The
neighbors we encounter these days do not always hold the same religious
beliefs as we do. This is a fact of contemporary life, exemplified
by the diversities of places of worship we see as we travel: synagogues,
churches and mosques.
Those with religious sensitivity realize that in today’s culture it is
important, on many levels, to understand what our neighbors believe. The book
that follows seeks to provide easy access to beliefs of three major world religions:
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
The nine chapters focus on the big, “umbrella” issues that are
dealt with by these three faiths. Each chapter is composed of three questions
with responses by experts on each of the three religions. The writers all have
deep knowledge of the faith traditions and here write clearly and simply to
acquaint us with the different viewpoints.
This book is designed for personal use as well as group study. Groups can examine
a particular faith by reading the responses from that perspective in all the
chapters. Or, one can study the book by chapters, comparing and contrasting
the three traditions on each issue. Helpful materials at the end of the book
provide resources for further reflections.
We hope this book will open windows of understanding for those interested in
three of the world’s major faiths. Our knowledge of what our neighbors
believe can enhance our own beliefs. It can also open us to new insights that
can deepen our perceptions and tolerance in a world where “peace among
the religions is the prerequisite for peace among the nations.”*
Donald
K. McKim for
Westminster John Knox Press
* Hans Küng,
Theology for the Third Millennium: An Ecumenical View, trans. Peter
Heinegg (New York: Doubleday, 1988), 209.
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