Christianity, Judaism and Islam have sometimes been more closely identified not for what they offer to save the world but for what they bring to destabilize it. It is one of the depressing paradoxes of religion, supposedly a force for good, that it is all too frequently the occasion for conflict instead of peace, generosity and better treatment of one's neighbor. The contributors to this volume start from the premise that there is a price to be paid by the 'sons of Abraham': whether Jews, Muslims or Christians. And that is the cost of learning how to be brothers through mutual and attentive engagement. Mature interfaith discussion offers respect for a shared heritage while also recognizing points of distinctiveness. This book explores what articulating such regardful difference, as well as commonality, might mean for the future of faith relations. Including provocative reflections by Elie Wiesel, Irving Greenberg, Hans Kung and others, the book makes a vital contribution to dialogue. In its searching analysis of issues of peace, justice, hope and forgiveness, it will engage all students and scholars of interfaith studies.
