Buddhism and Interfaith Dialogue: Part one of a two-volume sequel to Zen and Western Thought

Zen and Western Thought #2

by Masao Abe, Steve Heine (Editor)

This book tries to clarify a Buddhist view of interfaith dialogue from various points of view. It discusses how the Buddhist notion of Sunyata (Emptiness) works dynamically for mutual understanding and transformation of world religions. It also analyzes dialogue between Buddhism and Contemporary Christian theology, especially that of Paul Tillioh and Langdon Gillay.

Genres: Zen

265 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Masao Abe (Japanese: 阿部 正雄 Abe Masao) was a leading exponent of Zen Buddhism in the West after the death of his mentor D.T. Suzuki.

Reviews

[Matt Hayes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This work by Masao Abe captures precisely what excites me about religious studies: that boundaries and delineations between faiths and philosophies are merely conceptual, and that many of the core principles of religiosity such as compassion and an understanding of the self commonly underly more than one faith. This book is recommended for those with a foundational understanding of Buddhist philosophy, as it tackles some fairly abstract issues that may be difficult for beginners. I would consider this a more scholarly investigation of interfaith dialogue shared between Buddhism and Western religions, one that stands as an advanced companion to "Living Buddha, Living Christ" by Thich Nhat Hanh.