Types of Interreligious Dialogue

Main Article Content

Sergey Melnik

Abstract

The existing classifications of types of interreligious dialogue have limitations and shortcomings and do not allow us to describe this extremely complex, multi-faceted phenomenon in a systematic and complete way. The article presents an original classification of interreligious dialogue that provides a more sophisticated tool for analyzing this phenomenon. On the basis of the “intention” criterion, i.e. the motivation that encourages followers of different religions to come into contact with each other, four major types of interreligious dialogue are “polemical,” “cognitive,” “peacemaking,” and “partnership”. These types of dialogue are lined up respectively around the following questions: “Who is right?”, “Who are you?”, “How can we live together peacefully?” and “What can we do to improve the world?” Using the criteria goal (tasks headed towards by the participants in the dialogue); principles (starting points which determine the interaction), and form (participants in the dialogue), various kinds of dialogue within each of the four types are identified and described. Presented classifications provide an approach that can be useful for analyzing various kinds of interreligious dialogue.

Article Details