Sharing Wisdom

Benefits and Boundaries of Interreligious Learning

Contributions by Pal Ahluwalia, Timothy Gianotti, Alon Goshen-Gottstein, Sallie B. King, Anantanand Rambachan, Meir Sendor, Miroslav Volf Edited by Alon Goshen-Gottstein

Not available to order

Publication date:

28 December 2016

Length of book:

136 pages

Publisher

Lexington Books

ISBN-13: 9781498545587

The essays collected here, prepared by a think tank of the Elijah Interfaith Academy, explore the challenges associated with sharing wisdom—learning, teachings, messages for good living—between members of different faith traditions. In a globalized age, when food, music, and dress are shared freely, how should religions go about sharing their wisdom? The essays, representing six faith traditions (Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist), explore what wisdom means in each of these traditions, why it should be shared—internally and externally—and how it should be shared. A primary concern is the form of appropriate sharing, so that the wisdom of the specific tradition maintains its integrity in the process of sharing. Authors reflect on specific wisdoms their tradition has or should share, as well as what it has to receive from other faiths. Special emphasis is placed on the themes of love and forgiveness and how these illustrate the principles of common sharing. Love and humility emerge as strong motivators for sharing wisdom and for doing so in a way that respects the tradition from which the wisdom comes as well as the recipient. This book offers a theory that can enrich ongoing encounters between members of faith traditions by suggesting a tradition-based practice of sharing the wisdom of traditions, while preserving the integrity of the teaching and respecting the identity of the one with whom wisdom is shared.]]>

1. A Christian Perspective, Miroslav Volf
2. A Hindu Perspective, Anantanand Rambachan
3. A Sikh Perspective, Pal Ahluwalia
4. A Buddhist Perspective, Sallie B. King
5. A Muslim Perspective, Timothy Gianotti
6. A Jewish Perspective, Meir Sendor
7. Sharing Wisdom: A Composite Picture, Alon Goshen-Gottstein]]>

Religious leaders often come together for a statement of their respective beliefs seeking a false satisfaction that they are working for world peace by a disparate series of talks meant to only emphasize differences among faith traditions. This book is a welcome departure from such meaningless exercises and hopes to create a tradition of “sharing wisdom” among the followers of different world religions.... Sharing Wisdom is not a simplistic putting together of the beliefs of different faith traditions but a systematic approach to bring about a culture of actively sharing wisdom without sacrificing the unique features of a particular faith tradition but trying to absorb more from the others.]]>