The Breadth of the Riches

• Authors: Jon Paul Sydnor
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

Is transreligious theology possible? Yes, but only as a very specific practice. If we accept the neologism „transreligious“ then we must understand it in contrast with the more traditional terms „interreligious“ and „comparative“. Interpreted this way, „transreligious theology“ describes religious discourse about ultimate reality between those with no particular religious identity. Their conversation is panreligious, treating all theological resources equally, without preference for any tradition over any other tradition. This conversation will be quite different from interreligious dialogue or comparative theology, in which participants claim a religious identity while remaining open to the insights of other traditions. Hence, „transreligious theology“ is a descriptive term rather than a prescriptive method. It is already practiced by the non-religiously affiliated who hold an interest in the spirituality of all religions. Even though it may be helpful to some, it is not a necessary practice, since effective theological development can still occur between those with specific religious identities, and by those who only study their own religious traditions.

Keywords

EN

transreligious theology; comparative theology; interreligious dialogue; interfaith; comparativereligion; theology; world religions; religious studies; epistemology; difference

• Publisher: Sciendo
• Journal: Open Theology
• Year: 2016
• Volume: 2
• Issue: 1

Dates

received

2016-01-20

accepted

2016-03-04

online

2016-04-25

Contributors

author

Jon Paul Sydnor

• Emmanuel College, Boston, USA

Identifiers

DOI

10.1515/opth-2016-0022