This course investigates the facets of interreligious dialogue/encounter and their emergence and practice in global context. It studies the distinctives of what are ecumenical, interfaith and interreligious movements and how the movements respond to contemporary global problems. The course defines Evangelical Christian truth claims and clarifies its position on exclusivism, inclusivism and pluralism. It identifies and addresses the Christian response to issues in world religions, indigenous religions and new religious movements.
This course benefits students by helping them articulate a reasoned Christian position as they encounter people of other faiths to explore interreligious solutions to basic human conflicts in global context. It equips students with a deeper knowledge and understanding of the basic rationale of major non-Christian faiths and their approaches to such conflicts and how to enter into interreligious collaboration to find solutions in their missional context.
Understanding the interreligious milieu with the emergence of religious extremism in global context, the place and role of Christian belief and practice in the world of religions, is necessary for Christians to effectively engage in their missional context.
The Scripture narrates the history of the fall of humanity and the effects of sin that resulted in human conflicts and problems. It also narrates God’s provision of reconciliation, salvation, redemption and peace to those who receive and accept His gift of life through Jesus Christ, in whom one finds answers to all human ills and conflicts. Christ followers are entreated to accept the “widow, orphan and alien”.
The Missio Dei flows from the person of God to His creation with the purpose of ushering in fallen humanity through Jesus Christ into His presence. In this missional event, there is implication for Christ followers to actively encounter and engage people of other faiths to share the ethos and essence of God’s love for all people to address basic human conflicts.
Encounters and collaborations with people of other faiths that emerge in the student's missional context provide essential elements which are analyzed and used to understand how interreligious encounter function as a constructive or destructive means for addressing basic human conflicts.
This course is especially intercultural with a strong leaning toward crossing cultures as it defines and develops one’s truth claims while building a bridge and missionally crossing over to encounter and engage people of other faiths to address basic human conflicts.
The scope of this course is for the student to reflect on one’s personal truth claims and practice as well as truth claims and practices of other faiths in order to develop critical analytical skills for use in developing interreligious bridges in their particular missional context.
The course uses the student's experience and unique needs as the entry point of study to build on his or her understanding through immersive reflection and assignments in order to cultivate analytical skills and to increase competent appropriation.
