Rowman & Littlefield Publishers Beyond Agreement: Interreligious Dialogue Amid Persistent Differences

Beyond Agreement addresses the thorny question of how to make interreligious dialogue productive when the religious differences are so large that finding common ground seems unlikely. The book offers a way to think about interreligious dialogue that allows people to stay committed to their own truth as they have come to know it while being open to learning from other religions. It then outlines a way for Christian theologians to enter into a profitable dialogue with the beliefs and traditions of other religions by presenting practical steps to follow in order to keep the dialogue productive and respectful of similarities and differences among religions. Review This is an excellent book that takes up the challenge of whether and how to pursue interreligious dialogue when one has no interest in changing one's religious affiliation because one knows his own faith tradition is right. Steinkerchner wisely suggests that the purpose of dialogue is not agreement, lest it be defeated from the start, but to find a rapport and understanding that lies beyond agreement. Drawing on examples from Buddhism, Taoism, and Christianity, this engaging book is a creative contribution to an area of increasing interest and concern--dialogue or lack thereof among the religions of the world.--Donald Goergen, OP, author of Fire of Love Beyond Agreement is certainly original; it presents a Wittgensteinian approach to comparative theology and applies it by way of a reading of the Gospel of John through the Tao notion of wu wei. The text reads very well, the writing is clear, and the argument proceeds logically to its conclusion. This is solid scholarship on interreligious dialogue.--Thomas Cattoi, Jesuit School of Theology Steinkerchner makes both a vigorous and a rigorous defense of comparative theology: he shows how and why we can and should learn from those whom we hold to be fundamentally wrong. Whether one is convinced by his case or not, following him as he carefully constructs it, is both thoroughly engaging and enlightening.--Paul F. Knitter, Paul Tillich Professor of Theology, World Religions, and Culture, Union Theological Seminary This book joins the growing rank of distinguished works on religious pluralism, interreligious dialogue, and comparative theology and will be a necessary reading for those interested in these challenging themes.--Peter C. Phan, The Ignacio Ellacuria Chair of Catholic Social Thought, Georgetown University This is a carefully argued challenge to those who find religious differences problematic. The author turns difference into an opportunity for learning, self-transformation, and critical engagement, helpfully furthering the project of comparative theology.--Gavin D'Costa, University of Bristol About the Author Scott Steinkerchner, OP, is associate director of the Center of Dominican Studies at Ohio Dominican University.