Drawing on international and thematic case studies, The Critical Analysis of Religious Diversity asks its readers to pay attention to the assumptions and processes by which scholars, religious practitioners and states construct religious diversity. The study has three foci: theoretical and methodological issues; religious diversity in non-Western contexts; and religious diversity in social contexts. Together, these trans-contextual studies are utilised to develop a critical analysis exploring how agency, power and language construct understandings of religious diversity. As a result, the book argues that reflexive scholarship needs to consider that the dynamics of diversification and homogenisation are fundamental to understanding social and religious life, that religious diversity is a Western concept, and that definitions of ‘religious diversity’ are often entangled by and within dynamic empirical realities. Contributors are: Martin Baumann, Peter Beyer, Jørn Borup, Paul Bramadat, Marian Burchardt, Henrik Reintoft Christensen, Andrew Dawson, Mar Griera, Anna Halafoff, William Hoverd, Lene Kühle, Mar Marcos, Stefania Travagnin, and Andreas Tunger-Zanetti.

"Religious Diversity brings together outstanding essays in world religions by an authority in the field. Carefully chosen both for accessibility and as an outline of Wildred Cantwell Smith's thinking, these nine selections move gracefully through a wide range of concerns."-Publisher.

This anthology explores religious diversity in Asia seen through the lenses of history, identity, state, ritual and geography. The chapters furthermore address theoretical and methodological reflections using Asia as a laboratory for broader comparative research of 'religious diversity'.

In the last ten years or so, religious plurality has become higher on the agenda for religious education research in the Nordic countries. This attention to religious plurality partly reflects processes of globalisation that include both physical migration and communication of ideas and is-sues across the world, making it ‘smaller’. It also reflects the preoccupation of governments with social cohesion and, as part of this, intercultural education. In the curricula of the Nordic countries this is manifested in different ways, setting also the agenda for parts of educational research. This book addresses issues related to the increasing religious plurality in the Nordic countries. These issues are a challenge to many religious groups including historically dominant Lutheran national churches, both nationally and locally. They have also led to a reorientation in religious education research in the last decade. A rich variety of research perspectives are presented under three headings: Theoretical and methodical perspectives, The world of the students, Teachers and textbooks. Nordic religious education research here proves to be internationally oriented in terms of theoretical perspectives, whilst also contributing to the debate through important empirical studies. Examples of issues covered in the book are unintended learning, dialogue, gender, life-interpretation, spirituality, identity and values. In different ways all the contributions in this book shed light on the common theme of diversity, and are based on a will to include diverse perspectives both on the actors and the material of the classroom as well as on the life world of young people. The researchers represent different generations and different theoretical and methodological perspectives.

Drawing on research funded by the European Commission, this book explores how religious diversity has been, and continues to be, represented in cultural contexts in Western Europe, particularly to teenagers: in textbooks, museums and exhibitions, popular youth culture including TV and online, as well as in political speech. Topics include the findings from focus group interviews with teenagers in schools across Europe, the representation of minority religions in museums, migration and youth subculture.

Governing Religious Diversity in Cities provides original insights into the governance of religious diversity in urban contexts from a variety of theoretical perspectives, and drawing on a wide range of empirical examples in Europe and Canada. Religious diversity is increasingly present and visible in cities across the world. Drawing on a wide selection of cases in Europe and Canada, this volume examines how this diversity is governed. While focusing on the urban dimension of governance, the chapters do not examine cities in isolation but take into account the interconnections between urban contexts and other scales, both within and beyond the borders of the nation-state. The contributors discuss a variety of empirical examples, ranging from the controversies around the celebration of the International Yoga Day in Vancouver, the mosque not built in Munich, and the governance of Islam in cities in France, Germany, Italy, Quebec and Spain. Adopting a critical perspective, they shed light on the factors shaping different governance patterns, and on their implications for various religious groups. Ultimately, this book shows that governing religious diversity is not a matter of black and white. Contributing to a growing field of academic research that focuses on the governance of religion in urban contexts, and providing lines for future research, Governing Religious Diversity in Cities will be of great interest to scholars in the sociology of religion, religious studies and urban studies. The chapters were originally published as a special issue of Religion, State & Society.

This volume provides a comprehensive overview of the various features and challenges of the relationships between peace, state, law, and education in their transnational and international context.

As dialogue among the religions of the world has increased, the promotion of these exchanges by Christians, both Roman Catholic and Protestant, raises the question of the motives behind these discussions. Some Christians reach out in good will, others display defensive hostility, still others are simply following the mandates of their church. Religious diversity--rather than pluralism--challenges citizens of the world to learn from the differences between religions rather than glibly assuming their commonality. Acknowledging these differences, In Praise of Religious Diversity promotes active conversation--rather than conventional dialogue--as the mode of meeting between the religions. Only through a contemporaneous exchange of ideas can the benefits of diversity be realized. This new level of communication poses an exciting prospect from which previously unrecognized alternatives for religion and relationships between religions might contribute to even greater human possibilities.

Religious Perspectives on Religious Diversity addresses fundamental and controversial questions raised by religious diversity. What are members of religious traditions to say about outsiders, their views, and their salvific status? And what are they to say about the religions of outsiders – about, say, whether those religions are inspired or salvifically effective or worthwhile or legitimate? Discussion of some Muslim, Christian, and Jewish perspectives is combined with more methodological work. The authors of these ground-breaking and original, yet readable and accessible, essays include established scholars and younger scholars whose reputation is growing. Contributors are: Imran Aijaz, David Basinger, Paul Rhodes Eddy, Jerome Gellman, Mohammad Hassan Khalil, Eugene Korn, Daniel A. Madigan, Robert McKim, John Sanders, and Diego R. Sarrió Cucarella. "Judaism, Christianity and Islam’s attitudes to other religions are thoughtfully examined in this collection, both with fine historical sensibility as well as original constructive contributions from leading scholars in the field. A series of helpful meta-reflections follow on: typologies in theology of religions; the act of comparison between traditions; and a plea for informed tolerance when difference is confronted. A rare treat: an edited collection that is of uniformly high quality, throwing immense light on the subject. It will help specialists and undergraduate students approaching the subject of religious pluralism." - Professor Gavin D’Costa, University of Bristol, September 2016.

While religion can be a source of healing, peace, and reconciliation, it can also be a trigger, if not an underlying cause, for conflict between peoples of varying beliefs. With that awareness, the International Academy of Practical Theology convened its 2007 meeting around the theme of "Religion, Diversity, and Conflict." From the multiple seminars, lectures, and studies presented at that meeting, a selection was chosen for this book. Representing contributions from four continents, and drawing upon perspectives from African traditional religions, Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, the book offers a rich introduction to the problems and promises of religion in dialogue with 21st-century diversity. Religion, Diversity and Conflict will serve as a veritable primer on the field of practical theology. (Series: International Practical Theology - Vol. 15)