Institute for Intercultural Theology and Interreligious Studies. He is the chairman of the German Society of Missiology.

Preface to the English Edition (2019)


Preface to the German Edition (2015)


1. A Theology of Religions or a Theology of Interreligious Relations?


2. Developments to Date: Christian Classifications of Other Religions
Part I: Newer Christian Theology-of-Religion Models


3. Revisionist Approaches: John Hick and Paul Knitter


4. Interpretive Approaches: Michael von Brück and S. Mark Heim


5. Revisionist and Interpretive Approaches: A Critical Response


6. Selective Approaches: Francis Clooney


7. Interactionist Approaches: Amos Yong


8. Selective and Interactionist Approaches: A Critical Response


9. Comparative Remarks: Six Heuristic Questions
Part II: How Islam and Buddhism View Other Religions


10. The Ultimate Validity of the Qur'an and Religious Plurality: Islamic Perspectives


11. A Liberation-Theological Hermeneutics of the Qur'an: Farid Esack


12. An Islamist Hermeneutics of the Qur'an, and Tolerance: Muhammad Shahrūr


13. Nonadherence and Religious Plurality: Buddhist Perspectives


14. Models of Buddhist Thought


15. A Concluding Comparison: Six Heuristic Questions
Part III: Building Blocks for a Theory of Interreligious Relations


16. Is There a Need for a Theory of Interreligious Relations?


17. What Does Identity Mean? Interaction in Social Networks


18. Inclusions and Exclusions: Ambivalences


19. What Does Recognition Mean? Levels of Acknowledgment


20. Which Factors Are at Play in the Public Sphere? Spatial Relationships and Relationship Spaces


21. Pluralism, Multiculturalism, and the Theory of Society: Background Assumptions


22. The Basic Principles of a Theory of Interreligious Relations: An Outlook
Part IV: The Dialogical in Interreligious Relations


23. Dialogues and Intentions: Encounters


24. Dialogues and the Dialogical: Signs


25. Dialogue: Yes, but with Whom? Discourses


26. The Goal of Dialogue: The Proper Balance Between Intimacy and Dissociation
Part V: Toward a Theology of Interreligious Relations


27. A Theology of Interreligious Relations as a New Approach: Theses


28. The Power and Love of the One God: On the Biblical Concept of God


29. The Interreligious Communication of Jesus Christ: Searching for Traces


30. The Fellowship of the Spirit as a Contrast Model: The Example of 1 Peter


31. Endorsing Both a Dualistic Worldview and Pacifism? Taking Revelation as an Example


32. Ultimate-Justification Models as the Basis for Interreligious Relations: Looking Forward
Part VI: Intercultural Theology/Mission Studies and Religious Studies


33. Intercultural Theology: Implications of the Term


34. Intercultural Theology/Mission Studies: Dimensions


35. Intercultural Theology and Religious Studies: Looking Forward


Bibliography


Name Index


Subject Index


Scripture Index

"Wrogemann finishes his trilogy, the Intercultural Theology series, by addressing a key issue facing the global church—interreligious relations. As he points out, what is new about Christian relationships with other religions is that hardly a day goes by that we are not confronted with another religious tradition, often in the form of an adherent of one of those religions. His suggestions on how the global church and global Christians can face this ubiquitous issue are faithful, wise, and valuable. An excellent contribution to the literature."



"Böhmer's reader-friendly translation of Wrogemann's third and final volume of Intercultural Theology, A Theology of Interreligious Relations, does not fail to deliver. The first half presents a comprehensive review and assessment of prominent Christian approaches to other religions and an impressive sampling of Muslim and Buddhist approaches to other religions. The second half is a constructive project that moves from a theory to a theology of interreligious relations and offers much-needed methodological clarity to the ongoing debate about the proper relations between intercultural theology, mission studies, and religious studies. Wrogemann's massive contribution is theologically nuanced and should be on the syllabus of every seminary and divinity school seminar that takes seriously the mission of the Christian churches in an increasingly intercultural and interreligious world."



"This volume adeptly addresses some of the most pressing challenges facing the church and the human race in view of global migration and increasing religious pluralization. As with the prior two works in this trilogy, Henning Wrogemann highlights cognitivist and elitist misunderstandings of intercultural theology and argues that many theologies of religion do not sufficiently account for true plurality or satisfactorily safeguard the basic gospel mandate. Wrogemann's proposed progressive theory of interreligious relations and accompanying theology of interreligious relations breaks new ground in engaging non-Christian religions in a holistic and sensitive manner. This tour de force should serve as required reading for all Christian leaders seeking to equip the church to bear truthful and gracious witness to Jesus Christ in our ever more complex and diverse world."



"Wrogemann's book is a significant, nuanced and substantial contribution in the area of theology of religions and interreligious relations." weniger anzeigen expand_less