Religions: A Scholarly Journal - Volume 2009, Issue 1

In the foreword, Dr Almannai stresses the importance of knowing the other and understanding religious differences. Pluralism is a core principle of democracy and its value is acknowledged by Islam

Dr Laude explains the principles on which Adyan/Religions is based and their importance in our age of religious conflicts.

In this interview, Dr Nasr challenges the modernist and secular worldview and stresses the contemporary need for interfaith dialogue. What are the opportunities that interfaith dialogue creates for the great world religions and the potential obstacles to it? What is the specific meaning of interfaith dalogue for Muslims?

Bishop George Khor revisits the concept of Abrahmic family in the light of the Qu'ranic passages about the Christian faith and what we know about the history of the early Christian communities in the Arabic Peninsula.

In this article, Dr Kalin analyzes the application of the concept of "People of the Book" and discusses the grounds and limits of tolerance and intolerance towards other religions in the Islamic tradition. The focus is Judaism and Christianity. The author argues that, while Islam does not claim a monopoly on belief in God and leading a virtuous life, it sets strict conditions for accepting a faith as a legitimate path that one can follow to reach salvation. The tensions between the oneness and universality of the divine message on the one hand and the multiplicity of human communities on the other is also discussed.

Dr Lefebure explores some aspects of the history of Christian intolerance and discusses some strategies to shape healthier relations as we look ahead. Christianity has had a tragic and violent relationship to all of the world’s religious traditions, and this is particularly true of those religions with whom it is most closely bound in history and belief: Judaism and Islam. These three religions share many important beliefs and values, but for centuries Christians have repeatedly vilified and demonized Jews and Muslims. In more recent centuries, when increasing numbers of Christians came into contact with Native Americans, Buddhists, and Hindus, all too often Christians repeated often the age-old patterns of intolerance, defamation and violence in new contexts. These actions are profoundly contrary to the spirit and teaching of Jesus himself, and challenge Christians to undertake a critical reexamination of the tradition, the goal of this article.

Dr Cutsinger argues that in order to realize the essential unity of the great world religions but also to remain mindful of their intrinsic differences, the search for a common ground should be conducted at a metaphysical rather than a theological level. The focus of the present article is the apparent contradiction between the Christian Mystery of the Incarnation and the Islamic Tawhid.

Dr Amaladoss anayzes the Indian experience with religious pluralism, at the spiritual, political and social levels. He concludes that other countries of the world should learn more from the Indian understanding of what secularism truly means.

For several years now, Dr Eisen has been involved in dialogue and peacemaking efforts between Jews and Muslims throughout the world. There are great tensions between the two groups because of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In order to resolve those tensions, great effort must be exerted by both sides to truly understand what the other side is thinking and feeling. The author of this article argues his case by recounting the two histories of the Jewish and Muslim communities, how they have impacted on the psychologies of the two groups, and the similarities they share. His interest is not so much in pure history however, but how history has shaped the psychological make-up of Jews and Muslims and brought them into conflict in modern era.

Dr Shah-Kazemi revisits the question of religious pluralism in the light of the Qu'ran and the Sufi metaphysics of the Unity of Being. According to the author, this kind of approach to the question of religious diversity and interfaith dialogue ensures that the formal integrity and distinctness of each faith will be respected, and at the same time establishes the proper level at which we can say that all religions are at one.

Dr Soltes explores how the three Abrahamic faiths have expressed their message through visual symbols. He concludes on the relationship between images and political power in monotheistic religions.

In the modern world, too often religious faiths are being hijacked by extremists and instrumentalized politically. In this article, Dr Oldmeadow explores some constructive responses to the encounter of religions in the West.

After a brief theoretical discussion of the relationship between religion and violence, Dr Adogame analyzes the history and politics of religious violence in contemporary Nigeria through the prism of boundary making and negotiation; religious expansion and competition. The articles demonstrates that religion and politics are often manipulated by individuals and religious groups in ways that sustain religious strife, violence and ethnic bigotry, thus hampering meaningful inter-faith dialogue and coexistence.

Can Muslims talk to Hindus according to the Qur'ān, and, if so, on what basis? Having reminded his reader that traditionally Hindus were treated as "People of the Book" by Indian Muslims, Dr Sharma discusses three passages from the Qur'an that can serve as a basis for dialogue.

Mr Fortunato shares his experience celebrating the Buddha's Birthday at the Sri Lankan Embassy in Qatar.

تسعى مجلة أديان للتطبيق أسس الديموقراطية من خلال "حرية العقيدة وحرية الفكر والتعبير الآمن المطمئن". وتهدف المجلة لخلق بيئة تسمح "لقبول الآخر والتحاور معه" بهدف التعارف والتفاهم والتحاور بين الأديان.

يعرب رئيس التحرير عن ضرورة الحوار والتواصل بين الأديان من أجل التعارف والتفاهم و"بقصد تحقيق تعايش سلمي"، وذلك بسبب تزايد سوء التفاهم ما بين الأديان مما أدى إلى "عدم الثقة….والعنف بلا معنى".

من خلال المقابلة يتطرق حسين نصر إلى وضع الدين ومفهوم الأديان في عصرنا الحالي الذي يدور حول "عالماً قائماً على نسيان الله". وبالرغم من ذلك فإن السيد نصر متفائل بأن هناك فرص تسمح للأديان أن تُسمع صوتها للعالم من دون أن تعد التعددية الدينية خطراً. حيث أن السيد نصر يقوم بالتطرق إلى التعددية الدينية من منطلق تاريخي، ويوضح الدوافع التي أظهرت الدين بشكل نسبي، بالإضافة إلى مناقشة أهمية معرفة القواسم بين الأديان. ومن خلال المقابلة يقوم السيد نصر بشرح ومناقشة الوقائع التي تمر بها المفاهيم عن الدين والأديان، بالإضافة إلى ذلك يتطرق السيد نصر للحديث عن دور الإسلام والمسلمين في حوار الأديان من منطلق إجتماعي وديني، ويناقش بعض من العوائق التي تحد من حوار الأديان في العالم الإسلامي.

يناقش الكاتب مفاهيم جوهرية في الإسلام والمسيحية ألا وهي التوحيد، ويستشهد الكاتب بالآيات والأحداث التاريخية. مما يسمح للكاتب أن يقارن بين أوجه التشابه والإختلاف بين الإسلام والمسيحية من عدة مفاهيم مثل: الله والتوحيد والرحمة. ويقوم الكاتب بذلك من أجل حث القارئ أن "ما ييسر اللقاء الفكري هو [أن] تفهم الإسلام من مصادره والمسيحية من مصادرها". بالإضافة إلى ذلك يتطرق الكاتب للفكر اللاهوتي من خلال أوجه التشابه بين أسماء الله. ومن ثم ينتقل ليناقش الكاتب علاقة الله والناس في الإسلام والمسيحية. بالإضافة إلى ذلك يتطرق الكاتب إلى التفاعلات بين المجتمعات المسلمة والمسيحية في الدول العربية.

تتطرق الكاتبة إلى مناقشة مفهوم الإله في الأديان السماوية الثلاثة - اليهودية والمسيحية والإسلام - وبالأخص في الإسلام، وتلجأ إلى إيجاد أوجه الإلتقاء والتشابه في صورة الإله من خلال الديانات السماوية بالإضافة إلى التطرق إلى الإختلافات فيما بينهم. وتتناول الكاتبة مفهوم "الحقيقة الإلهية الواحدة" المشتركة بين الأديان السماوية ولكن في نفس الوقت تتطرق إلى أن صورة الإله تختلف في الأديان السماوية وليست متحدة في جميع المفاهيم والعبادات. ومن ثم تنتقل الكاتبة إلى الاستدلال ومناقشة وصايا سيدنا موسى وسيدنا عيسى والرسول محمد، بالإضافة إلى التطرق لفكرة أن رسالة الإسلام "مكملة للرسالتين السابقتين، وأن الأنبياء كلهم أخوة ودعوتهم واحدة".