DIALOGUE ON RELIGIOUS ETHICS
A FORGOTTEN DIMENSION IN INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE
Keywords:
Christianity, Culture, Dialogue, Ethics, Globalization, Interreligious Overlapping Consensus, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Multireligious Societies, Norms, Peace, ValuesAbstract
The present article argues for a revival of interreligious (and intercultural) dialogue on ethics and law as an instrument of peace. Whereas the first phase of Interreligious Dialogue was marked by a considerable prominence of these topics, they later fell practically into oblivion. This state of affairs is lamentable for two reasons, one theoretical and the other practical. Theoretically the rationality of dogmatic or systematic insights (as found in all faith traditions) is largely exclusive, whereas the rationality of ethics, also religiously founded ethics, is basically inclusive. This means it is open to dialogue and common ground can be found which norms, rules and values better serve humans, the society and the political community they live in. This is of particular importance in today’s multi-religious societies and a world strongly interconnected because of globalization. The article concludes with some practical examples that were geared to form an interreligious alliance of the moderate.
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