International conference
NEW PHILOSOPHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL
FOUNDATIONS FOR CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM
DIALOGUE
Portorož, May 27–29, 2019
PROGRAMME AND ABSTRACTS
International conference
NEW PHILOSOPHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS
FOR CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM DIALOGUE
Portorož, May 27–29, 2019
Mednarodna konferenca
NOVI FILOZOFSKI IN TEOLOŠKI TEMELJI
ZA KRŠČANSKO-ISLAMSKI DIALOG
Portorož, 27.–29. maj, 2019
PROGRAMME AND ABSTRACTS
PROGRAM IN POvzETkI
Koper 2019
International conference NEW PHILOSOPHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL
FOUNDATIONS FOR CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM DIALOGUE
Programme and Abstracts
Mednarodna konferenca NOVI FILOZOFSKI IN TEOLOŠKI TEMELJI ZA
KRŠČANSKO-ISLAMSKI DIALOG
Program in povzetki
Editors/Urednika: Gorazd Andrejč, Lenart Škof
Technical Editor/Tehnična urednica: Alenka Obid
Design and layout/Oblikovanje in prelom: Alenka Obid
Picture on the cover/Fotografija na naslovnici: Shutterstock.com
Publisher/Izdajatelj: Science and Research Centre Koper, Annales ZRS/Znanstvenoraziskovalno središče Koper, Annales ZRS
For the publisher/Za izdajatelja: Rado Pišot
Print/Tisk: Tiskarna Koštomaj d.o.o.
Circulation/Naklada: 80 copies/izvodov
This conference is financially supported by Slovenian Research Agency (ARRS projects J6-8265
Reanimating Cosmic Justice: Poethics of the Feminine and J6-9393 Interreligious Dialogue - a Basis for Coexisting Diversity in the Light of Migration and the Refugee Crisis) and The Embassy of
the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Konferenco sta finančno podprli Javna agencija za raziskovalno dejavnost Republike Slovenije
(ARRS projekta J6-8265 Oživljanje kozmične pravičnosti: poetika feminilnega in J6-9393 Medreligijski dialog - temelj za sožitje različnosti v luči migracij in begunske krize) in Veleposlaništvo
Kraljevine Nizozemske.
CIP - Kataložni zapis o publikaciji
Narodna in univerzitetna knjižnica, Ljubljana
2-67(082)
27:28(082)
INTERNATIONAL Conference New Philosophical and Theological Foundations for Christian-Muslim Dialogue
(2019 ; Portorož)
Programme and abstracts = Program in povzetki / International Conference New Philosophical and Theological Foundations for Christian-Muslim Dialogue, Portorož, May 27-29, 2019 = Mednarodna konferenca Novi
filozofski in teološki temelji za krščansko-islamski dialog, Portorož, 27.-29. maj, 2019 ; [editors Gorazd Andrejč,
Lenart Škof]. - Koper : Science and Research Centre, Annales ZRS = Znanstveno-raziskovalno središče, Annales
ZRS, 2019
ISBN 978-961-7058-14-7
1. Dodat. nasl. 2. Andrejč, Gorazd
COBISS.SI-ID 300000768
CONTENTS
7 INTRODUCTION
9 UvOD
13 PROGRAMME/PROGRAM
25 ABSTRACTS
27 Reza Akbari
The Role of Conceptual Metaphors in the Fruitfulness of Interreligious
Dialogues: Interreligious Dialogue as Friendly Co-Travelling
28 Gorazd Andrejč
Religious Freedom and the Epistemic Limitations of Religious Belief
30 Andrew Ashdown
An exploration of Christian-Muslim relations in Syria, 2000–2018:
Contextualising the religious landscape, historical and contemporary
dynamics, and eastern Christian frameworks of engagement
31 Hamidreza Ayatollahy
The Purpose of Interreligious Dialogue: Coexistence or Cooperation?
32 Maurits Berger
What Do We Mean by ‘Radical Islam’? – A Dutch Case Study
33 Maja Bjelica
The Turkish Alevis and their Interreligious Dialogical Inclination
34 Nadja Furlan Štante
Women’s Voices in Christian-Muslim Interreligious Dialogue – a Venue
for Religious Peace-building
35 Mohsen Javadi
The Primacy of Justice in Islamic Social Ethics: a Solution for Religious
and Cultural Conflicts
36 Janez Juhant
Religion, Society and Mystics: The Spiritual Ground(s) of Societal Life
38 Carool Kersten
Of Double Genealogies and West-East Investigations: Resetting The
Christian-Muslim Encounter
39 Elmar Kuhn
Is the Clash of Religions the Future of Our World?
40 Saida Mirsadri
Process Islam: Towards a Metaphysical Foundation for Interreligious
Dialogue
41 Jafar Morvarid
Language-Games Philosophy as a Philosophical Foundation for
Interreligious Dialogue
43 Joshua Ralston
Comparative Political Theology: a Framework for Christian-Muslim
Dialogue
44 Rasoul Rasoulipour
Philosophy of Religion: An Existential Approach
45 Mohammad Saeedimehr
Islamic Mysticism and Muslim-Christian Dialogue
46 Klaus von Stosch
Comparative Theology and Christian-Muslim Dialogue: A Relationship
of Mutual Foundation
47 Lenart Škof
A New Temporality of Religion: On Political Theology and its Ethical
Core
48 Javad Taheri
Possibility of a Comparative Theology According to Allamah Sayyed
Muhammad Hossein Tabataba’i’s Philosophy
49 Bojan Žalec
Religious Exclusivism, Dialogue and Coexistence
NEW PHILOSOPHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM DIALOGUE
INTRODUCTION
Today, few would disagree that interreligious dialogue is an indispensable tool (or medium) for mutual coexistence, acceptance and peace. In
recent times, the importance of such dialogue has been highlighted by the
revival and the resurgence of religion (de-secularisaton), relevant in variety of contexts – e.g. in the context of democratic politics, the context of
political extremism and terrorism, or that of integration or non-integration
of immigrants who are often of different faith and/or culture than that of the
host communites.
At the same time, we should also ask critically whether interreligious dialogue has indeed been as beneficial and useful as the dialogue activists claim
it has and as they want it to be. While dialogue between the religions can be
understood as a pressing step in the modern development of intercultural
relations, it can only work when it is founded on careful investigation of their
foundations.
At this conference, we want to reconceptualize the question of the importance of an active and well informed interreligious dialogue. The focus will
be on in-depth, philosophical-theological conversation between Christians
and Muslims. We will explore new ways in which philosophical theories can
foster Christian-Muslim understanding.
Examples of the questions to be addressed are:
•
•
•
Can Christian and Muslim theologies as equal partners in conversaton, and as comparative theologies, help us foster better intercultural
understanding?
What are best philosophical models and theories of dialogue for framing the theological conversation between European Christians on one
hand and Iranian and other Middle Eastern Muslims on the other?
Is it the Aristotelian, Platonist, one of the modern philosophical foundations (Continental, Analytical, Witgensteinian, Phenomenological,
Deconstructivist, Pragmatist, or other), or a combination of these?
7
NEW PHILOSOPHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM DIALOGUE
•
•
How can the experiences and perspectives of the relevant “in-house”
minorities (Muslim minorities in Europe, Christian minorities in the
Middle East), as well as those of Christians and Muslims in special
social and political circumstances (refugees, migrants, displaced persons), inform contemporary philosophical-theological dialogue between Christianity and Islam?
And, how should philosophical and comparative theologies address
the contemporary criticisms of interreligious dialogue, which brand
it as a failed tool for better understanding between cultures, or as a
Western invention and tool for cultural dominaton, or as a cover-up
for power-relations between groups in power, as opposed to empowering those who are ofen voiceless and excluded from interreligious
dialogue (“heretical” sects, secularists, women, sexual and other minorites, migrants)?
At the conference, we will address these and related questons in carefully
prepared lectures, delivered in pairs during thematically ordered 1,5 hour
sessions of two speakers, with ample time for responses and discussions.
The conference is held under the Honorary Patronage of the President of the Republic of Slovenia Borut Pahor.
8
NEW PHILOSOPHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM DIALOGUE
UvOD
Danes bi malokdo zanikal, da je medreligijski dialog nepogrešljivo orodje
(ali medij) za vzajemno sobivanje, sprejemanje in mir. V zadnjem času je pomembnost takšnega dialoga izpostavljena z oživljanjem in ponovnim vznikanjem religije (desekularizacijo), ki je relevantna v različnih kontekstih – na
primer v kontekstu demokratične politike, kontekstu političnega ekstremizma in terorizma ali kontekstu integracije oziroma neintegracije priseljencev,
katerih verska in / ali kulturna pripadnost je največkrat drugačna od tiste, ki
določa gostiteljsko skupnost.
Obenem bi se morali kritično vprašati, ali je bil medreligijski dialog resnično dobrodejen in koristen, kot to trdijo in želijo aktivisti dialoga. Dialog
med religijami je sicer v sodobnem razvoju medkulturnih odnosov mogoče
razumeti kot nujni korak, vendar je lahko učinkovit zgolj pod pogojem, da je
osnovan na pozornem raziskovanju religijskih temeljev.
Na konferenci želimo rekonceptualizirati vprašanje o pomembnosti aktivnega in dobro poučenega medreligijskega dialoga. Poudarek konference bo usmerjen na poglobljen filozofsko-teološki razgovor med kristjani in
muslimani. Raziskali bomo nove načine s katerimi lahko filozofske teorije
spodbujajo krščansko-muslimansko razumevanje.
Nekatera vprašanja, ki jih bomo obravnavali, so:
•
•
•
Ali lahko krščanske in muslimanske teologije kot enakovredne partnerice v pogovoru in kot primerjalne teologije pomagajo pri spodbujanju boljšega medkulturnega razumevanja?
Kateri so najboljši filozofski modeli in katere teorije dialoga za oblikovanje teološkega pogovora med evropskimi kristjani na eni strani ter
iranskimi in drugimi bližnjevzhodnimi muslimani na drugi?
Ali je ta model aristotelski, platonistični, katere izmed sodobnejših
filozofskih temeljnih teorij (kontinentalna, analitična, Wittgenstainska, fenomenološka, dekonstruktivistična, pragmatistična ali druga)
ali kombinacija teh?
9
NEW PHILOSOPHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM DIALOGUE
•
•
Kako lahko izkušnje in perspektive relevantnih »domačih« manjšin
(muslimanskih manjšin v Evropi, krščanskih manjšin na Bližnjem
vzhodu), pa tudi kristjanov in muslimanov v posebnih družbenih in
političnih okoliščinah (begunci, migranti, razseljene osebe), osveščajo sodobni filozofsko-teološki dialog med krščanstvom in islamom?
In kako naj filozofske in primerjalne teologije naslavljajo sodobne kritike medreligijskega dialoga, ki slednjega označujejo za neustrezno
sredstvo za boljše razumevanje med kulturami, ali kot izum Zahoda
in sredstvo kulturne dominacije, ali kot prikrivanje odnosov moči
med skupinami na oblasti, kot nasprotje opolnomočenju tistih, ki so
pogosto neslišni in izključeni iz medreligijskega dialoga (»heretične«
sekte, sekularisti, ženske, spolne in druge manjšine, migranti)?
Na konferenci bomo ta in z njimi povezana vprašanja obravnavali v okviru temeljito pripravljenih predavanj, ki jih bomo izvedli v dvojicah, v obliki
tematsko urejenih, uro in pol trajajočih zasedanj, ki bodo dovoljevala obilo
časa za odzive in razprave.
Konferenca poteka pod častnim pokroviteljstvom predsednika Republike Slovenije Boruta Pahorja.
10
NEW PHILOSOPHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM DIALOGUE
CONFERENCE ORGANIZED By / ORGANIZATOR KONFERENCE:
Institute for Philosophical Studies, Science and Research Centre Koper
(Slovenia) / Inštitut za filozofske študije Znanstveno-raziskovalnega
središča Koper (Slovenija)
In collaboration with / V sodelovanju z:
Iranian Association for Philosophy of Religion (Iran)
Centre for Comparative Theology and Cultural Studies, University of
Paderborn (Germany)
European Academy of Sciences and Arts (EASA) – World Religions Class
(Austria)
Society for Comparative Religion (Slovenia) / Društvo za primerjalno
religiologijo (Slovenija)
ORGANIZING AND PROGRAMME COMMITTEE /
ORGANIZACIJSKI IN PROGRAMSKI ODBOR:
Dr. Lenart ŠKOF, Chair of Programme Committee / predsednik
Programskega odbora
Dr. Gorazd ANDREJČ, Chair of Organizing Committee/ predsednik
Organizacijskega odbora
Dr. Klaus VON STOSCH
Dr. Nadja FURLAN ŠTANTE
Dr. Maja BJELICA
Mr. Javad TAHERI
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NEW PHILOSOPHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM DIALOGUE
PROGRAMME / PROGRAM
International Conference / Mednarodna konferenca
NEW PHILOSOPHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR
CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM DIALOGUE /
NOVI FILOZOFSKI IN TEOLOŠKI TEMELJI
ZA KRŠČANSKO-ISLAMSKI DIALOG
Hotels Bernardin, Portorož, May 27–29, 2019 /
Hoteli Bernardin, Portorož, 27.–29. maj 2019
MONDAy, May 27, 2019 / PONEDELJEK, 27. maj 2019
14.00–16.00
Registration / Registacija
14.00–15.00
Welcome coffee break / Dobrodošlica
(Hotel Bernardin, Hall / dvorana Emerald II)
15:00–15:50
Protocolar Speeches and Conference Opening /
Protokolarni govori in otvoritev konference
13
NEW PHILOSOPHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM DIALOGUE
Protocolar speeches / Protokolarni govori:
Prof Dr Rado Pišot, Director of the Science and Research Centre Koper /
direktor Znanstveno-raziskovalnega središča Koper
Prof Dr Nadja Furlan Štante, Science and Research Centre Koper /
Znanstveno-raziskovalno središče Koper, Leader of Research Project on
Interreligious Dialogue (Slovenian Research Agency) / vodja raziskovalnega
projekta o medreligijskem dialogu (ARRS)
H.E. the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Slovenia Kazem
Shafei / Nj. eksc. veleposlanik Islamske republike Iran v Sloveniji
Msgr Dr Jurij Bizjak, Bishop of Koper / koprski škof
Mag. Nevzet Porić, Secretary General of Islamic Community in the
Republic of Slovenia / generalni tajnik Islamske skupnosti v Republiki
Sloveniji
Dr Gregor Lesjak, Director of the Office for Religious Communities,
Ministry of Culture of Republic of Slovenia / direktor Urada za verske
skupnosti, Ministrstvo za kulturo Republike Slovenije
Conference Opening / Otvoritev konference:
Prof Dr Lenart Škof, Head of the Institute for Philosophical Studies/
predstojnik Inštituta za filozofske študije, ZRS Koper and the Chair
of the Conference Organizing Committee / ZRS Koper in predsednik
organizacijskega odbora konference
Assoc Prof Dr Gorazd Andrejč, ZRS Koper, Faculty of Arts, University of
Maribor and Woolf Institute, Cambridge / Inštitut za filozofske študije,
ZRS Koper, Filozofska fakulteta, Univerza v Mariboru in Woolf Institute,
Cambridge, Chair of the Conference Programme Committee / predsednik
programskega odbora konference
Prof Dr Elmar Kuhn, European Academy of Sciences and Arts / Evropska
akademija znanosti in umetnosti, – Dean of Class World Religions / dekan
Razreda svetovne religije
14
NEW PHILOSOPHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM DIALOGUE
Prof Dr Mohsen Javadi, Deputy Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance
for Cultural Affairs / namestnik ministra za kulturo in islamskega vodenja
za kulturne zadeve, Islamic Republic of Iran / Islamska republika Iran
Prof Dr Klaus von Stosch, Head of the Centre for Comparative Theology
and Cultural Studies of the University of Paderborn / vodja Centra za
primerjalno teologijo in kulturne študije Univerze v Paderbornu
16:00–17:30
Panel 1
Chair/Predsedujoči: Lenart Škof
Klaus von Stosch: Comparative Theology and Christian-Muslim Dialogue:
A Relationship of Mutual Foundation / Primerjalna teologija in krščanskomuslimanski dialog: Odnos skupnih temeljev
Hamidreza Ayatollahy: The Purpose of Interreligious Dialogue: Coexistence
or Cooperation? / Namen medreligijskega dialoga: sobivanje ali sodelovanje?
17:45–19:15
Discussion Panel - Round table /
Razprava - Okrogla miza
On the Futures of Islam and Muslims in Europe’s Democracies / O
prihodnostih islama in muslimanov v evropskih demokracijah (moderators
/ moderatorja: Gorazd Andrejč and Carool Kersten)
Participants: Elmar Kuhn (EASA Dean of Class World Religions) /
(EASA, dekan Razreda svetovne religije), Rasoul Rasoulipour (Kharazmi
University / Univerza Kharazmi, Tehran, Iran), Mari Jože Osredkar
(University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Theology) / (Univerza v Ljubljani,
Teološka fakulteta), Anja Zalta (University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Arts) /
(Univerza v Ljubljani, Filozofska fakulteta), Maurits Berger (University of
Leiden) / (Univerza v Leidnu)
19:30 Dinner / Večerja
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NEW PHILOSOPHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM DIALOGUE
TUESDAy, May 28, 2019 / TOREK, 28. maj 2019
All panels in Hotel Histrion / Vsi paneli v Hotelu Histrion,
Asteria conference room / Hotel Histrion, konferenčna dvorana Asteria
9:00-10:30
Panel 2
Chair/Predsedujoči: Joshua Ralston
Saida Mirsadri: Process Islam: Towards a Metaphysical Foundation for
Interreligious Dialogue / Procesni islam – k metafizičnim temeljem za
medreligijski dialog
Nadja Furlan Štante: Women’s Voices in Christian-Muslim Interreligious
Dialogue – a Venue for Religious Peace-building / Ženski glasovi v krščanskomuslimanskem medreligijskem dialogu – A Venue for Religious Peacebuilding
/ prostor za izgradnjo religijskega miru
9:00-10:30
Parallel panel 2A / Vzporedni panel 2A:
Postdoc & PhD students
Hotel Histrion, Larus conference room / konferenčna soba Larus
Chair/Predsedujoči: Gorazd Andrejč
Maja Bjelica: The Turkish Alevis and their Interreligious Dialogical
Inclination / Turški aleviji in njihova medreligijska dialoška naperjenost
Javad Taheri: Possibility of a Comparative Theology According to Allamah
Sayyed Muhammad Hossein Tabataba’i’s Philosophy / Možnost primerjalne
teologije po filozofiji Mohameda Huseina Tabataba’ija
10:30-11:00 Coffee Break / Odmor za kavo
16
NEW PHILOSOPHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM DIALOGUE
11:00-12:30
Panel 3
Chair/Predsedujoči: Klaus von Stosch
Janez Juhant: Religion, Society and Mystics: The Spiritual Ground(s) of
Societal Life / Religija, družba in mistika: duhovni temelj(i) družbenega
življenja
Rasoul Rasoulipour: Philosophy of Religion: An Existential Approach /
Filozofija religije: eksistencialni pristop
12:30-14:30 Lunch Break / Odmor za kosilo
14:30-16:00
Panel 4
Chair/Predsedujoči: Rasoul Rasoulipour
Carool Kersten: Of Double Genealogies and West-East Investigations:
Resetting The Christian-Muslim Encounter / O dvojnih genealogijah in
preiskavah med Zhodom in Vzhodom: ponastavitev krščansko-muslimanskega
srečanja
Lenart Škof: A New Temporality of Religion: On Political Theology and its
Ethical Core / Nova temporalnost religije: o politični teologiji in njenem
etičnem jedru
16:00-16:30 Coffee Break / Odmor za kavo
17
NEW PHILOSOPHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM DIALOGUE
16:30-18:00
Panel 5
Chair/Predsedujoča: Nadja Furlan Štante
Maurits Berger: What Do We Mean by ‘Radical Islam’? – A Dutch Case Study
/ Kaj mislimo z »radikalnim islamom«: nizozemska študija primera
Andrew Ashdown: An exploration of Christian-Muslim relations in
Syria, 2000–2018: Contextualising the religious landscape, historical and
contemporary dynamics, and eastern Christian frameworks of engagement
/ Raziskava krščansko-muslimanskih odnosov v Siriji, 2000–2018:
Kontekstualizacija religijske krajine, zgodovinskih in sodobnih dinamik ter
vzhodnih krščanskih okvirjev spoprijemanja
19:30 Dinner / Večerja
21:00
Christian-Muslim prayer / Krščansko-muslimanska molitev
(St. Bernardine Church) / (Cerkev sv. Bernardina)
Hosted by / Vodi Elmar Kuhn, with the cooperation of / sodelujeta Janez
Juhant and / in Reza Akbari
18
NEW PHILOSOPHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM DIALOGUE
WEDNESDAy, May 29, 2019 / SREDA, 29. maj 2019
9:00-10:30
Panel 6
Chair/Predsedujoči: Maurits Berger
Mohammad Saeedimehr: Islamic Mysticism and Muslim-Christian Dialogue
/ Islamski misticizem in muslimansko-krščanski dialog
Joshua Ralston: Comparative Political Theology: a Framework for ChristianMuslim Dialogue / Primerjalna politična teologija: okvir za krščanskomuslimanski dialog
10:30-11:00 Coffee Break / Odmor za kavo
11:00-12:30
Panel 7
Chair/Predsedujoči: Carool Kersten
Gorazd Andrejč: Religious Freedom and the Epistemic Limitations of
Religious Belief / Religijska svoboda in spoznavne omejitve religijskega
prepričanja
Jafar Morvarid: Language-Games Philosophy as a Philosophical Foundation
for Interreligious Dialogue / Jezikovne igre – filozofija kot filozofska osnova
za medreligijski dialog
12:30-14:30 Lunch Break / Odmor za kosilo
19
NEW PHILOSOPHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM DIALOGUE
14:30-16:00
Panel 8
Chair/Predsedujoči: Hamidreza Ayatollahy
Elmar Kuhn: Is the Clash of Religions the Future of Our World? / Ali je
spopad religij prihodnost našega sveta?
Mohsen Javadi: The Primacy of Justice in Islamic Social Ethics: a Solution for
Religious and Cultural Conflicts / Prednost pravičnosti pred velikodušnostjo v
islamski družbeni etiki: rešitev za religijske in kulturne konflikte
16:00-16:30 Coffee Break / Odmor za kavo
16:30-18:00
Panel 9
Chair/Predsedujoči: Jafar Morvarid
Bojan Žalec: Religious Exclusivism, Dialogue and Coexistence / Verski
ekskluzivizem, dialog in sobivanje
Reza Akbari: The Role of Conceptual Metaphors in the Fruitfulness of
Interreligious Dialogues: Interreligious Dialogue as Friendly Co-Travelling
/ Vloga konceptualnih metafor za plodnost medreligijskih dialogov:
medreligijski dialog kot prijazno so-potovanje
18:15-19:00 Concluding Remarks / Sklepni razmisleki
19:30 Dinner / Večerja
20
NEW PHILOSOPHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM DIALOGUE
21.00
Musicking Sound Dialogue with Zvenika /
Muziciranje zvočnega razgovora s triom Zvenika
A Muzofil collaboration / srečanje Združenja Muzofil
(St. Bernardine Church) / (Cerkev sv. Bernardina)
The sound event will offer a musicking experience, exploring the dialogue
between music and religion. The intent of this experience is to dissolve the
borders that separate the performers and the audience through a sound
dialogue, that will allow the participants to unveil the potential of mutual
intertwinement of musical and religious bonds. /
Zvočni dogodek bo ponujal izkušnjo muziciranja, ki raziskuje dialog
med glasbo in religijo. Smoter tega izkustva je s pomočjo zvočnega
dialoga razblinjati meje med poslušalstvom in izvajalnimi telesi, ki bodo
v skupnosti razgrinjali možnosti medsebojnega prepleta glasbenih in
religijskih vezi.
21
NEW PHILOSOPHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM DIALOGUE
THE LIST OF SPEAKERS / SODELUJEJO
Slovenian group / Slovenska skupina
Prof Dr Lenart Škof, Head of the Institute for Philosophical Studies ZRS
Koper, Alma Mater Europaea ECM/ISH and EASA / predstojnik Inštituta za
filozofske študije ZRS Koper, Alma Mater Europaea ECM / ISH in EASA
Prof Dr Nadja Furlan Štante, Institute for Philosophical Studies ZRS Koper
/ Inštitut za filozofske študije ZRS Koper
Assoc Prof Dr Gorazd Andrejč, Institute for Philosophical Studies ZRS
Koper, University of Maribor, Faculty of Arts and Woolf Institute, Cambridge
/ Inštitut za filozofske študije ZRS Koper, Univerza v Mariboru, Filozofska
fakulteta in Woolf Institute, Cambridge
Dr Maja Bjelica, Institute for Philosophical Studies ZRS Koper / Inštitut za
filozofske študije ZRS Koper
Prof Dr Bojan Žalec, EASA and University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Theology
/ EASA in Univerza v Ljubljani, Teološka fakulteta
Prof Dr Anja Zalta, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Arts / Univerza v
Ljubljani, Filozofska fakulteta
Prof Dr Mari Jože Osredkar, University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Theology /
Teološka fakulteta, Univerza v Ljubljani
Emer Prof Dr Janez Juhant, EASA and University of Ljubljana, Faculty of
Theology / EASA in Univerza v Ljubljani, Teološka fakulteta
Iranian group / Iranska skupina
Prof Dr Hamidreza Ayatollahy, Head of Iranian Association for Philosophy
of Religion, Emeritus professor of Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran /
vodja Iranskega združenja za filozofijo religije, zaslužni profesor Univerze
Allameh Tabataba’i v Teheranu, Iran
Prof Dr Mohammad Saeedimehr, Professor at Tarbiat Modares University,
Tehran / profesor na Univerzi Tarbiat Modares, Teheran, Iran
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Prof Dr Mohsen Javadi, Professor at University of Qom / profesor na
Univerzi v Qomu, Iran
Prof Dr Reza Akbari, Professor at Imam Sadiq University / profesor na
Univerzi Imam Sadiq, Tehran, Iran
Prof Dr Rasoul Rasoulipour, Professor at Kharazmi University / profesor
na Univerzi Kharazmi, Tehran, Iran
Prof Dr Jafar Morvarid, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Faculty of
Theology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad / docent za filozofijo, Teološka
fakulteta, Univerza Ferdowsi v Mashhadu, Iran
Ms. Saida Mirsadri, Ph.D. Candidate in Philosophy of Religion at Tehran
University, Farabi College / doktorska kandidatka za filozofijo religije na
Teheranski univerzi v Farabi College, Iran
Mr. Javad Taheri, Director of Iranian Association for Philosophy of
Religion, Ph.D. Candidate in Philosophy of Religion at Faculty of Theology,
University of Ljubljana, Slovenia / direktor Iranskega združenja za filozofijo
religije, doktorski kandidat za filozofijo religije na Teološki fakulteti
Univerze v Ljubljani
Other speakers / Drugi govorniki
Prof Dr Klaus von Stosch, Head of the Centre for Comparative Theology
and Cultural Studies of the University of Paderborn / vodja Centra za
primerjalno teologijo in kulturne študije Univerze v Paderbornu
Prof Dr Elmar Kuhn, European Academy of Sciences and Arts – Dean of
Class World Religions / Evropska akademija znanosti in umetnosti, dekan
Razreda svetovne religije
Prof Dr Maurits Berger, University of Leiden / Univerza v Leidnu
Prof Dr Carool Kersten, Department of Theology and Religious Studies /
Oddelek za teologijo in religijske študije, King’s College London
Prof Dr Joshua Ralston, Faculty of Divinity, University of Edinburgh /
Fakulteta za bogoslovje, Univerza v Edinburgu
Rev Andrew Ashdown, Winchester University / Univerza v Winchesteru
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ABSTRACTS
NEW PHILOSOPHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM DIALOGUE
THE ROLE OF CONCEPTUAL METAPHORS IN THE FRUITFULNESS
OF INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUES: INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE
AS FRIENDLy CO-TRAVELLING
Reza AKBARI
Imam Sadiq University, Tehran, Iran
Dialogue can be divided into numerous types following various criteria.
For example, observing the people who engage in dialogues, there could be
paternal, maternal, conjugal, and filial ones. Considering the goals of dialogue, there could be appreciative, critical, reflective, generative, and destructive dialogues. In a normative sense, we are faced with the following question:
Which kinds of dialogue would be fruitful when there are two people from
two different religions? To find the correct answer, we need to reconsider
the goal of interreligious dialogue, and then to compare different kinds of
dialogue according to their form and content. It seems that the aim of interreligious dialogue is mutual understanding in the realms of knowledge,
emotion, and action, which paves the way for mutual cooperation. To reach
this compound goal, one needs to have epistemic virtues such as open-mindedness and epistemic courage; and lack epistemic vices such as epistemic
hauteur and epistemic animosity. By having the former and lacking the latter, and holding the goal of interreligious dialogue, the outcome would be
humility, cooperation, and mutual respect, all of which are vital for developing a better life for all human beings. Because every religion considers itself
a path to salvation, dialogue as friendly co-travelling is the best metaphor
for the fruitfulness of every interreligious dialogue. Consider two strangers
who are on the same trip. They talk, share their knowledge, understand their
emotions and reasons for their actions, and help each other by confronting
difficulties. By the end of their trip, they will have become good friends who
will continue their relationship in the future.
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RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND THE EPISTEMIC LIMITATIONS OF
RELIGIOUS BELIEF
Gorazd ANDREJČ
ZRS Koper and University of Maribor, Faculty of Arts, Slovenia
Woolf Institute, Cambridge, UK
In this paper I argue that a principle of strong religious freedom is justified on the basis of the epistemic limitations of religious belief. These limitations are recognized by important strands of both Christian and Islamic
philosophy and have been further clarified in modern philosophy.
The epistemic limitations of religious beliefs are most readily visible
when analyzing religious disagreements. Most interreligious disagreements
seem epistemically peculiar and different from many other important disagreements in society. While there is a broad consensus on the basic scientific
methods for resolving disagreements between different scientific claims or
theories, and while, in the realm of public morality, we at least have well-tested methods of reaching compromise and agreement on some central
moral principles across most societies, there is no consensus at all across
religious and non-religious life-stances as to how to resolve theological disagreements or, indeed, whether attempting to resolve them even makes
sense. This holds for the most basic questions of religion, such as: Is there a
god or any other kind of divinity? Is there one god or more? Is god a person
or ‘something’ else? While very general criteria of internal consistency and
the moral consequences of beliefs can be applied to religious beliefs across
different traditions, these criteria cannot resolve most, or even many disagreements across religions.
While these epistemic limitations are recognized, to an extent, within
both the Christian and the Islamic traditions, modern philosophy of religion
has expressed these limitations more forcefully and has logically connected
them to the ethical and political argument for religious freedom. After examining John Locke’s argument for religious tolerance and Friedrich Schleiermacher’s argument for religious freedom, I will introduce a Wittgensteinian
perspective on interreligious disagreement which offers further support for
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freedom of religion or belief. Despite the differences between their interpretations, the arguments of all three thinkers include the following conclusion:
it is the very nature of religious beliefs which makes it senseless and unethical to pressure, force or expect individuals or communities to adopt, keep or
abandon their religious beliefs on the basis of external authority, whether
religious or political.
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AN ExPLORATION OF CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM RELATIONS IN SyRIA,
2000–2018: CONTExTUALIZING THE RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE,
HISTORICAL AND CONTEMPORARy DyNAMICS, AND EASTERN
CHRISTIAN FRAMEWORKS OF ENGAGEMENT
Andrew ASHDOWN
Winchester University, UK
Researching Christian-Muslim relations in Syria between 2000 and 2018,
this study provides historical and contemporary context, introduces the plural Christian and Muslim landscapes that coexist in Syria, and explores how
this relationship has been impacted by the conflict. Examining the role of
culture, religious leadership and sectarianism in the Middle Eastern context,
it reflects on the recent influence of political Islam. Through qualitative fieldwork in Syria, the thesis explores efforts made by religious leaders to model inter-religious relations, seek reconciliation, and nurture humanitarian
initiatives. Considering the contributions of Eastern Christian theologians,
the study posits that, given eastern Christianity’s historical encounter with
plurality, the theology and spirituality of the eastern Church – the Antiochene paradigm – is uniquely placed to play a role in inter-religious dialogue in
the face of contemporary political and religious challenges.
The thesis offers a unique contribution to understanding the religious
landscape, particularly within government-held areas during the Syrian conflict, and to exploring how the ‘Antiochene paradigm’ can help inform contemporary Christian-Muslim dynamics in the face of the considerable challenges they face today.
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THE PURPOSE OF INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE: COExISTENCE
OR COOPERATION?
Hamidreza AyATOLLAHy
Iranian Association for Philosophy of Religion,
Emeritus professor of Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran
There have been many interreligious dialogues all over the world but the
purposes of them have not been the same. In this paper, I will point out seven
different purposes of interreligious dialogue and evaluate them and their attitudes.
In recent decades, the focus of formal interreligious dialogues has been
directed to peace between religions. I will show that this approach is not
sufficient and that its fruitfulness is very limited. If the purpose of interreligious dialogues is directed towards the coexistence of religions and among
their followers, that is an intercultural dialogue that can result only in mutual understanding. I want to show that interreligious dialogues must go to a
higher level than that, which is a level of cooperation. Religions try to propose a better life and guide their followers towards happiness in both spiritual
and mundane life. Therefore, they attempt to remove obstacles to achieving
the meaning of life and encourage people towards spirituality as well as the
good life.
Believing in God as the origin of existence and in his omnipresence, and
believing in life after death and resurrection as the consequence of our deeds, are the most important messages of religions. Although religions teach
many different ideas, teaching these two main beliefs are their common
tasks. I believe interreligious dialogues must be oriented towards a kind of
cooperation which can enhance the lives of people who are facing the challenge of achieving a better goal for their lives. And yet, coexistence is not the
totality of the responsibility of religions. At the end, I will suggest certain
kinds of activities through which religions can cooperate for this purpose.
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WHAT DO WE MEAN By ‘RADICAL ISLAM’? –
A DUTCH CASE STUDy
Maurits BERGER
University of Leiden, Netherlands
The notion of ‘radical Islam’ was first introduced in the Netherlands in
2003, and has been at the centre of attention of policymakers, intelligence
services and academics ever since. In this presentation, we will see how these three actors have interacted in the past 15 years; they have all pursued
the same truth, but their different aims and methods have led to different
results.
We will see, for example, that the intelligence service has approached radicalism from an ideological (top-down) point of view, while most academics
have used an anthropological (bottom-up) approach. We will also see how,
in most studies, ‘radical Islam’ was quickly replaced by the term ‘Salafism’,
which in turn acquired an uneasy balance between orthodoxy and radicalism in its meaning. The two questions that remained unanswered were 1)
what exactly does “radicalism” mean, and 2) whether, and how, orthodoxy
would lead to radicalism. Finally, we will see that security has played a key
role in all the research on Islam in the Netherlands, to the extent that some
scholars describe this phenomenon as the ‘securitization of religion.’
For understandable reasons, policymakers were in need of concepts and
notions concerning ‘radical Islam’ in order to develop policy measures. This
presentation will argue that the interplay of policymakers, intelligence services and academics in their focus on ‘radical Islam’ has led to a development
of terminology that is often not in touch with the reality of the everyday lives
of Muslims.
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THE TURKISH ALEvIS AND THEIR INTERRELIGIOUS
DIALOGICAL INCLINATION
Maja BJELICA
Institute for Philosophical Studies ZRS Koper, Slovenia
The Alevis, the largest religious minority in Turkey, are officially recognized by Turkish society mainly as a cultural group that together with their heritage represents a specific part of “Turkishness” and therefore has
contributed importantly to the Turkish national project since its inception.
However, the publicly recognized cultural aspect of the Alevi heritage and
way of life is only part of their identity. That identity, being rooted in oral
tradition, is not fixed, as the political realm would like to show. The fluidity
of the Alevi identity can be seen in their diverse religious practices, in the
variety of adaptations of their rituals to the contemporary world, and in the
differentiation of smaller communities in respect to the specific Anatolian
region they belong to. Moreover, being ethnically diverse, they coexist as a
community on the grounds of their philosophy and ethical stance that every
person is important and equal, and that all human (and other) beings should
coexist as brothers and sisters.
The proposed lecture presents the Alevis’ readiness for an interreligious dialogue as evident in their tolerance and openness towards the other(s)
and through their understanding and practices of hospitality. The presentation is methodologically based on ethnographic fieldwork, extensive research by the presenter and personal experience. Focusing on a case study on
hospitality, the lecture will strive to provide a possible understanding of the
Alevi tendency towards peaceful and emphatic coexistence with other religions and cultures as a core part of their religious conduct. The experience
of and perspective on the religious practices of the Turkish Alevi religious
minority and their specific social circumstances through history can be more
than relevant to contemporary philosophical and theological perspectives
on interreligious dialogue.
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WOMEN’S VOICES IN CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM INTERRELIGIOUS
DIALOGUE – A VENUE FOR RELIGIOUS PEACE-BUILDING
Nadja FURLAN ŠTANTE
Institute for Philosophical Studies ZRS Koper, Slovenia
This paper will address the question of how the power of feminine and
women›s voices within theologies (with an emphasis on Christianity and Islam) and interfaith dialogue are important in shaping the discourse of the
role of religion in our time, and our capability of a full mutual and spiritual
understanding. Although the voices of women and their engagement in interreligious dialogue and the religious establishment of peace, at least at a
visible and formal level, is often left out and ignored, it is at informal levels,
in the expression of concrete actions, that women›s efforts to restore peace
is very much alive and present. It should be noted, however, that the issue
of equal recognition of the sexes or the recognition of women and their visible role at formal levels is, in fact, very closely connected to the question of
understanding and positioning of the religious Other. Therefore, the key to
the equal recognition of women›s voices is one of the key components of a
quality interreligious dialogue, or the key to the equal recognition of the religious Other. Both are crucial in transforming and raising human awareness
at both the individual as well as the collective level. The issue of women›s
voices, as the missing dimensions of interreligious dialogue, will serve as
a bridge between interreligious dialogue and the phenomenon of religious
peace-building.
Consideration of a view that highlights the positive contribution of the various forms of women›s voices in the process of re-evaluation of both sexes
in the light of respect for gender equality and social justice will be investigated. The centrepiece here is an analysis of the hypothesis that every religion
in its original doctrine pronounces egalitarianism and, in this context, also
highlights the fundamental purpose of Islamic law, which is to defend social
justice and the equality of each individual and thus reflect the equality of all
before God.
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THE PRIMACy OF JUSTICE IN ISLAMIC SOCIAL ETHICS: A
SOLUTION FOR RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL CONFLICTS
Mohsen JAVADI
University of Qom, Iran
Social ethics is used in two senses: (1) as a body of ethical principles and
rules or personal virtues that contribute to the welfare and improvement of
human social life, and (2) as a specific reading of the Gospel, which considers
the main mission of religion to be the improvement of society. This article
first explains the major principles of social ethics, then evaluates the importance of each principle, and finally discusses the main challenges of social
ethics from an Islamic viewpoint.
Among the major principles of social ethics, the principles of respect for
others—whether other individuals, institutions, or cultures—forgiveness
and justice as the main element of regulating social life are analyzed. Afterwards, the reasons behind the primacy of justice over the other principles,
such as forgiveness, are discussed. In the comparison between justice on the
one hand and generosity or forgiveness on the other, priority has been given
to justice. Although generosity and forgiveness are always recommended as
personal decisions, they are not social requirements. One of the reasons for
this priority is the role of justice as a general policy in keeping order in society. A society with a rule of justice is more endurable and inclusive than a
society with a rule of generosity and forgiveness. Finally, the main challenges
of social ethics are explored, and issues such as misusing others, self-centredness, practical materialism, the dominance of hedonism over wisdom,
and bigotry are introduced as major obstacles to a perfect social life.
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RELIGION, SOCIETy AND MySTICS:
THE SPIRITUAL GROUND(S) OF SOCIETAL LIFE
Janez JUHANT
EASA and University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Hans Küng stressed that without peace between religions there is no
peace between nations or peoples. The reason for this is not only that religions are politically influential, but much more that religions are the most
important anthropological source and therefore a condition for peace. Humans, as principally good and dialogical beings, are able to deepen, through
interpersonal relationships, their mystical grounds, and so to promote peace
in themselves and consequently among their cohabitants. This paper deals
with solutions-finding methods of peace from this complex religious point
of view. In general, the complicated societal life of the history of humanity
has usually developed adequate tools to address this challenge and establish sustainable relationships between individuals and social units because
religions played an important part in it. The task is much more difficult in
postmodern societies, which stress the role of individual units. Consequently, they are no longer providing sufficient grounds for society to survive. According to Ortega y Gasset, the wo/man of today is luxuriating in destroying
the grounds of her/his life. This is the most important political problem of
contemporary societies.
In comparison to traditional societies, in which religion was an important anthropological presupposition and ground that provided the common
material and spiritual grounds of life, in modern society this is no longer the
case. Religions are losing their societal influence and the politics of today is
unable to replace religion. This creates uncertainty in religious communities
and consequently in all members of society. It may be that today individuals
are living better, but the problem arises as to how to provide the material
and spiritual grounds for the life of the whole community. Who can provide
wider, deeper and long-term societal grounds? While the old societies could
benefit from religions as grounds for politics and other societal life, today’s
societies are struggling to secure the grounds which would secure their future. To reach these grounds means that religious partisans should exercise
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themselves in deepening the dialogue between them. The temptation of politicians is to disrupt the dialogical processes in society and to submit individuals and groups under their total regulation. But totalitarian regimes
do not achieve peace; under their pressure society becomes doomed and is
brought to death; instead of societal harmony, tyranny and destruction prevails. The real way to societal harmony is an open society trained in dialogue
and reconciliation. For this reason, politicians should support the processes of deepening in mystical religious grounds, and it is in this sense that
Dietmar Mieth speaks about mystics and politics.
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OF DOUBLE GENEALOGIES AND WEST-EAST INVESTIGATIONS:
RESETTING THE CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM ENCOUNTER
Carool KERSTEN
King’s College London, Department of Theology and Religious Studies, UK
Attempts to counter the replacement of the bipolarity characterizing the
ideological East-West confrontation during the Cold War era by equally dichotomous identity-politics paradigm of the clash of civilizations thesis with
a dialogue of civilizations initiative suffered a severe setback due to 9/11
and other atrocities elsewhere. This is what forms the background of the
increasingly polarized culture wars that have erupted in the wake of such
events, being used in this article to frame a presentation of some tentative
findings from a new research project on contemporary Muslim intellectuals,
focusing on forms of cultural criticism and alternative ways of engaging with
religion found in literary writings that emphasize sublimation rather than
abstraction.
For this occasion, I have made selections from the oeuvres of three writers who resist essentialist identity politics but recognize and acknowledge
the significance of difference/alterity for the formation of identity. It is argued that the writings of the Iranian Daryush Shayegan, the French-Tunisian
Abdelwahab Meddeb, and German-Iranian Navid Kermani offer material for
a critical appraisal that is required for a radical resetting of religiously-informed encounters between cultures, whether framed as interfaith dialogues
or philosophical and theological exchanges.
At one and the same time, this trio can be considered similar enough in
terms of shared concerns and different enough in regards to their chosen
approaches and substantive engagement to warrant an instructive comparison and sufficiently representative conclusions to discern the contours of an
alternative to both the confrontational culture war discourse and to counter
the narratives formulated on the basis of equally unhelpful understandings
of collective identities.
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IS THE CLASH OF RELIGIONS THE FUTURE OF OUR WORLD?
Elmar KUHN
European Academy of Sciences and Arts, Salzburg, Austria
In 1996, Samuel Huntington published his book »Clash of Civilizations«,
dating back to an article from 1993. Huntington was massively criticized for
his thesis. One reason for this was that Huntington’s cultural frontiers are
overlapping between his concept of civilizations and the religious map of the
world. If we follow his thesis, we can therefore also speak about a clash of
religions.
In the last decade, various political and religious subjects tried to verify his thesis about the world living in controversy by religion and culture.
Since 2003, Daesh (or the Islamic State) tries to justify its regime of terror
by the necessity of a monolithic religious culture, state and economy. It has
attempted to demonstrate the superiority of its own Sunni religious concept
by murdering everybody else. Hindu nationalists are trying to get rid of the
Christian and Muslim populations in India. Buddhist nationalists are trying
to get rid of Muslims and Christians in Myanmar. PEGIDA and the AfD (i.e. Alternative for Germany, a political party influenced by PEGIDA) are trying to
get rid of the non-Christian and non-German population of Germany. Some
Pakistani Sunni leaders are trying to get rid of Christians in their villages.
And so on. Is that the future of our world? Is the European – and particularly,
French – concept of a pure secular state far away from any religious influence the future?
I want to add a third thesis: a thesis about the economic strength, political independence and religious influence for the welfare of our globalized
world. We need to concentrate on the question to what is non-derogable of
religious contents and what is necessary for a balance of power in a free and
prosperous state.
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PROCESS ISLAM: TOWARDS A METAPHySICAL FOUNDATION
FOR INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE
Saida MIRSADRI
Tehran University, Farabi College, Iran
Religion – despite being marginalized in its institutionalized form – still
plays a role in our societies, for it is an essential part of our traditions and cultures. As a result, the theological language can have a big impact on shaping
our consciousness, and thus, our social constructions, ethics and conducts.
Therefore, by reformulating and modifying our theologies we can contribute
a great deal to the improvement of the human society and surroundings, especially in countries and communities where religion plays a very important
role – in society, politics, culture, as well as human individual lives. Admitting
the fact that the theological language is just a human product and a socio-historical construction to talk of the divine, and intending to put the Islamic thought in dialogue with the modern philosophico-theological currents
and discussions, I would like to propose a new Islamic theology, that could
work like a bridge in different respects – between tradition and modernity,
between the Western and Islamic speculative tradition, between philosophy
and theology, between two world religious traditions – hence, a good case
in point for a comparative philosophy. This contribution is, thus, trying to illustrate the metaphysical foundations for an Islamic “theology of today”. Due
to the common elements, it shares with the process worldview, I term this
metaphysical theology the “process Islam”. It is my strong conviction that we
can talk of “Islamic process theology” and of “Islamic process God”, and that
we can find enough evidence in the Qur’an and in the rich Islamic literature
in order to substantiate this claim. My choice of Iqbal lies in the fact that,
despite being a Muslim thinker who stands in his own Islamic tradition and
relies heavily on the Qur’an, he is familiar with the Western philosophical
thought system, and this way provides a novel metaphysics that can well serve as the foundation for a new Islamic theological system, unprecedented in
the Islamic world.
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LANGUAGE-GAMES PHILOSOPHy AS A PHILOSOPHICAL
FOUNDATION FOR INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE
Jafar MORVARID
Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Faculty of Theology, Iran
Wittgenstein’s view on Language-Games philosophy and the impossibility of »Private Language Argument« can present the semantic and epistemological assumptions for having a dialogue with the “other” in interreligious
dialogue as opposed to a denial of the “other”, and provide collective criteria
versus the self-centred dogmatic criteria.
The method that Wittgenstein suggests in his Philosophical Investigations
§202 and §258 is that in following the rules, instead of looking for criteria
that are based on private mental states or rational interpretations, we must
refer to a collective, social method (criteria), which constitutes objectivity.
If the basis is mental certainty and private mental states, then there would
be no standard for distinguishing between that mental state which is in accordance with reality and the one which is not. As a result, we cannot say
when the right knowledge or the right adherence to rules has occurred. In a
position when the reason means only the certainty of an individual (private
mental states) due to a lack of criterion or a safe way for distinguishing between wrong and right, so the way would be paved for multiple individual interpretations of this certainty (private mental states) and we would collapse
in the infinite regress of various interpretations of this private and individual
certainty.
However, the way out, according to Wittgenstein, is to move from the inside of private mind to the collective and social behaviours (self with the
“other”). And the solution is to move from mental subjective certainty (rational self) to social methods (social and wise agreements) which have come
into agreement upon following these fallible mental states in a collective and
rational manner. By proposing pluralistic ways of life as the basics (the bedrock) of various language games, Wittgenstein later tends to emphasize the
diverse and changing structure of reality, and as a result, his epistemology
opens the way for a social and collective rationality. Indeed, for later Witt41
NEW PHILOSOPHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM DIALOGUE
genstein, reality is a collective, a posteriori and a changeable process, and
both “I” and the “other” bear influence on constituting contemporary rationality and relations in the world.
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COMPARATIVE POLITICAL THEOLOGy: A FRAMEWORK
FOR CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM DIALOGUE
Joshua RALSTON
University of Edinburgh, Faculty of Divinity, UK
It has become a widespread practice to commend the common good and
social justice as the proper starting point in Muslim-Christian relations. The
perceived benefit of this methodology is to circumvent the “outstanding neurological issues” of God’s (tri)unity, the nature of Jesus, the prophethood of
Muhammad, the Imamate, and the status of the Qur’ān. This activist approach to Muslim-Christian dialogue has become increasingly popular across
theological, political, and denominational differences. For instance, Nostra
Aetate’s remarks on Islam concludes by urging “all to forget the past and
to work sincerely for mutual understanding and to preserve as well as to
promote together for the benefit of all mankind social justice and moral welfare, as well as peace and freedom.” (Nostra Aetate, §3.) The World Council
of Churches has issued various documents advocating for social justice and
shared common action as means for improving Christian-Muslim tensions.
The Common Word Between Us and You, while rooted in Scriptural readings,
ends with a similar call for a shared social and political action.
While there is much to commend in this approach, it runs the risk of obscuring the ways that understandings of ethics and the common good are
deeply shaped by theological and scriptural commitments, such as those
around divine sovereignty, political power, secular space, religious leadership, and more that may not be shared. Thus, a presumed area of common
ground actually lands us firmly on some of the most controversial aspects
in current Christian-Muslim relations: political power, law, secularism, religious freedom and social justice. To engage in dialogue about the common
good is also to enter into theological discussion about revelation, law and
morality, and the divine will. To overcome this lacuna, this paper leverages
the methodological insights of both recent comparative theology and the
political one to propose a model of comparative political theology aimed at
tracing and exploring both shared and diverging concepts between Western
Christian political theology and recent Islamic proposals.
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PHILOSOPHy OF RELIGION: AN ExISTENTIAL APPROACH
Rasoul RASOULIPOUR
Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran
While the analytic tradition of philosophy of religion is defined and preoccupied with “questions” concerning justification and rationality of theism,
the continental/existential philosophers pay their attention to the “mysteries” of human life. In other words, while the analytic philosophers of religion
are engaged with “religious belief”, and inquiring answers to the theological
problems – such as the problem of Evil, the problem of God’s Hiddenness,
the problem of cognitive status of religious language and so forth – the existential philosophers appreciate “religious life” and thematise our encounter
with the tragic aspects of life, such as death, suffering, and loneliness. Existential philosophy of religion, offering an alternative to the analytic approaches, is conceived, as John Caputo asserts, in the spirit of Heidegger’s critique
of “onto-theo-logic” and his meditations on “non-objectifying thinking.” God
is not an object for a subject, not the referent of a propositional assertion, not
the subject matter of a demonstration.
In this paper, I will argue that if one wants to philosophize about religion,
one needs to comprehend religion in all its mixed cultural-historical diversity. To an extent one considers only a limited set of traditions or reasons, his
or her philosophy of religion will be limited. I will show that the obsession
with “beliefs” or “propositional attitudes” and the focus on supportive arguments takes our attention away from other aspects of religion— or, as Ninian
Smart called them, the other “dimensions of the sacred” – such as the ritual,
mythic, experiential, ethical, legal, social, material and political dimensions.
So, broadening the definition of philosophy of religion helps us embrace the
other measures of religion, and to avoid reducing truth to “true propositions”.
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ISLAMIC MySTICISM AND MUSLIM-CHRISTIAN DIALOGUE
Mohammad SAEEDIMEHR
Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
My main task in this paper is to investigate Islamic Mysticism in order to
find out how and to what extent the mystical views can build theoretical bases for a productive and fruitful interfaith dialogue. I will appeal to selected
evidence in order to argue for the claim that Islamic mysticism possesses
the principles which can promote and foster Muslim-Christian dialogue in
a profound and comprehensive mode. According to the mystical principle of
‘the unity of existence’, God is unique and existent in reality, and other things
are nothing but His mere manifestations. God manifests himself for adherents of different religions, as apparently, different gods. Thus, all believers,
no matter whether they are Muslim or Christian, actually believe in and worship the same god. Muslim mystics also highly value the so-called ‘spiritual
experiences’ which are more or less common among the followers of different religions. Though these experiences may emerge in different forms and,
consequently, may be interpreted in dissimilar ways, their common subject
is nothing but the one God and His manifestations. Furthermore, according
to the theory of the primordial nature of the mankind, God creates all human beings with a common original disposition and natural or innate constitution (Fitrah). The Muslim mystics’ emphasis on the human Fitrah as an
inborn natural predisposition provides an anthropological principle which
emphasizes on a profound existential feature common to all human beings
despite their actual superficial religious differences. Moreover, the Mystical
esoteric interpretation of the scriptures can pave the way for a plurality of
authentic interpretations and consequently, avoids the literal exegesis of
those expressions which, apparently, highlights religious differences.
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COMPARATIVE THEOLOGy AND CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM DIALOGUE:
A RELATIONSHIP OF MUTUAL FOUNDATION
Klaus vON STOSCH
Centre for Comparative Theology and Cultural Studies of the University of
Paderborn, Germany
Comparative Theology seeks learning across religious borders. Hence, it
offers different possibilities how we can learn from the religious other. With
Catherine Cornille, I would like to categorize these forms of learning as intensification, rectification, recovery, reinterpretation, appropriation and
reaffirmation. The most challenging forms of learning are rectification and
appropriation because they help us to overcome the apologetic framework
of the dialogue of religions. An attitude of vulnerability and empathy is necessary as well as the most typical for the enterprise of comparative theology. In my lecture, I will use case studies in order to show how those forms of
learning can happen in Muslim-Christian dialogue in both directions. Thus,
I will try to show how all six forms of learning happen in both religions and
I will try to explain why they are fruitful for interreligious dialogue. This is
a means of proving that comparative theology can serve as a foundation for
interreligious dialogue.
On the other hand, comparative theology does not only prepare for a dialogue; it is also the result of a dialogue. It proceeds dialogically and the dialogue enables most of its insights. That is why an interreligious dialogue is also
a foundation of comparative theology. In my lecture, I will try to reflect my
last book on Jesus in the Qur’an which is very much a result of interreligious
dialogue and I try to encourage an understanding of comparative theology
which is based on interreligious dialogue. At the same time, I try to show
why comparative theology and interreligious dialogue have to be distinguished. But in this case, distinction does not mean separation.
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A NEW TEMPORALITy OF RELIGION: ON POLITICAL
THEOLOGy AND ITS ETHICAL CORE
Lenart ŠKOF
Institute for Philosophical Studies ZRS Koper,
Alma Mater Europaea ECM/ISH and EASA, Slovenia
In his insightful essay »Prophetic Religion and the Future of Capitalist
Civilization«, Cornel West fervently addressed a question of our abilities to
imagine a more empathetic, more compassionate, and also more hospitable
world, in which we could foresee, or perhaps already lay grounds for a future
community where the word religion would simply mean that we live our lives in the consciousness of our finitude and thus in an existential and cognitive humility. This kind of religion (not far from Dewey›s or Rorty›s ideals)
would enable us to see beyond the margins of any narrow-minded religious
ideology or any violent incarnation of religion.
Based on these initial thoughts, I first wish to discuss two basic concepts of
contemporary political theology – community and vulnerability. I shall argue
that we need to offer in contemporary political theology a basic ethico-democratic response, infused with our imaginative capacity for remembrance
(Benjamin, Metz, Agamben) and future hope (West, Unger). I will argue with
Unger (The Religion of the Future) that we need to live through accepting an
enhanced vulnerability, being shared in our democratic (and) religious communities. From this view any loss of human life and its potentials is a sign of
a grave injustice, and a catastrophe from an ethical point of view.
Finally, I will propose the so-called reverse thesis on religion – namely
that today, perhaps, we should first look at religion in its radicalized ethico-political form which only later enables us to think about its variations
and incarnations within different traditions and cultures. I will argue that
it is within this newly acquired temporality of religion and its inherent ontologico-political paradox, that it is possible to imagine a future place where recurrent hope for a life is reborn and nurtured within future pluralist/
inclusivist/democratic/post-Christian/post-Islamic communities, based on
compassion and shared vulnerability, and not any more on power, or any
other form of violence.
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POSSIBILITy OF A COMPARATIVE THEOLOGy ACCORDING
TO ALLAMAH SAyyED MUHAMMAD HOSSEIN TABATABA’I’S
PHILOSOPHy
Javad TAHERI
Iranian Association for Philosophy of Religion, Iran
University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Theology, Slovenia
Comparative theology compares one religious tradition to another in a
way which is different from interreligious dialogue, comparative religion
and theology of religions. Comparative theology can endure changes due
to its in-depth engagement with other traditions. One of its tasks is a critical study of another religion, in which it should have a critical standpoint
towards the doctrines, texts and interpretations of other religions as well as
the interpretations of one’s own religion. Tabataba’i agrees that human beings have important features in common, because they are born in the same
nature. However, they are different in what their lifestyle and environmental
characteristics necessitates. He claims that some of person’s religious beliefs
and even ethical judgments are a function of the individual’s primary needs.
These practical needs must be fulfilled to guarantee a human’s survival. He
argues that, being compelled by primary needs, our mental system creates
conventions which urge us to fulfil our most necessary needs. For him, ordinary language is a product of human capacity in connecting meanings to
words and hereby with verbal sounds and their tendency to make communications with others. Tabataba’i explains the mechanism of our mental system in creating natural language which is the source of religious language.
Understanding religious teachings requires both a common knowledge of
their ordinary language as well as their technical (interpretational and theological) knowledge of that religion. With this picture in mind, it is quite clear
how theologians can approach to other traditions to study and learn certain
insights from them. If comparative theologians with their critical approach
can study other traditions and finally get an agreement on unchangeable
truths of religious traditions, they will then easily negotiate about conventions and changeable parts which will lead to a constructive theology which
is competent enough to be recognized as a comparative theology.
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RELIGIOUS ExCLUSIVISM, DIALOGUE AND COExISTENCE
Bojan ŽALEC
EASA and University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Theology, Slovenia
The author deals with the conditions and factors of dialogue and peaceful
coexistence in the contemporary globalized world. He focuses on the role of
world religions. First he asks whether the believer’s openness to other religions and “world views”, their respect and coexistence with them, are compatible with his cultivation of strong religious beliefs that are contrary to the
beliefs of other religions or “world views”, and what views and attitudes of
the believer this compatibility implies. The deepening of the answer to these
two questions is very important for understanding the possibilities of genuine interreligious dialogue and, consequently, its realization. The first factor
of dialogue to be mentioned is respect. Interreligious tolerance is important,
but it is not enough for a developed dialogue. This requires mutual respect,
which implies the recognition of the rationality of a person with a different
belief or a non-believer. Another key question is whether religious exclusivism is compatible with political pluralism. Some people think that you must
be a religious pluralist if you want to be a political pluralist. This position
is very impractical. Most believers are religious exclusivists. If we wait for
them to become religious pluralists, we will wait a long time. The author, on
the contrary, argues that religious exclusivism is compatible with political
pluralism. Moreover, he defends the thesis that members of world religions
can accept political pluralism exactly on the basis of their own religion. The
next factor of coexistence is the reduction of motivation for conflict. This
is why we need a vision of a good life that does not focus only on “bread”
and which emphasizes contentment and solidarity. The idea that man does
not live by bread alone is common to all world religions. However, all these
conditions and factors are not yet sufficient for peaceful coexistence (in the
modern globalized world). We need also reconciliation. It is true that on the
one hand world religions, alas, are often themselves the “source” of conflicts,
but on the other hand they are also the key drivers of reconciliation. This is
a historical truth that should not surprise us, because world religions have
the necessary resources for reconciliation. The author concludes that if we
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succeed in establishing a prudent combination of peace-making components
of globalization and peace-building constituents of world religions, then the
prospects in terms of peace are not bad.
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Notes / Beležke
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Notes / Beležke
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Notes / Beležke
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Notes / Beležke
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Notes / Beležke
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