Overview

This volume offers both theoretical approaches and case studies on the relationship between religion and the secular world. Bringing together contributions from seasoned authors, religious leaders, and brilliant new scholars, it frames the long-standing debate on how to structure a comparative representation of any religion on the one side, and the secular world on the other. Often, the very act of comparing religions exposes them to an assessment of their role in history and politics, and risks leading to some sort of grading and ranking, which is highly unproductive. By candidly discussing the relation between religion and the secular and providing concrete examples from four case studies (Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Baha’i), this book provides an important reference on how this can be achieved in a neutral way, while keeping in mind the normative finality of seeking conciliation to existing fractures, both within and among religions.