Interreligious Relations (IRR)

Series of Occasional Papers

by the Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies (SRP) Programme

Interreligious Relations is a peer-reviewed Series of Occasional Papers covering issues of religious diversity, including questions relating to social cohesion, religious contextualisation, religious-secular interactions, bridge-building between faiths, religiously-motivated violence and peacebuilding, as well as cognate areas. While its focus is contemporary contexts of religious diversity, it will also consider historical and methodological questions. Though the coverage is international in scope, there is a focus on Asia.

This is an open access series which means that all content is freely available without charge to the user or his/her institution. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles, or use them for any other lawful purpose, without asking prior permission from the publisher or the author. This is in accordance with the BOAI definition of open access.

Latest Issue

Issue 31:

The Qur’ān and Social Inclusivism: An Analysis of Q 5:51 by Ali Akbar and Abdullah Saeed

Abstract:

Although the Qur’ān contains many verses that express positive attitudes towards the People of the Book (primarily Jews and Christians), at times, it criticises them. Q 5:51 is believed to be one of the Qur’ānic verses that appears to forbid Muslims from entering into friendly relationships with Jews and Christians. It has been often used by many classical and contemporary Muslim scholars to support social exclusivism – the notion that Muslims must not maintain friendly relationships with people of other faiths. This article analyses Q 5:51, arguing that, despite its apparent literal meaning, it does not forbid a friendly relationship between Muslims and the People of the Book, and by implication, people of other faiths as well. By interpreting the verse in light of other relevant Qur’ānic verses pertaining to the People of the Book and applying a contextual approach, the authors argue that the verse in question does not support social exclusivism.

Please click HERE to read the full issue.

Issue 30 :

Rethinking the Inclusionary Potential of Religious Institutions: the Case of Gurdwaras in Singapore by Shee Siew Ying and Orlando Woods

Abstract:

Whilst Singapore’s Sikh community is relatively small, it is also heterogeneous. Its diversity reflects differences in ancestral and socio-economic backgrounds. As spaces of worship that regularly bring together the Sikh community in space and time, Sikh temples – gurdwaras – are often conceived as important places through which a shared sense of religiously-defined community is reproduced. Yet, as much as religion can provide a bridge that integrates people of different ethnic, racial, national, and linguistic groups into a single faith community, so too can it act as a buttress through which differences and divisions are enforced within the community. We argue that whilst gurdwaras provide opportunities for transmitting Sikh principles and customs, and connecting the diaspora in Singapore with the traditions of their homeland, they can also play an important, and sometimes problematic, role in reproducing divisions and hierarchy within the Sikh community. We found that these divisions – particularly of ancestral background (tied to geographic and cultural regions of Punjab) and class – are often observed on two levels: between and within gurdwaras. By examining the complexities that gurdwaras in Singapore pose to the social integration of Sikh communities, we challenge the tendency in academic and public discourse to assume their inclusionary potential. This paper emphasises the importance of religious institutions in mitigating the incursions of exclusionary attitudes and behaviours within society, thus contributing to a more socially resilient and cohesive Singapore.

Please click HERE to read the full issue.

Issue 29 : Emotional Intelligence in Interfaith Relations: Lessons from Prophet Muhammad’s Interaction with the Christians of Najran by Mohamed Bin Ali

Abstract:

Goodwill and cooperation between different faith communities are hallmarks of successful plural societies. Towards this end, strong leadership plays a crucial role to direct and guide communities towards building bridges of mutual trust and respect for others. In a world of rapid change and unpredictability, interpersonal skills as embodied by emotional intelligence is a cornerstone of robust interfaith relations. This paper highlights the importance of emotional intelligence in interfaith relations. It discusses the value of emotional intelligence as exemplified by the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad through his interactions with the Christians of his time. In particular, the paper looks at Muhammad’s encounter with the Christians of Najran in 631 which makes a compelling case for true religious pluralism as advocated by Islam. The paper begins with a discussion on emotional intelligence before it outlines the historical account of Muhammad’s encounter with the Christians of Najran. It concludes with an affirmation that emotional intelligence is foundational for successful interfaith relationships to effectively bring religiously diverse people together amidst the ongoing challenges and conflicts.

Please click HERE to read the full issue.

Issue 28 : Prophet Abraham: A Figure of Exclusivism or Ecumenism? by Mohammed Gamal Abdelnour

Abstract:

John D. Levenson (2012) and Aaron W. Hughes (2012), among others, have argued that proponents of the construct “Abrahamic religions” essentialized the “differences” between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam and that those religions have different conceptions of Abraham that are out of synch with what is considered the politically correct labelling of those religions as “Abrahamic religions.” Although such critiques hold some validity, this article argues that the charge of “essentialism” can also be levelled against the opponents of the construct, i.e., if proponents took a reductionist approach about the “differences,” opponents equally took a reductionist approach about the “commonalities.” Approaching this question as a Muslim theologian, I contend that one of the ways to come out of this polarity is to look not only to “historical Abraham,” but also to “scriptural Abraham,” for it is the “scripture” that has often been considered the locus of “normativity” in those traditions. While Levenson views this move from a “historical Abraham” to a “normative Abraham” as a modern naïve attempt at syncretism, I argue that the pursuit of “normativity” has always been intrinsic to the Islamic tradition. In doing so, I appeal to Fazlur Rahman’s distinction between “historical Islam” and “normative Islam,” to argue that an ecumenical Abraham lies at the heart of “normative Islam.”

Please click HERE to read the full issue.

Issue 27 : The Epistemic, the Hermeneutic, the Ethic, and the Aesthetic in Christian-Muslim Dialogue by Angus Slater

Abstract:

This article addresses contemporary practical and comparative theological forms of interreligious dialogue, aiming to highlight the difficulties of maintaining distinctions in this way. It does this specifically in the context of Christian-Muslim dialogue where, although great strides have been made in the academic study, there are broader political and social considerations which often play a role in the formation of well-meaning, but shallow, forms of interreligious consideration. The difficulty of parsing aspects of practice from other considerations is considered here in the context of the use of aesthetics within ethical consideration in both religious traditions – an area that has been repeatedly identified as a site of potential dialogical interaction. However, in doing so, the use of beauty as an ethical marker involves and includes significant hermeneutic, epistemic, and ethical considerations stemming from the specificity and particularity of both the Christian and Islamic traditions.

The argument considers the inter-connections of hermeneutics, epistemology, ethics, and aesthetics in the Christian and Islamic traditions in order to outline the extent to which each of these considerations and their inter-connection influence and structure aspects of ethical reflection. Without an awareness of both the content of these considerations and their function within the overall structure of each tradition, our ability to coherently understand points of connection and comparison between them are compromised.

Please click HERE to read the full issue.

Issue 26 : Dasŏk Yu Yǒng-Mo’s Korean Trans-Cosmic and Trans-Religious Spirituality: A Translation and Commentary on “Spiritual Hiking” by Heup Young Kim

Abstract:

This paper provides an original translation and commentary on the prayer “Stroll (산보 Sanbo)” or “Spiritual Hiking (정신 하이킹)” by Dasŏk Yu Yŏng-mo (1890-1981). It places the prayer within his multi-religious Korean context and explores it to understand Dasŏk’s spiritual principle of “pint’ang-hante machhyŏ noli,” or “Playing Rituals in Harmony with the Emptiness Together.” This paper has four main aims: to help stimulate Dasǒk scholarship in the English speaking world; to contribute to scholarship on contextual (Korean/East Asian) theology, global theology, theological inculturation, theology of religions, and comparative theology; to highlight Dasǒk’s unique contribution to “religious pluralism;” and, to provide an original translation and commentary on his work, making this not simply a basic survey of his ideas, but also a deep insight into his complex world of meaning.

Please click HERE to read the full issue.

Issue 25 : Introducing Dasŏk Yu Yǒng-Mo’s Korean Spiritual Disciplines and his Poem “Being a Christian” by Heup Young Kim

Abstract:

This paper is intended to provide an introduction to, and critical analysis of, the religious thought of Dasŏk Yu Yŏng-mo (1890-1981), one of the most innovative religious thinkers in Korea’s modern history. His thought profoundly influenced a generation of thinkers both in Korea’s Christian tradition and in Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism. It will argue that Dasŏk’s thought, though currently unstudied and hardly known outside Korea, is an important form of inculturation of Christian thought in the Korean context, and with potential wider learning points for theological construction beyond this context. Dasŏk integrated indigenous resources from the Confucian, Daoist, and Buddhist traditions to contextualise Christianity to a multi-religious Korean context. The paper situates Dasŏk’s spirituality and thought in broader discussions of religious pluralism and will attempt to answer the question of whether Dasŏk can be considered a pluralist. A further original contribution is the translation and commentary on one of Dasŏk’s most important works, “Being A Christian.”

Please click HERE to read the full issue.

Issue 24 : Covid-19 and Religious Organisations: Constitutional Environment and Organisational Choices by Jaclyn L. Neo and Shazny Ramlan

Abstract:

Religious organisations play critical functions in societies around the world. The role of religious organisations in secular states however tends to be under-studied in disciplines outside of the sub-discipline of sociology of religious organisation. Within some disciplines, including law, this is partly because of the dominant view that secular states should stand apart from religion (and religious organisations), and that any entanglement would undermine the “neutrality” of the state, and hence its secularity. There has been increased attention on religious organizations in relation to their responses to COVID-19 measures, which included restricting religious gatherings and other collective religious activities. These restrictions go to the heart of religious practice. How religious organisations responded however depend on a range of factors, including their status within the social order. In this article, we further discuss how the constitutional environment shapes the religious organisations’ responses to Covid-19 restrictions. By constitutional environment, we refer to the existing constitutional arrangement of state and religion, and the degree to which the constitutional right to freedom of religion is founded on a strong idea of individual and group rights, as opposed to being seen as subjected to or even subsidiary to public interests. Where the constitutional environment is seen as conducive to rights-assertion, religious organisations are more likely to resist state restrictions because such action would enhance their standing among their own adherents. Under such conditions, they performatively present themselves as freedom fighters standing against state oppression. Filing a lawsuit against Covid-19 measures is seen as an act of resistance in pursuit of freedom and divine blessings. In contrast, where the constitutional environment is not conducive to rights claims but emphasises communitarian values, religious organisations would tend to employ the language of duties in complying with state restrictions. Many, however, do not do this simply as passive subjects but may consciously adopt public health values and encourage their adherents to do the same because doing so could enhance their social standing and legitimacy. Thus, by emphasising their value to society through an explicit commitment to public health, specifically, and to the community’s interests, more generally, and avoiding an emphatic insistence on rights, Covid-19 became an opportunity for religious organisations to performatively present themselves as civic-minded and socially responsible social actors. This allowed them to frame their adoption of public health measures partly as group choices, and not merely top-down imposition by the state.

Please click HERE to read the full issue.

Issue 23 : The Construction of Nonreligious Identities among Chinese Millennials in Singapore: A Qualitative Study by Oliver Zikai Lim

Abstract:

This paper investigates the lived experiences of Singaporean Chinese millennials who adopt a nonreligious identity following the recent increase in the percentage of people who identify as having no religious affiliation in the country. Using a qualitative research framework, the author discursively explores the life worlds of three individuals to reveal a contextual fluidity inherent within the overarching “nonreligious” label. The study demonstrates that the construction of a nonreligious identity is influenced by the perpetual tension between Singapore’s unique secular multireligious legislation and educational policy, the dominant Western discourse on religion, and far-reaching Chinese cosmological perspectives as they intersect socially in the lives of these individuals growing up in a diverse country. Using religious studies scholar Paul Hedges’ model of Chinese religion as “strategic participation in a shared landscape,” the author illustrates that despite adopting a nonreligious identity, the individuals embody the same religious hybridity as their parents and families as they adopt a “modern dimension of Chinese religion” by strategically participating in Singapore’s unique contemporary social, political and religious landscape as they see fit to maintain harmony at home and in their social lives. Thus, Singaporean Chinese millennials who identify as nonreligious could – from a Sino-centric perspective – still be considered “religious.”

Please click HERE to read the full issue.

Issue 22 : Interreligious Relations (IRR) – Indian Buddhist and Continental Christianate Critiques of Ontology: An Exercise in Interreligious Philosophical Dialogue by Rafal K. Stepien

Abstract:

This article sets out to place in interreligious philosophical dialogue certain critiques of ontology elaborated in Indian Buddhist and Continental Christianate contexts. On the Buddhist side, it focuses on the Indian Madhyamaka philosopher Nāgārjuna (c. 150–250 CE), while Martin Heidegger (1889–1976) is taken as representative of the Continental tradition. Following a methodological explanation of, and theoretical justification for, the project of “interreligious philosophical dialogue” as well as the use of “Christianate” throughout the paper, it introduces the critiques levelled at any and all ontological projects – understood as efforts to comprehend “being” – by these representative philosophers working within two over-arching religio-philosophical traditions. In the final section, the paper situates this dialogue within relevant contemporary scholarly debates, and thereby highlights its distinctive approach.

Please click HERE to read the full issue.

Issue 21 : Interreligious Relations (IRR) – Inclusivism and Exclusivism among Muslims Today between Theological and Social Dimensions by Abdullah Saeed

Abstract:

Inclusivist views about people of other religions or no religion (non-Muslims) are crucial for harmonious interreligious relations in societies that are becoming increasingly diverse. However, in the case of Islam, achieving this is fraught with challenges. Within the Islamic tradition, there are long-held theologically exclusivist views about other religions, such as salvation is only available through Islam and religions other than Islam are invalid. These positions can be referred to as theologically exclusivist and are often difficult to challenge due to their pervasiveness and because they are generally considered key Muslim beliefs. The paper highlights some attempts made by a number of contemporary Muslim thinkers to adopt theologically inclusivist views that challenge such theologically exclusivist positions. However, their views are still seen as too radical for mainstream Muslims and are thus often marginalised. This paper argues that the challenges that theological inclusivists face should not prevent us from adopting inclusivist views about people of other religions or no religion. The emphasis then is on addressing negative ideas about people of other religions that have developed in the Islamic tradition, such as the inequality of non-Muslims to Muslims, and developing positive ideas, such as the equality of all people. Here the focus is on social inclusivism which appears to be a more feasible project. Such a shift from theological inclusivism to social inclusivism is likely to lead to better relations between Muslims and non-Muslims.

Please click HERE to read the full issue.

Issue 20 : Interreligious Relations (IRR) – Defeating the Scourge of Terrorism: How Soft Law Instruments in Singapore Can Develop Societal Trust and Promote Cooperative Norms by Eugene K.B. Tan

Abstract:

The maintenance of a ‘moderate, mainstream’ Muslim community as a bulwark against the fraying of harmonious ethnic relations has become a key governance concern in multiracial, multi-religious societies post-9/11. In light of the global concern, and often paranoia, with diasporic Islam, Islamic religious institutions and civil society have been portrayed in the popular media as hotbeds of radicalism, promoters of hatred, and recruiters for a “conflict of civilisation” between the Muslim world and the modern world. Singapore has taken a broad-based community approach in advancing interreligious tolerance, including a subtle initiative to include the putative Muslim civil society in advancing the understanding of and the promotion of a moderate brand of Islam in Singapore. This tacit process of regulation (top-down, intra-community and inter-community), while effective, is ultimately conditioned and constrained by the unique governance context in Singapore where the state maintains a zero-tolerance approach to interreligious tension and conflict. However, the trouble with the primacy of a hard law, coercive, top-down approach is that it arrogates to the state and policymakers the power to control and define the “problem.” This paper examines Singapore’s counter-terrorism approach, one that still predominantly employs hard law but increasingly values the role of soft law and the imperative to mobilise society, especially people of faith. The challenge in keeping the counter-terrorism policy on an even keel is not to see religion primarily as a fault-line but instead to harness the power of faith to entrench religious freedom, respect and dignity for diversity.

Please click HERE to read the full issue.

Issue 19 : Interreligious Relations (IRR) – Countering Exclusivism, Promoting Inclusivism: The Way Forward for Singapore by Lily Kong, Orlando Woods and Acmal Zuheyr Idefan bin Abdul Wahid

Abstract:

Freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) is an increasingly prominent focus in international relations practice and study, and an ideal for inclusive and peaceful societies. However, the consensus as to reasons for violations and the significance of different forms of violations is weak. Both judgments and policies promoting FoRB can be divisive, with notable concerns about interference in domestic affairs and possible bias in application. Promoting FoRB is nonetheless a leading priority for some governments and communities, who view it as essential to understanding issues of peace, justice, and citizenship. Hot issues centre on the right of the individual to change religious affiliation, understanding limits of blasphemy and appropriate response, the definition of and approach to religious minorities, and gender rights. These in turn highlight the right to proselytise, and religious dimensions of family law. In several long-standing conflicts where religious identity is prominent, the rights, treatment, and aspirations of religious minorities are central issues. This has encouraged more active participation by religious actors and notably interreligious organisations in peacebuilding processes. The topic of FoRB overlaps with current approaches to engaging with religious communities in policy matters (including in the COVID-19 emergency), which in turn highlights limited religious literacy of many who occupy policy positions.

Please click HERE to read the full issue.

Issue 18 : Interreligious Relations (IRR) – Freedom of Religion or Belief in International Relations: Basic Principles, Nagging Debates by Katherine Marshall

Abstract:

Please click HERE to read the full issue.

Issue 17 : Interreligious Relations (IRR) – The Islamic Theology of Interfaith Marriages between Theology, Law and Individual Ijtihad by Mohammed Gamal Abdelnour

Abstract:

There is a growing body of literature that recognises the importance of revisiting the question of interfaith marriages in Islamic thought. Hence, this paper attempts to illustrate the Islamic theology of interfaith marriages in general, with particular emphasis on exogamy. In doing so, the theological and sociological factors that have led to the traditional consensus on the prohibition of exogamy are explored. The article, firstly, investigates the contributions of al-Ghazālī (d. 1111) and Ibn Taymiyya (d. 1328) in advancing the discussion beyond its contours in formative Islam. Secondly, it engagingly presents the unstudied views of Muḥammad ‘Abduh (d. 1905) and ‘Abd Allāh al-‘Alāylī (d. 1996) on the question of exogamy. Thirdly, it points out that the Islamic legal maxim sadd al-ḏharā’i‘ (blocking the means) cannot stand alone in justifying the prohibition of exogamy, illustrating that the moment a faqīh (Muslim jurist) appeals to the Islamic legal maxim sadd al-ḏharā’i‘ is the moment they implicitly acknowledge the original permissibility of the question in point. Finally, it brings to the fore the need to revive the tradition of individual ijtihad.

Please click HERE to read the full issue.

Issue 16 : Interreligious Relations (IRR) – Conceptualising Social Cohesion in Relation to Religious Diversity: Sketching a Pathway in a Globalised World by Paul Hedges

Abstract:

This paper offers an overview of current literature and best practice in terms of promoting social cohesion with a focus on how this relates to religious diversity. Its focus is Southeast Asia, but it explores this within a globalised context. It sets out some issues concerning how diversity is related to and experienced, before considering how we can conceptualise social cohesion in terms of religious diversity, offering three aspects as part of a contextual and down-to-earth descriptor. Tensions and issues which arise and counter social cohesion in contemporary societies are then noted, before postcolonial and decolonial theory is addressed as it may affect thinking through these issues. Finally, four themes that may be seen as key in promoting social cohesion are discussed: narratives, youth, dialogue, and leadership. The paper does not propose, within the limits of the space available, to offer a definitional survey of all issues; rather, it seeks to promote a contextualised debate and discussion of social cohesion in relation to religious diversity in the Southeast Asian context and to suggest a pathway towards thinking this.

Please click HERE to read the full issue.

Issue 15 : Interreligious Relations (IRR) – Secularism in Singapore: Asatizah’s Perspectives on its Reconcilability with Islam by Mohammad Alami Musa and Nursheila Muez

Abstract:

A qualitative study that involved a representative group of asatizah (religious leaders and teachers) in Singapore found that they embraced secularism as a political ideology, largely due to its utilitarian and pragmatic values. However, a majority of them remain sceptical about the reconcilability of secularism with Islam. This scepticism stemmed from the asatizah’s understanding that the Prophet and the Rightly Guided Caliphs who succeeded him were both religious and political leaders, hence setting the example and precedence, for an Islamic polity to be governed by Islamic laws. Further, they acknowledged that Islam’s characteristic as a perfect and holistic religion meant that it provided guidance on all dimensions of life including political governance. This study is significant because it can be one indicator of the thinking and views of the larger body of asatizah who are the primary influencers of Islamic life in Singapore. This article looks at the resources within Islamic tradition and scholarship to respond to issues that surfaced in the study which have a bearing on the reconcilability of secularism in Singapore with Islam. It also discusses Singapore’s model of secularism and how its unique characteristics have attracted the asatizah to embrace it for pragmatic benefits in providing a conducive socio-political context for Islam to be practised as a minority religion.

Please click HERE to read the full issue.

Issue 14 : Interreligious Relations (IRR) – “Heart Unity”: Gandhi’s Dynamic Approach to Religion, Education, and Personal Transformation for Interfaith Relations by Veena R. Howard

Abstract:

While contemporary interfaith movements aim to unite the voices of the multiple faith traditions for confronting injustices and inequities, the emergence of religious extremist groups and multicultural societies pose challenges arising from the mixing of different religions. Reflecting on Mohandas K. Gandhi’s writings, this paper analyses Gandhi’s vision of heart unity for creating communal harmony among the many religions of India at a time when the forces of fanaticism, bigotry, and hatred are raising their heads. Despite historical and contextual differences in the time Gandhi lived, his moral and critical approach to religion presents dynamic solutions for salvaging it from dogmatic and violent systems and for situating it in a moral context. His emphasis on the equality of all religions, while grounding himself in Hinduism, presents a model for serious and honest interfaith interactions. His insights on the issues of conversion, the study of scriptures of different religions, interfaith marriages, and parenthood can be experimented with to disrupt the othering of religions different from one’s own in order to build interreligious relations, with the goal of mutual respect and deep understanding, not simply tolerance.

Please click HERE to read the full issue.

Issue 13 : Interreligious Relations (IRR) – Localising the Practice of Islam in the Context of Singapore by Zalman Putra Ahmad Ali

Abstract:

Postcolonial nation states in Southeast Asia have taken different trajectories in the localisation of Islam within their respective societies. Post-independence Singapore’s experience of localisation of Islam is largely through a centralised Muslim religious authority created by legislation drawn from Singapore’s colonial legacy. Policies and religious rulings of the central authority through the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) and the Fatwa Committee have significantly contributed to the Muslim community’s adaptation to Singapore’s urbanisation and multicultural society. I argue that as the evolving context becomes more complex in the future, Singapore’s centralised approach in localising the practice of Islam will require further adaptation. It cannot depend merely on reactive changes to state-directed policies, laws, and regulations. It must be complemented with a more proactive, robust, and organic approach where there is a thorough assessment of the changing conditions and deliberate critical re-evaluation of religious tradition conditioned by a vibrant discursive tradition within the community.

Please click HERE to read the full issue.

Issue 12 : Interreligious Relations (IRR) – Multifaith Movements and Critical Religious Pluralism: Precarity, Performativity and Peacebuilding by Anna Halafoff

Abstract:

We are currently witnessing an intensifying clash between cosmopolitans and anti-cosmopolitans internationally, in which religions are often playing complex and ambivalent roles in promoting or undermining respect for rights and diversity. This paper draws on my and my colleagues research on the global multifaith movement, and the Worldviews of Australia’s Generation Z study to make a case for what I call critical religious pluralism. Building on Ulrich Beck’s cosmopolitan theory, and Judith Butler’s critical theory and thinking on precarity and performativity, I argue that there are lessons from the global multifaith movement that can perhaps be useful to contemporary social movements and networks addressing today’s most pressing issues. I also contend that a more critical interrogation of religion’s capacity to cause harm and violence, which is often lacking in multifaith movements and contemporary research on religions, is needed to stem the anti-cosmopolitan turn and to inform policies and curricula pertaining to religion.

Please click HERE to read the full issue.

Issue 11 : Interstitial Theology and Interreligious Reconciliation in Post-War Maluku: The Work of Elifas Maspaitella and Jacklevyn Manuputty by Lailatul Fitriyah

Abstract:

This paper is an original, ethnographic account of the interreligious peacebuilding efforts by two Christian reverends, Reverend Elifas Maspaitella and Reverend Jacklevyn Manuputty, in post-war Maluku, Indonesia. Based on extensive fieldwork conducted by the author in 2014, and grounded in the theoretical framework of interstitial theology proposed by Tinu Ruparell, this paper highlights the narratives that these reverends employ to promote peace between Christian and Muslim communities in Maluku. Specifically, both personalities use contextualised forms of ecclesiology and cosmology within the context of Muslim-Christian reconciliation in Central Maluku. In doing so, they redefine “theology” as networks of thought and praxis that are intertwined with, and inseparable from, each other.

Please click HERE to read the full issue.

Issue 10 : Religious Peacebuilding in Post-War Maluku: Tiwery’s Theology of the Mother (Teologi Ina) and Nunusaku-based Cosmology by Lailatul Fitriyah

Abstract:

The Christian and Muslim communities in Maluku, Ambon, Indonesia have shared a long history of co-existence. This paper seeks to explain the breakdown in relations between the two communities which resulted in a sectarian conflict between 1999 and 2002. Specifically, in line with previous scholarship on the topic, the paper argues that the relegation of local traditional kinships (Pela-Gandong) and the cosmological worldview (Nunusaku cosmology) which undergirds these relations to the rear of the socio-cultural and religious dynamics of the Moluccan society was a main factor which led to the conflict. Briefly tracing the development of ChristianMuslim relations in Ambon through colonisation period, and through the lens of interstitial theology, the paper then proposes an emphasis on an indigeneous theology, Teologi Ina, as a crucial resource for post-war reconciliation efforts in Maluku.

Please click HERE to read the full issue.

Issue 9 : Western Perspectives on Dialogue in a World of Conflict and Violence by Gavin Flood

Abstract:

This paper outlines the conditions that make for a conducive environment for interreligious dialogue to take place effectively. Before arriving at the conditions, it discusses the difference between a religious and a rational cosmological worldview, and religion’s place in the modern world. Though it is not inherent, there may potentially be a conflict between the traditional religious values of participation, hierarchy, and salvation, and the values of modernity including an emphasis on individualism, progress, and equality. Understanding this contestation, which contributes as a cause to religious conflict and violence, also illuminates the ways in which dialogue can be useful in promoting interreligious understanding.

Please click HERE to read the full issue.

Issue 8 : Unpacking laïcité amidst rising Islamophobia in France: Favouring Equality or Discrimination? by Cristina de Esperanza Picardo

Abstract:

The French version of secularism, known as laïcité, was initially institutionalised with the aim of achieving religious freedom and equality. Paradoxically, in recent times, it has turned into a narrative that justifies imposing limits on the very liberties it sought to protect, especially with regards to the Muslim population. This paper unpacks laïcité and demonstrates how its multiple understandings contributed to a rise in Islamophobia. The analysis is done against the context of the War on Terror after 9/11 which has exacerbated anti-Muslim sentiment in France.

Please click HERE to read the full issue.

Issue 7 : A Near Century of Dialogue by Leonard Swidler

Abstract:

This paper employs a reflection on the author’s life journey being involved in inter-religious dialogue and its academic study to contemplate on the field. Reflecting on his personal endeavour in initiating dialogue efforts, and the psychological human make-up which naturally seeks to love and to be loved, the author argues for dialogue as an essential element of human life. Through dialogue, one is exposed to multiple views of the world; in turn transforming one’s own “home” view from a rigid and self-contented one to a view that is all-embracing and expansive. The author argues that a dialogical imperative is rooted within human nature and the nurture that we have from birth, to seek a robust grounding for understanding the practice and nature of dialogue, especially between and within religious communities.

Please click HERE to read the full issue.

Issue 6 : Comparative Theology in the Academic Study of Religion: An Inquiry by Julius Lipner

Abstract:

This essay asks whether the new comparative theology merits a place in the academic study of religion. In the process, the meaning of “theology” and “comparative” (the latter with special reference to the comparative study of religion) in their current applications is clarified, and various distinctions are drawn between “old” and “new” modes of doing comparative religion and comparative theology (in the latter case, with special reference to the work of Francis X. Clooney). Several key questions relating to such study are raised and answered: whether there is a need to reveal the ideological stance of the scholar; whether “comparative” study in both disciplines is a viable exercise; whether fractal theory is applicable; what the nature of “truth” might be in these disciplines; and what kind of qualities or virtues they are expected to generate or require. Finally, a conclusion is drawn as to whether the new comparative theology merits a place in the academic study of religion.

Please click HERE to read the full issue.

Issue 5 : Religion, Nationalism and Politics in Southeast Asia: The Ambivalence of the Sacred in an Uncertain World by Joseph Chinyong Liow

Abstract:

In contemporary Southeast Asia, the focus on religion has been on its role in interstate conflicts across the region in countries like Thailand, Myanmar, Indonesia and the Philippines. At first glance, these conflicts appear religious because of the use of religious symbols and narratives to describe them by popular media, in academia, and among conflict actors themselves. However, to conclude that they are intuitively religious in nature by virtue of their religious manifestation is erroneous. Religion is, and has for a long time, been a salient marker of personal and collective identity for many Southeast Asian societies, while its manifestation in SEA is often quite distinct from the way it is typically conceptualised under a Western lens. In this sense, religious narratives, when employed in conflicts, speak to broader concerns relating to questions of identity, nationhood, legitimacy and belonging, and not so much on religious issues such as confessional beliefs or doctrines. This paper explores the nexus between religion and nationalism and how this is crucial in understanding the role of religion in interstate conflicts in Southeast Asia today.

Please click HERE to read the full issue.

Issue 4 : Interreligious Dialogue in a World of Conflict and Violence: A Critical Exploration of Confucianism by Lai Pan-Chiu

Abstract:

“Harmony in Diversity” (hé ér bù tóng) is a rather famous Confucian motto. It is widely regarded by many Chinese as a valuable ideal or guiding principle to be upheld in order to preserve peaceful relations among the religions as well as among nations. This paper aims to go beyond this rather preliminary impression by exploring further the possible contributions of the Confucian approach to dialogue in a world of conflict and violence. Through a brief comparison with some other views in Chinese culture, this paper argues that Confucianism is relatively more capable than other Chinese traditions to address a world of conflict and violence. It further proposes that a Confucian approach to cross-cultural dialogue can be derived from the Confucian virtues of benevolence (rén 仁) and reciprocity (shù 恕), the concept of zhongyong (中庸) rationality, and ethical guidelines concerning retribution and reconciliation. This approach will benefit not only the avoidance of conflict and violence, but also the inter-group reconciliations which are particularly needed in a post-conflict context. Although there are also certain limitations to the Confucian approach to inter-religious relations, these limitations can be overcome partially through dialogue with other cultural or religious traditions.

Please click HERE to read the full issue.

Issue 3 : Islam and Secularism in Singapore: Between Embracement and Belief by Mohammad Alami Musa

Abstract:

Singaporean Muslims have always lived in a secular state and participated fully in its institutions even though they are sceptical towards the reconcilability of secularism with Islam. A study is being undertaken to ascertain if the embracement of the secular state ideology bears out of pragmatism rather than Islamic beliefs. Thirty-seven asatizah (Islamic preachers and prayer leaders) who are traditionally the socio-religious influencers of religious life, were interviewed as part of the study. This paper captures their thoughts of secularism as a philosophy, their religious perspectives of living in a secular state, and their justification to suspend the application of Shariah laws.

Please click HERE to read the full issue.

Issue 2 : Living in a Religiously Plural Society: A Muslim Perspective on Being Inclusive Today by Abdullah Saeed

Abstract:

In today’s religiously plural societies, it is critical that people from different religions live together peacefully and cooperate and collaborate with each other. For religious traditions, this reality poses several challenges, not the least of which is whether it is possible to maintain irreconcilable religious differences, such as core beliefs and fundamental doctrines, while coexisting harmoniously with other religions. This paper argues that, from a Muslim perspective, it is possible to maintain religious harmony and good relations in a religiously plural society while still maintaining fundamental religious differences. It argues that inclusivism essentially involves being positive, non-judgmental, and accepting of the religious ‘other’ and treating them with respect in accordance with their inherent human dignity. This way, exclusivist religious beliefs about God, the scriptures, life after death, and the validity of one’s religion can exist at the level of a believer’s conscience, but they are not necessarily conveyed in public in a way that damages relationships between members of different religions in contemporary societies. The paper argues that such an approach (holding exclusivist beliefs while adopting inclusivist attitudes towards the religious ‘other’) is possible for Muslims, and that there is significant support in Islam’s most important text, the Qur’ān, and among many prominent contemporary Muslim scholars for this approach. It also argues that exclusivist texts in the Qur’ān and theological positions that Muslims developed early on can be dealt with by adopting a contextualist approach to their interpretation.

Please click HERE to read the full issue.

Issue 1 : Interreligious Marriage: Perspectives from the Singaporean Context in Relation to Interreligious Dialogue by Juhi Ahuja and Paul Hedges

Abstract:

This paper explores the phenomenon of interreligious marriage in Singapore, based upon a literature review and interviews with religious leaders and laypeople. The distinct nature of the Singapore context is noted, as well as the limits of the mainstream discussion which focuses upon the Abrahamic traditions in a Western context. The distinctive patterns of six different traditions are discussed (Buddhism, Catholic Christian, Daoist and Chinese Folk Religion, Hindu, Islamic, and Protestant Christian), as well as issues drawn from these patterns. The paper is primarily devoted to presenting an empirical overview from the interviews, and enters conceptual issues mainly in showing how the Singaporean (or South East Asian) contexts disrupts the standard Western-centric assumptions in the literature. Areas for further research are noted.

Please click HERE to read the full issue.

Editors

Professor Abdullah Saeed University of Melbourne, Australia, and Advisor to the SRP Programme, RSIS, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Associate Professor Paul Hedges SRP Programme, RSIS, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

Editorial Assistant

Luca Farrow SRP Programme, RSIS, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

Advisory Board

Ambassador Alami Musa SRP Programme, RSIS, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Ambassador Barry Desker RSIS, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Rt Rev Dr John Chew, Emeritus, Trinity Theological College, Singapore
Professor Lily Kong Singapore Management University, Singapore
Professor Joseph Liow Chin Yong College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (COHASS), and RSIS, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Professor Julius Lipner, Emeritus, University of Cambridge, UK

Editorial Board

Dr Mohamed Ali SRP Programme, RSIS, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Professor Scott Appleby Keough School of Global Affairs, University of Notre Dame, USA
Professor Azyumardi Azra Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta, Indonesia
Dr Lang Chen Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
Professor Catherine Cornille Boston College, USA
Professor Gavin D’Costa Bristol University, UK
Professor Farid Esack University of Johannesburg, South Africa
Dr Julianne Funk University of Zurich, Switzerland
Dr Marion Grau Norwegian School of Theology, Norway
Dr Anne Hege Grung University of Oslo, Norway
Dr Anna Halafoff Deakin University, Australia
Professor Elizabeth Harris University of Birmingham, UK
Dr Heidi Hadsell Hartford Seminary, USA
Professor Jeanine Hill Fletcher Fordham University, USA
Professor Maria Kalsky Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Professor Paul Knitter, Emeritus, Professor Union Theological Seminary, Columbia University, USA
Professor Lai Pan-Chiu Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Professor Marianne Moyaert Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Professor Ebrahim Moosa Kroc Institute, Notre Dame University, USA
Professor Vali Nasr Johns Hopkins University, USA
Dr Nazirudin Nasir Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS), Singapore
Dr Jennifer Howe Peace Andover Newton Theological School, USA
Professor Michelle Voss Roberts University of Toronto, Canada
Dr Dicky Sofjan Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Information for Authors

Please contact Mr Luca Farrow for details and submission of papers.