MUTUAL CHALLENGES AND UNDERSTANDING
240pp
This scholarly book, containing select writings, engages proactively with Muslims and diverse themes in Christian-Muslim relations in India and elsewhere. It points out that Christians and Muslims can live together in peace and contribute to justice inspired harmony only if they both remain faithful to their moral obligation to give reasonable account of their faith to others. In other words, Christians and Muslims should remain faithful to 'mission' and 'd'awa' respectively. The book affirms that any effort for mutual relationship between Muslims and Christians that does not give sufficient attention to the 'witness-dimension' of their faiths is bound to be either superficial or ephemeral.
Prof. Christian W. Troll (b.1937, Berlin), studied philosophy and theology at the Universities of Bonn and Tübingen. During his further studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, he travelled widely to meet Muslims in Iran, Pakistan and India.
From 1976 – 1988 Prof. Troll taught Islam and Christian-Muslim relations at Vidyajyoti Institute of Religious Studies, New Delhi. He also taught at the Centre for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations in Birmingham and was professor from 1993-1999 at the Pontifical Oriental Institute, Rome. He has been for many years member of the Sub-Commission for Religious Relations with Muslims of the Catholic Church and member of the Commission of the German Bishops’ Conference for Interreligious Dialogue.
Prof. Akhtarul Wasey, Padma Shri is Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities in India. He is former Dean, Faculty of Humanities and Languages, Head Department of Islamic Studies and the Honorary Director, Zakir Husain Institute of Islamic Studies at Jamia Milia Islamia, New Delhi. He was also the editor of four scholarly journals published by the same Institute. Prof. Wasey has travelled widely and his writings are translated into Arabic, Persian and French languages.
Editor’s Note
1. Christianity and Islam: Mutual Challenges
Hans Zirker’s Recent Work on Islam
2. Can Christians and Muslims Pray Together?
3. Muhammad—Prophet for Christians Also?
4. The Ethical and Political Dimensions of Dialogue
5. Dialogue and Religious Truth Claims in Christianity
and Islam
6. Catholic Teachings on Interreligious Dialogue:
Analysis of Some Recent Official Documents, with
Special Reference to Christian-Muslim Relations
7. Who is Christ for Me—In the Context of Encountering
Muslims and Studying Islam?
8. Mosque and Church: Their Contribution to Inter‑
Religious Harmony and Reconciliation
9. Christian-Muslim Relations in India: A Critical Survey
10. Mission and Dialogue: The Example of Islam
Appendix: Interview with Prof. Troll
Index