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Faiths in Conflict?: Christian Integrity in a Multicultural World
Crosscultural communication and interconnection have never been greater in the history of the world. Yet the potential for intercultural conflict accompanies every advance. And religious belief, which lies at the heart of most cultures, often appears to contribute to such unrest and at times even to violence. In this fascinating and ground-breaking study, Vinoth Ramachandra explores the complex nature of conflict among the major world religions of Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity, and also between them and the rising tide of secularism. Challenging stereotypes built up on every side, he raises questions about the seemingly inevitable clash of cultures due to their respective religious commitments. He puts to the test the belief that a secular society that rejects universal truth claims can sustain a truly tolerant and pluralistic society. He passionately demonstrates how the distinctive message of Christianity concerning the uniqueness of Jesus Christ actually provides a basis for a truly democratic and multicultural society.
192 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 26, 2012
Vinoth Ramachandra, Ph.D. is the regional secretary for South Asia for the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students. Being educated at the University of London, born and raised in Sri Lanka, and having spent years working with university students all around East Asia gives him a unique perspective on how to respond to the social, cultural and political challenges that people face in varying contexts.
Ramachandra makes the case that the best road to a peaceful multicultural society is by avoiding the simplistic stereotyping of the world religions as violent and unmasking militant “secularism” and nationalism as real roadblocks to peaceful co-existence. He argues that when Christians understand they are citizens of a transnational kingdom whose first allegiance is to Christ and his universal reign, we can better engage in the political quest for democracies that truly respect religious differences.
Ramachandra works out his thesis by showing why Huntington’s “clash of civilizations” is an example of how people make simplistic generalizations about religious faiths and cultures that breed mutual suspicions and misunderstandings. He explains that the major world faiths – he takes a looks at Islam, Hinduism and Christianity in particular - are not “encapsulated within any particular culture,” but that leaders of nation-states often exploit religious differences for their own gain. He gets behind the popular stories of viewing conflicts as primarily due to “religious violence” by investigating the rise of political movements “against the backdrop of specific social, economic and political” situations of a culture or country and by identifying self-critical voices in the world religions that identify resources of peace within their faith. He exposes how secularism has lead to the nation-state becoming idolatrous as well as impotent in cultivating a peaceful multicultural society, while the good news of Christ provides the best route for such a society.
Ramachandra’s work in many ways is a practical handbook for peacemaking today. He helps us to remember the vital role that we have as God’s people - to unmask ideologies and popular stereotypes with the goal of truly understanding “the other” from their particular context. He shows that Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, or national leaders greed and envy, may be larger reasons for conflicts in the world today than religious violence. He does well to point out the tragedy of characterizing cultures and faiths by accenting the fundamentalist extremes while ignoring how a peaceful multicultural society would be better served by identifying and building relationships with self-critical voices within other religious traditions.
This book helps any self-reflecting Christian living in America take a deeper look at our allegiances. It calls us to question whether our first allegiance is to the Prince of Peace who followed the way of the cross, or our nation-state that too often follows the way of the sword. I can understand how people of other cultures could misunderstand our culture as well as the Christian message. For example, when President Bush preemptively led America (a “Christian” nation) to war against Iraq in the name of God, how are people of other cultures to understand this? What was the transnational kingdom-oriented American response to this? Ramachandra’s work helps remind us of the vital role of unmasking idolatries and the importance of following the way of Christ if we want to “live with integrity in a multicultural world.”
Ramachandra makes the case that the best road to a peaceful multicultural society is by avoiding the simplistic stereotyping of the world religions as violent and unmasking militant “secularism” and nationalism as real roadblocks to peaceful co-existence. He argues that when Christians understand they are citizens of a transnational kingdom whose first allegiance is to Christ and his universal reign, we can better engage in the political quest for democracies that truly respect religious differences.
Ramachandra works out his thesis by showing why Huntington’s “clash of civilizations” is an example of how people make simplistic generalizations about religious faiths and cultures that breed mutual suspicions and misunderstandings. He explains that the major world faiths – he takes a looks at Islam, Hinduism and Christianity in particular - are not “encapsulated within any particular culture,” but that leaders of nation-states often exploit religious differences for their own gain. He gets behind the popular stories of viewing conflicts as primarily due to “religious violence” by investigating the rise of political movements “against the backdrop of specific social, economic and political” situations of a culture or country and by identifying self-critical voices in the world religions that identify resources of peace within their faith. He exposes how secularism has lead to the nation-state becoming idolatrous as well as impotent in cultivating a peaceful multicultural society, while the good news of Christ provides the best route for such a society.
Ramachandra’s work in many ways is a practical handbook for peacemaking today. He helps us to remember the vital role that we have as God’s people - to unmask ideologies and popular stereotypes with the goal of truly understanding “the other” from their particular context. He shows that Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, or national leaders greed and envy, may be larger reasons for conflicts in the world today than religious violence. He does well to point out the tragedy of characterizing cultures and faiths by accenting the fundamentalist extremes while ignoring how a peaceful multicultural society would be better served by identifying and building relationships with self-critical voices within other religious traditions.
This book helps any self-reflecting Christian living in America take a deeper look at our allegiances. It calls us to question whether our first allegiance is to the Prince of Peace who followed the way of the cross, or our nation-state that too often follows the way of the sword. I can understand how people of other cultures could misunderstand our culture as well as the Christian message. For example, when President Bush preemptively led America (a “Christian” nation) to war against Iraq in the name of God, how are people of other cultures to understand this? What was the transnational kingdom-oriented American response to this? Ramachandra’s work helps remind us of the vital role of unmasking idolatries and the importance of following the way of Christ if we want to “live with integrity in a multicultural world.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 13, 2014
Ramachandra’s book Faiths in Conflict? prominently emphasizes the political dynamic of religion. The first chapter addresses Islam and the second chapter, Hinduism. The book was based on a series of lectures given in 1998 and thus predates the elevated role of Islam in world politics since the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York City and Washington, DC. He seems to downplay the strength of the radical element in Islam and its potential for global impact. In a world facing ISIS, Boko Haram, and other extremist groups, it makes this chapter feel out-dated. This in turn causes me to question the contemporary accuracy of his reflections on Indian politics in chapter two. I am not familiar with Indian politics, but would need more current information before I could fully accept his interpretation.
Chapter three presents the theological foundations of Ramachandra’s apologetic of Jesus. He defends the claims of Christ by explaining the significance of Jesus’ life, teachings, death, and resurrection in the political and cultural context of his day as well as the existence of the written Gospel record. He also asserts the uniqueness of Jesus in contrast to other religious leaders such as Buddha and Mohammed.
Chapters four and five bring the discussion into the present day with a thorough explanation of pluralism and secularism and how the followers of this unique Jesus should engage the cultures in which they live. These final three chapters offer valuable insight in addressing pluralism and secularism in the early twenty-first century.
Chapter three presents the theological foundations of Ramachandra’s apologetic of Jesus. He defends the claims of Christ by explaining the significance of Jesus’ life, teachings, death, and resurrection in the political and cultural context of his day as well as the existence of the written Gospel record. He also asserts the uniqueness of Jesus in contrast to other religious leaders such as Buddha and Mohammed.
Chapters four and five bring the discussion into the present day with a thorough explanation of pluralism and secularism and how the followers of this unique Jesus should engage the cultures in which they live. These final three chapters offer valuable insight in addressing pluralism and secularism in the early twenty-first century.
October 6, 2012
Oh I know this must be such an important book. I couldn't get past Ramachandra's writing style... it is still on my shelf and my guilt level is high - 2 chapters in, I abandoned it!!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews