Description
Book SynopsisIn Hope and Otherness, Jakob Wirén analyses the place and role of the religious Other in contemporary eschatology. In connection with this theme, he examines and compares different levels of inclusion and exclusion in Christian, Muslim, and Jewish eschatologies. He argues that a distinction should be made in approaches to this issue between soteriological openness and eschatological openness. By going beyond Christian theology and also looking to Muslim and Jewish sources and by combining the question of the religious Other with eschatology, Wirén explores ways of articulating Christian eschatology in light of religious otherness, and provides a new and vital slant to the threefold paradigm of exclusivism, inclusivism and pluralism that has been prevalent in the theology of religions. “Jakob Wirén’s study pushes forward the frontiers of three disciplines all at the same time: theology of religions; comparative religions and eschatology. (…) This is a challenging and important book.” - Gavin D'Costa, University of Bristol, Professor of Catholic Theology, 2017 “This book explores of the status of religious others in Christian eschatology, and of eschatology itself as a privileged place for reflecting on religious otherness. Wiren mines not only Christian, but also Jewish and Muslim sources to develop an inclusive eschatology. Hope and Otherness thus represents an important contribution to both theology of religions and comparative theology.” - Catherine Cornille, Boston College, Professor of Comparative Theology, 2017
Trade Review“Jakob Wirén’s study pushes forward the frontiers of three disciplines all at the same time: theology of religions; comparative religions and eschatology. He sophisticatedly explores how Christian, Jewish and Muslim eschatologies are open to the religious ‘Other’. He then returns to his own Christian theological tradition to incorporate what he has discovered to develop a more eschatologically open picture, while keeping Christologically rooted and liturgically relevant. This is a challenging and important book.” ̶- Gavin D'Costa, University of Bristol, Professor of Catholic Theology. “This book explores of the status of religious others in Christian eschatology, and of eschatology itself as a privileged place for reflecting on religious otherness. Wiren mines not only Christian, but also Jewish and Muslim sources to develop an inclusive eschatology. Hope and Otherness thus represents an important contribution to both theology of religions and comparative theology.” - Catherine Cornille, Boston College, Professor of Comparative Theology.
Table of ContentsPreface 1 Introduction 1.1 The Task 1.2 The Context of This Study Theologies of Religions: Introduction The Threefold Paradigm The Threefold Paradigm and This Study Beyond the Threefold Paradigm? i: Particularism as a Fourth Option Beyond the Threefold Paradigm? ii: Comparative Theology 1.3 Methodological Considerations The Method of Correlation A Revised Method of Correlation A Revised Method of Correlation as Comparative Theology? Introducing the Heuristic Tools 1.4 Material 1.5 Terminological Considerations How Some of the Terms are Interrelated The Concepts of Hope and Eschatology The Concepts of Other and Otherness Otherness and Theological Integrity 1.6 The Structure of This Study 2 Christian Eschatologies and the Religious Other 2.1 Introduction Eschatological Positions vis-à-vis the Religious Other 2.2 The Foundation: Four Cornerstones Truth and the Religious Other: Joseph Ratzinger Hope and the Religious Other: Jürgen Moltmann History and the Religious Other: Wolfhart Pannenberg The Real and the Religious Other: John Hick 2.3 The Rise of the Notion of the Religious Other in Christian Eschatology ‘Old Doctrines for New Jobs’: Gavin D’Costa Respecting Other’s Religious Ends: S. Mark Heim 2.4 Conclusion: Heuristic Tools 3 A Wider Horizon: Hope and Otherness in Muslim and Jewish Eschatologies 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Hope and Otherness in Muslim Eschatologies Introduction A Taxonomy of Contemporary Muslim Thinkers Introducing Muslim Theologies of Religions Picturing Paradise: Mujtaba Musavi Lari Eschatology and Ethical Criteria: Fazlur Rahman The Vision of Islam: William C. Chittick Revisiting the Heuristic Tools 3.3 Jewish Eschatologies Introduction Contemporary Jewish Theology Introducing Jewish Theologies of Religions Election: Michael Wyschogrod and the Chosen People The Messiah: Steven Schwarzschild and a Theology of Waiting The Resurrection of the Dead: Neil Gillman and the Hereafter Revisiting the Heuristic Tools 3.4 Conclusion: Heuristic Tools 4 Towards a Christian Eschatology with Theological Integrity for the Religious Other 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Theological Space: Religious Otherness Reassessed Introduction Contributions from Muslim and Jewish Eschatologies Linguistic Hospitality Death and Otherness 4.3 Theological Interplay: Eschatological Otherness Reassessed Introduction Contributions of Muslim and Jewish Eschatologies The Apophatic Nature of the Eschaton A Tradition-Specific Determination of the Eschaton? 4.4 The Heavenly Banquet The Feast as a Human Symbol The Feast as a Religious Symbol The Heavenly Banquet as a Christian Symbol 4.5 Conclusion References Index of Names Index of Subjects
