Perspectives on theology of religions

In the public theology discourse, the ‘public square’ concept has become significant. In today’s multicultural and globalised world, people with different religious affiliations will inevitably encounter one another in the public square. ‘Public theology’ cannot but become ‘theology of religions’. Scholars in the field of religion studies are compelled to reflect theologically on the relevance of religiosity in the postmodern secular world. The term ‘theology of religions’ refers to the academic inquiry into the relationship between religions. The collected essays constitute such an inquiry. Ultimately, it is not so much about the encounter of religions but rather about people. Religion is no longer regarded as a monolithic body of beliefs and practices. The authors concede that the concept ‘religion’ is too fluid to be delineated precisely.

This book focuses more on ‘theology of religions’ (plural) than on ‘theology of religion’ (singular). The book’s main objective is to present various perspectives on how theology of religions manifested in different contexts. This includes historical (i.e. Luther’s theology of religions and the Roman Catholic position on other religions as taken by Vatican II) as well as cultural and religious perspectives.

This scholarly book pays tribute to the academic contribution of PJ van der Merwe, mentor of the authors of these multifaceted reflections on theology of religions. The book distinctively contributes to the field with innovative perspectives on the relationship between Islam and Christianity in both the Roman Catholic and Protestant contexts.