Journal of Ecumenical Studies

S. Wesley Ariarajah, Strangers or Co-Pilgrims? The Impact of Interfaith Dialogue on Christian Faith and Practice. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress, 2017. Pp. 256. $34.00, paper.

This book argues that interfaith dialogue begins with the primary goal of improving Christian relationships with people of other religious traditions. Gradually, however, we become aware that this new ministry, when taken seriously, presents many new challenges, forcing us to reexamine our approach to religious plurality and our theology of religions. It also raises questions on how we read the Bible, understand the Christian mission, and do theological reflections in a multifaith context.

The Baha’i Faith and African American History: Creating Racial and Religious Diversity. Edited by Loni Bramson. Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield, Lexington Books, 2018. Pp. 269. $129.00, cloth; $41.99, paper.

This book examines the intersection of African American history with that of the Bahá’í Faith in the United States. Since the turn of the twentieth century, Bahá’ís in America have actively worked to establish interracial harmony within its own ranks and to contribute to social justice in the wider community, becoming, in the process, one of the country’s most diverse religious bodies.

Edmund Kee-Fook Chia, World Christianity/World Religions Encounters: A Summa of Interfaith Dialogue. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2018. Pp. 252. $29.95, paper.

Synthesizing the thinking of the most prominent scholars, Chia discusses Christianity’s encounter with other religions in this comprehensive book. The author covers topics including, among many others, the invention of the idea [End Page 153] of World Religions and World Christianity; the Bible and the church’s attitude toward other faiths; Vatican II; Asian Christianity; the what, why, when, and how of interfaith dialogue; and the global ecumenical movement.

Crow Jesus: Personal Stories of Native Religious Belonging. Edited by Mark Clatterbuck. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 2017. Pp. 280. $29.95, paper.

Crow Christianity speaks in many voices, and, in the pages of Crow Jesus, these voices tell a complex story of Christian faith and Native tradition combining and reshaping each other to create a new and richly varied religious identity. In this collection of narratives, fifteen members of the Apsáalooke (Crow) Nation in southeastern Montana and three non-Native missionaries to the reservation describe how Christianity has shaped their lives, their families, and their community through the years.

Andrew Fiala and Peter Admirand, Seeking Common Ground: A Theist /Atheist Dialogue. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock, Cascade Books, 2021. Pp. 294. $52.00, cloth; $37.00, paper.

Seeking Common Ground is a dialogue between an atheist philosopher and a Catholic theologian about religion and nonreligion, as well as about dialogue itself. The book provides a framework for dialogue grounded in seven key values: Harmony, Courage, Humility, Curiosity, Honesty, Compassion, and Honor. Unlike typical “debates” about religion and atheism, Fiala and Admi-rand show that atheists and theists can work together on projects of mutual understanding.

Contemporary Muslim-Christian Encounters: Developments, Diversity, and Dialogues. Edited by Paul Hedges. New York: Bloomsbury Publishers, Blooms-bury Academic, 2017. Pp. 272. $144.00, cloth; $44.95, paper.

This book addresses the key issues in the present-day global encounter between Christians and Muslims. The first part examines theoretical issues and concerns that affect dialogue between the two traditions. The second part highlights case studies from around the world. Chapters come from established scholars, including Reuven Firestone, Douglas Pratt, and Clinton Bennett, emerging scholars, as well as practitioner perspectives.

Nathan Kollar and Muhammad Shafiq, Sacred Texts and Human Contexts: A North American Response to “A Common Word between Us and You.” [End Page 154] Rochester, NY: Hickey Center for Interfaith Studies and Dialogue, 2014. Pp. 437. $35.50, paper.

This book describes the holy books of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; provides multiple religious contexts for some of their common stories; and analyzes the challenges of enabling these ancient texts to be understood in today’s world through the choice of proper contemporary language. It takes the bold step of re-reading the famed divisive texts of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam that are used to wage war, demand conversion, and...