Common Ground: Islam, Christianity, and Religious Pluralism

INTRODUCTION: Religious Pluralism Today

I N T R O D U C T I O N RELIGIOUS PLURALISM TODAY IN 2007 A GROUP OF MUSLIMS presented the Christian world with a message titled ‘‘A Common Word between Us and You.’’ This message, an expression of interreligious solidarity at a time of religious tension, spoke of a shared Christian-Muslim commitment to love of God and love of neighbor. Since then a number of meetings have been convened to discuss the document, which has received encouragement at the highest levels of religious authority and political power. There has also been caution, including a call to recognize the basic differences as well as the commonalities. It is not surprising to find common ground between Christianity and Islam, which, along with Judaism, look to Abraham as proto-monotheist , friend of God, and father of the covenant between God and his people. At the same time religions make unique claims. Indeed, the very concept of religion may differ from one tradition to another. The common ground will always be contested. This is something for believers to take up in forging their own sense of religious purpose in today’s highly pluralistic world. Unique claims will be affirmed, but there is also space to include others under the umbrella of a single truth. The  declaration of the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, Dominus Iesus, promulgated under the prefecture of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, invites theologians of the Church ‘‘to explore if and in what ways the historical and positive elements of . . . [other] religions may fall within the divine plan of salvation.’’ Indeed , article  of the Catholic Catechism states that God’s plan of 1 2 INTRODUCTION salvation includes Muslims who ‘‘acknowledge the Creator . . . [and] profess to hold the faith of Abraham.’’ Quite straightforwardly, a verse in the Qur’an (:) says that if God had wanted, all peoples would have believed together. The point, as drawn by many a Muslim thinker over the centuries, is that religious pluralism is part of the divine plan. In principle, the study of Christianity and Islam through a single albeit refracted lens should include Judaism. Every insight in this book can be enriched by bringing in the Jewish perspective. In a way, Judaism stands at the heart of both Christianity and Islam. It has a strong sense of the messianic promise and a strong commitment to religious ethics. The common ground is ultimately tripartite. However, every study has its limits. Here, in light of the Common Word initiative, the focus is Christianity and Islam. It is hoped that others with greater expertise in Judaism will build on the initiative and offer further ideas on the various streams that flow from the figure of Abraham. The study of religious pluralism is by nature a work in progress. There is a good deal of skepticism about religious pluralism, much of it healthy. Why cram different traditions into a single box? They may use the same language (scripture, grace, and so on) but often mean very different things. When religious communities live side by side, they often share common cultural values. Christians living amidst a Muslim majority often take on various aspects of the Islamic heritage, and the same is true of Muslims living amidst a Christian majority. But, in the end, adaptation always takes place in reference to a recognized set of truths that do not change. There are unique truth claims, but there is also some sense of studying one religion in light of another. Scholarly inquiry is never untouched by the wider debates of the day. There is much public discussion about Islam. Is it a religion of peace? Is it a religion of violence ? Insight into possible common ground between Christianity and Islam will offer direction for the wider discussion. The study of religious pluralism, then, does not aim to cram different religions into a single box but seeks to reach greater understanding of religion. Indeed, it can force us to be more precise when we use religious terminology, such as RELIGIOUS PLURALISM TODAY 3 scripture and grace. What do we really mean by words like these and do they apply in the same way from one tradition to the next? The study of religious pluralism can take up all religions, but one must have ample familiarity with the religions in question. Superficial comparison is always a danger. As a scholar of Islam, I...