|
|
Books > Humanities > Religion & beliefs > General > Interfaith relations
This collaborative effort by a number of the world's leading
experts on the Holocaust examines the question: how should Vatican
policies during World War II be understood? Specifically, could
Pope Pius XII have curbed the Holocaust by vigorously condemning
the Nazi killing of Jews? Was Pius XII really 'Hitler's Pope', as
John Cornwell suggested? Or has he unfairly become a scapegoat when
he is really deserving of canonization as a saint? In Pope Pius XII
and the Holocaust, scholars including Michael Marrus, Michael
Phayer, Richard L. Rubenstein and Susan Zuccotti wrestle with these
questions. The book has four main themes: (1) Pope Pius XII must be
understood in his particular historical context. (2) Pope Pius XII
put the well-being of the Roman Catholic Church, as he understood
it, first and foremost. (3) In retrospect, Pope Pius XII's
priorities, understandable though they are, not only make him a
problematic Christian leader but also raise important questions
about post-Holocaust Christian identity. (4) Jewish and Christian
memories of the Holocaust will remain different, but reconciliation
can continue to grow. On all sides, relations between Christians
and Jews can be improved by an honest engagement with history and
by continuing reflection on what post-Holocaust Christian and
Jewish identities ought and ought not to mean.
Under what conditions does in-group pride facilitate out-group
tolerance? What are the causal linkages between intergroup
tolerance and socialization in religious rituals? This book
examines how Muslims from Russia's North Caucuses returned from the
Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca both more devout as Muslims and more
tolerant of out-groups. Drawing on prominent theories of identity
and social capital, the authors resolve seeming contradictions
between the two literatures by showing the effects of religious
rituals that highlight within-group diversity at the same time that
they affirm the group's common identity. This theory is then
applied to explain why social integration of Muslim immigrants has
been more successful in the USA than in Europe and how the largest
Hispanic association in the US defied the clash of civilizations
theory by promoting immigrants' integration into America's social
mainstream. The book offers insights into Islam's role in society
and politics and the interrelationships between religious faith,
immigration and ethnic identity, and tolerance that will be
relevant to both scholars and practitioners.
Today the world is confronted with many religious wars and the
migrations of millions of persons due to these conflicts. There is
a need for informed dialog as to the roots of the conflicts and
ways of addressing these in ways that speak to peoples' minds and
hearts. This is what this book attempts to do from the viewpoint of
major religious and ethical thinkers. The book relies on Bernard
Lonergan's foundational method to address problems systematically
with a view to achieve breakthroughs in our openness to one
another. The book appeals to the teachings of the Buddha, Jesus,
and Mohammad, relying on the mystical and insights of these
religious founders as well as those of dozens of their followers so
as to find commonalities that can build bridges of mercy. A global
secularity ethics plays a leading role in this book's bridging
efforts.
Rita Gross and Rosemary Radford Ruether have long been known for
their feminist contributions to Buddhism and Christianity,
respectively. In this book, they talk candidly about what these
traditions mean to them in both their liberating as well as
problematic aspects. Throughout the book, their life stories
provide the rich soil, perhaps even the rationale, for their
theological and spiritual development. Despite the marked
differences in their life histories and their respective religious
faiths, Gross and Radford Ruether achieve surprising unanimity on
the paramount issue: what engaged Buddhism and enlightened
Christianity can offer in the struggle to create a new future for
the planet.
Founded by Charles Colson and Richard John Neuhaus in 1994,
Evangelicals and Catholics Together (ECT) has fostered a fruitful
conversation on the meaning of the gospel in today's world. Over
the course of twenty years, ECT has issued nine statements
addressing contemporary topics. This one-volume guide, the first
collection of the ECT statements, explores the key accomplishments
of this groundbreaking, ongoing dialogue. Introductions and notes
provide context and discuss history and future prospects. The book
also includes prefaces by J. I. Packer and Cardinal Timothy Dolan,
a foreword by George Weigel, and an epilogue by R. R. Reno and
Kevin J. Vanhoozer.
|
|