Making Nothing Happen is a conversation between five poet-theologians who are broadly within the Christian tradition - Nicola Slee, Ruth Shelton, Mark Pryce, Eleanor Nesbitt and Gavin D'Costa. Together they form The Diviners - a group which has been meeting together for a number of years for poetry, and theological and literary reflection. Each poet offers an illuminating reflection on how they understand the relation between poetry and faith, rooting their reflections in their own writing, and illustrating discussion with a selection of their own poems. The poets open up issues for deeper exploration and reflection, including: the nature of creativity and the distinction between divine and human creation; the creative process as exploration, epiphany and revelation; the forging of identity through writing; ways in which the arts reflect, challenge and dialogue with faith, and faith can inform and challenge the arts; power and voice in poetry and faith; and ways in which race, gender and culture interact with and shape poetic and theological discourse. This book will be of interest to poets and theologians, to all who read poetry and are interested in the connections between literature and faith, to those seeking inspiration for preaching, liturgy and pastoral care, and to those committed to the practice and nurturing of a contemplative attitude to life in which profound attention and respect are offered to words and to the creative Word at work.

Making Nothing Happen is a conversation between five poet-theologians who are broadly within the Christian tradition - Nicola Slee, Ruth Shelton, Mark Pryce, Eleanor Nesbitt and Gavin D'Costa. Together they form The Diviners - a group which has been meeting together for a number of years for poetry, and theological and literary reflection. Each poet offers an illuminating reflection on how they understand the relation between poetry and faith, rooting their reflections in their own writing, and illustrating discussion with a selection of their own poems. The poets open up issues for deeper exploration and reflection, including: the nature of creativity and the distinction between divine and human creation; the creative process as exploration, epiphany and revelation; the forging of identity through writing; ways in which the arts reflect, challenge and dialogue with faith, and faith can inform and challenge the arts; power and voice in poetry and faith; and ways in which race, gender and culture interact with and shape poetic and theological discourse. This book will be of interest to poets and theologians, to all who read poetry and are interested in the connections between literature and faith, to those seeking inspiration for preaching, liturgy and pastoral care, and to those committed to the practice and nurturing of a contemplative attitude to life in which profound attention and respect are offered to words and to the creative Word at work.

A growing number of people describe themselves as both Buddhist and Christian; but does such a self-description really make sense? Many people involved in inter-faith dialogue argue that this dialogue leads to a mutually transformative process, but what if the transformation reaches the point where the Buddhist or Christian becomes a Buddhist Christian? Does this represent a fulfilment of or the undermining of dialogue? Exploring the growing phenomenon of Buddhist-Christian dual belonging, a wide variety of authors including advocates, sympathisers and opponents from both faiths, focus on three key questions: Can Christian and Buddhist accounts and practices of salvation or liberation be reconciled? Are Christian theism and Buddhist non-theism compatible? And does dual belonging inevitably distort the essence of these faiths, or merely change its cultural expression? Clarifying different ways of justifying dual belonging, contributors offer criticisms of dual belonging from different religious perspectives (Theravada Buddhist, Evangelical Reformed and Roman Catholic) and from different methodological approaches. Four chapters then carry the discussion forward suggesting ways in which dual belonging might make sense from Catholic, Theravada Buddhist, Pure-land Buddhist and Anglican perspectives. The conclusion clarifies the main challenges emerging for dual belongers, and the implications for interreligious dialogue.

A growing number of people describe themselves as both Buddhist and Christian; but does such a self-description really make sense? Many people involved in inter-faith dialogue argue that this dialogue leads to a mutually transformative process, but what if the transformation reaches the point where the Buddhist or Christian becomes a Buddhist Christian? Does this represent a fulfilment of or the undermining of dialogue? Exploring the growing phenomenon of Buddhist-Christian dual belonging, a wide variety of authors including advocates, sympathisers and opponents from both faiths, focus on three key questions: Can Christian and Buddhist accounts and practices of salvation or liberation be reconciled? Are Christian theism and Buddhist non-theism compatible? And does dual belonging inevitably distort the essence of these faiths, or merely change its cultural expression? Clarifying different ways of justifying dual belonging, contributors offer criticisms of dual belonging from different religious perspectives (Theravada Buddhist, Evangelical Reformed and Roman Catholic) and from different methodological approaches. Four chapters then carry the discussion forward suggesting ways in which dual belonging might make sense from Catholic, Theravada Buddhist, Pure-land Buddhist and Anglican perspectives. The conclusion clarifies the main challenges emerging for dual belongers, and the implications for interreligious dialogue.

After Vatican II, the Roman Catholic Church began a process of stripping away anti-Jewish sentiments within its theological culture. One question that has arisen and received very scant attention regards the theological significance of the founding of the state of Israel in 1948 - and the attendant nakba, the plight of the Palestinian people. Some American evangelical Christians have developed a theology around the state of Israel, associating themselves with Zionism. Some Christian groups have developed a theology around the suffering of the Palestinian people and demand resistance to Zionism. This unique collection of essays from leading Catholic theologians from the United States, Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, England, and the Middle East reflect on the theological status of the land of Israel. These essays represent an exhaustive range of views. None avoid the new Catholic theology regarding the Jewish people. Some contributors see this as leading towards a positive theological affirmation of the state of Israel, while distancing themselves from Christian Zionists. All contributors are committed to rights of the Palestinian people. Some affirm the need for strong diplomatic and political support for Israel along with equal support for Palestinians, arguing that this is as far as the Church can go. Others argue that the Church's emerging theology represents the guilt conscience of Europe at the cost of the Palestinian people. None deny the right of Jews to live in the land. Two Jewish scholars respond to the essays creating an atmosphere of genuine interfaith dialogue which serves Catholics to think further through these issues.

Resurrection reconsidered revisits the vexed question arguably at the very heart of the Christian faith: What is the nature of the resurrection? The first part of this stimulating collection of essays, drawn from an international team of writers, examines the resurrection itself and reflects the many different positions within contemporary Christian thought, ranging from a defence of the resurrection as a literal historical event, through to an outright rejection of the resurrection, and a feminist- psychoanalytic critique. The book then explores the resurrection within an equally controversial arena: Christianity and other religions- pushing the debate into a broader, interreligious context. For scholars, students, clergy and all those concerned with Christianity in the modern world, Resurrection Reconsidered offers an exciting foretaste of the type of debate that will mark a pluralist twenty-first century.

This volume will show how various intellectual disciplines (most found within the modern university) can learn from theology and philosophy in primarily methodological and substantitive terms. It will explore the possible ways in which current presuppositions and practices of the displine might be challenged. It will also indicate the possibilities of both a "Christian Culture" in relation to that discipline or the way in which that discipline might look within a real or theoretical Christian university.

The Second Vatican Council (1963-65) changed the face of modern Catholicism in bringing it into a positive relationship with modern culture. There were significant changes in Catholic thought and practice regarding major topics. This timely and significant book looks at those major issues: revelation, liturgy, the church, ecumenism, world religions, mission, the role of Mary, and the future of the Church. The reader is introduced to the content of Vatican II documents, debates around their interpretation and the manner of their implementation. The essays are written by the leading figures in the Catholic Church and allow the reader to see the Council's impact upon modern Catholicism and engagement with the modern world.

The Second Vatican Council (1963-65) changed the face of modern Catholicism in bringing it into a positive relationship with modern culture. There were significant changes in Catholic thought and practice regarding major topics. This timely and significant book looks at those major issues: revelation, liturgy, the church, ecumenism, world religions, mission, the role of Mary, and the future of the Church. The reader is introduced to the content of Vatican II documents, debates around their interpretation and the manner of their implementation. The essays are written by the leading figures in the Catholic Church and allow the reader to see the Council's impact upon modern Catholicism and engagement with the modern world.

This volume will show how various intellectual disciplines (most found within the modern university) can learn from theology and philosophy in primarily methodological and substantitive terms. It will explore the possible ways in which current presuppositions and practices of the displine might be challenged. It will also indicate the possibilities of both a "Christian Culture" in relation to that discipline or the way in which that discipline might look within a real or theoretical Christian university. >

The purpose of this volume is to offer an authoritative overview of the positive relationship between faith and reason, the latter understood as different mode of philosophy. It will also show that despite important variations and differences, the manner in which Christan faith is able to interact with other intellectual disciplines is grounded in theology and is required by theology. Finally it will ground the overall project of "Religion and the University" firmly in different ecclesial communities within the Christian family and differing theological-philosophical orientations that might be trans-denominational.

This book presents three different, influential and representative theological approaches towards the world religions. Students are not only introduced to the field, but get three passionate and intelligent 'takes' on what is at stake. By means of a response to each of the primary essays, the authors are put into interaction with each other, and are also engaged with the most contemporary scholarship in the field of theology of religions. This sustained and high level critical interaction between the authors provides a feature that is not to be found in any other current work in theology of religions. The three views represent: conservative Roman Catholic Christianity (D'Costa), Reformed evangelical Christianity (Strange) and liberationist liberal Christianity (Knitter). This book will therefore appeal to a very wide theological market from all sections of the theological spectrum.

The purpose of this volume is to offer an authoritative overview of the positive relationship between faith and reason, the latter understood as different mode of philosophy. It will also show that despite important variations and differences, the manner in which Christan faith is able to interact with other intellectual disciplines is grounded in theology and is required by theology. Finally it will ground the overall project of "Religion and the University" firmly in different ecclesial communities within the Christian family and differing theological-philosophical orientations that might be trans-denominational.

This is an introduction to the World's major religions from a Catholic Perspective. There is no single standard textbook that outlines the official Roman Catholic theological position in relation to other religions which then explicates this orientation theologically and phenomenologically in relation to the four main religions of the world and the flowering of new religious movements in the west. The present project will cover this serious gap in the literature. After outlining the teaching of Vatican II and the magisterium since then (chapter one), each subsequent chapter will be divided equally between: an exposition of the history and features of the religion or movement being studied; and a serious theological analysis of these features, showing how these religions do have elements in common, as well as how they differ in fundamental ways from Catholicism.

A fundamental requirement in an inclusivist understanding of the relationship between Christianity and other religions is evidence of God's salvific activity outside any knowledge of Christ. This is commonly identified in the religion of Old Testament Israel. On this basis an analogy (the "Israel analogy") is drawn between the religion of the old covenant and contemporary non-Christian religions. Closely related is the parallel argument that as Christ has fulfilled the Old covenant, he can also be seen as the fulfillment of other religious traditions and their scriptures.This study outlines the use of the Israel analogy and the fulfillment model, subjecting these concepts to a biblical and theological critique revealing that the exegetical and patristic data are misconstrued in support of these concepts. Furthermore, the Israel analogy and the fulfillment model undermine the sui generis relationship between the old and new covenants and fail to respect the organic, progressive nature of salvation history. They also misconstrue the old covenant and the nature of its fulfillment in the new covenant. The Israel analogy and fulfillment model rely on a correspondence between the chronologically premessianic (Israel) and the epistemologically premessianic (other religions), and therefore consider the "BC condition" to continue today. In so doing, they undermine the significance of the Christ-event by failing to appreciate the decisive effect of this event on history and the nature of existence. It marks a radical turn in salvation history, a crisis point, rendering the BC period complete and fulfilled. Therefore the concept of a continuing "premessianic" condition or state is seriously flawed, as are the Israel

As religion has become more visible in public life, with closer relations of co-operation with government as well as a force in some political campaigns, its place in public life has become more contested. Fudged compromises of the past are giving way to a desire for clear lines and moral principles. This book brings the disciplines of law, sociology, politics and theology into conversation with one anther to shed light on the questions thrown up by 'religion in a liberal state'. It discusses practical problems in a British context, such as the accommodation of religious dress, discrimination against sexual minorities and state support for historic religions; considers legal frameworks of equality and human rights; and elucidates leading ideas of neutrality, pluralism, secularism and public reason. Fundamentally, it asks what it means to be liberal in a world in which religious diversity is becoming more present and more problematic.

In this timely study Gavin D'Costa explores Roman Catholic doctrines after the Second Vatican Council regarding the Jewish people (1965 - 2015). It establishes the emergence of the teaching that God's covenant with the Jewish people is irrevocable. What does this mean for Catholics regarding Jewish religious rituals, the land, and mission? Catholic Doctrines on the Jewish People after Vatican II establishes that the Catholic Church has a new teaching about the Jewish people: the covenant made with God is irrevocable. D'Costa faces head-on three important issues arising from the new teaching. First, previous Catholic teachings seem to claim Jewish rituals are invalid. He argues this is not the case. Earlier teachings allow us positive insights into the modern question. Second, a nuanced case for Catholic minimalist Zionism is advanced, without detriment to the Palestinian cause. This is in keeping with Catholic readings of scripture and the development of the Holy See's attitude to the State of Israel. Third, the painful question of mission is explored. D'Costa shows the new approach safeguards Jewish identity and allows for the possibility of successful witness by Hebrew Catholics who retain their Jewish identity and religious life.

As religion has become more visible in public life, with closer relations of co-operation with government as well as a force in some political campaigns, its place in public life has become more contested. Fudged compromises of the past are giving way to a desire for clear lines and moral principles. This book brings the disciplines of law, sociology, politics and theology into conversation with one anther to shed light on the questions thrown up by 'religion in a liberal state'. It discusses practical problems in a British context, such as the accommodation of religious dress, discrimination against sexual minorities and state support for historic religions; considers legal frameworks of equality and human rights; and elucidates leading ideas of neutrality, pluralism, secularism and public reason. Fundamentally, it asks what it means to be liberal in a world in which religious diversity is becoming more present and more problematic.

'This is an astonishingly rich and fascinating book, which engages with French feminist theory as well as with Islam, Hinduism and Judaism, as it revisits traditional Catholic themes: a book destined, I am sure, to renew and deepen reflection on the doctrine of God as Trinity.' -- Fergus Kerr, OP, Blackfriars, Oxford 'Gavin D'Costa is already well known for his questioning and sensitive theology of religions. In this book, he brings the same openness and sensitivity to a profound consideration of the Christian Trinity and its gendered representations in human culture. Through a series of lively and challenging engagements with the work of Luce Irigaray, Salman Rushdie and the Indian artist Jyoti Sahi, D' Costa develops a searching argument for why God is beyond gender and yet necessarily symbolized in both male and female terms. At once both deeply critical of his own Roman Catholic tradition, and yet passionate in defence of its possibilities, D' Costa argues for an understanding of the Church as 'completing' God's incarnation - in which all follow Mary as 'co-redeemers' with Christ - as a Marian and multi-gendered community. Confronting the complacency of both conservative and radical, this book is a brilliant example of the new 'theology of culture' that treats Christian tradition and contemporary concerns with equal seriousness.' -- Gerard Loughlin, University of Durham Gavin D'Costa is Senior Lecturer in Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Bristol.

This title is an introduction to the World's major religions from a Catholic Perspective. There is no single standard textbook that outlines the official Roman Catholic theological position in relation to other religions which then explicates this orientation theologically and phenomenologically in relation to the four main religions of the world and the flowering of new religious movements in the west. The present project will cover this serious gap in the literature. After outlining the teaching of Vatican II and the magisterium since then (chapter one), each subsequent chapter will be divided equally between an exposition of the history and features of the religion or movement being studied; and a serious theological analysis of these features, showing how these religions do have elements in common, as well as how they differ in fundamental ways from Catholicism.