Encounters between Religions (THE2210)

30 credits

For all of its history, Christians have encountered other religions and in many cases entered into dialogue with them. Sometimes less than successfully, with acrimony and violence. Other times constructively, clarifying Christian teaching and leading to a cross-fertilisation between different religious traditions. This module draws on a variety of disciplines to examine the history of interreligious encounters and the differing theologies of religion, and the contemporary turn towards a sympathetic comparative theology that aligns different traditions theologically while drawing on the practices of interreligious dialogue. Emphasis will be placed on the changing role of comparative theologies in the post-secular public sphere and a knowledge of a variety of world religions.