Ruth Illman

Perceiving the Other: Case Studies and Theories of Respectful Action

rules, but in concrete, relational encounters with the Other. From this fundamental starting point, an epistemological frame is developed, including theoretical influences from phenomenology and methodological ideals of ethnographic and reflexive case study analysis. Additional approaches of importance for the entire book include the concept of life-world, Foucault’s notion of heterotopia, Levinas’s analysis of alterity and the Face of the Other, and Knud E. Løgstrup’s understanding of the ethical demand. Section two presents a number of case studies and dimensions relevant to the relational ethics and focus on praxis developed in section one. The themes vary from encounters in a hospice ward (Lisbeth Thoresen), a teacher–student encounter (Silke Leonhard), social work with youth (Solveig Botnen Eide), city mission among people with HIV/AIDS (Ingvil Lønning), and encounters in refugee accommodation at Frankfurt Airport (Kerstin Söderblom). The relevant dimensions, which are treated in each chapter, are body (Leonhard/Thoresen), language (Meyer), and space (Jonas Bauer). The case studies are all rich in contextual detail and self-reflexive analysis, but also demonstrate a close connection to the mutual theoretical framework. As a result, reading this section is very engaging and the use of shared structures and concepts makes the book a coherent and co-ordinated contribution to the field. The authors’ unanimity can, however, also be seen as a disadvantage; a book which focuses on perceiving the other as other would, in my opinion, also benefit from creative disagreements in its theoretical frame. The thematic chapters are valuable and well written, carefully delineating complex concepts in a concrete yet not simplifying manner. Readers who do not master the German language may, Book Reviews 515

Plurality and Peace: Inter-Religious Dialogue in a Creative Perspective

Within the research on inter-religious relations, dialogue is by tradition treated primarily as an intellectual challenge for political and religious leaders. The aim of this article is to show that this challenge is ethical and practical rather than merely theoretical in nature and to offer analytical reflections on the foundations of dignity in difference. The article focuses on Judaism, Christianity and Islam, treating dialogue and difference as complex questions of interpersonal relatedness. The article analyses creative forms of dialogue as an alternative to traditional rationally defined dialogue efforts. As an example, the groundbreaking work of the Spanish musician Jordi Savall is followed closely through an empirical analysis of his efforts to bring people of different faiths together in music—a ‘dialogue of souls’ engaging people deeply as unique, actively responsible, thinking and feeling individuals who manage to combine plurality and peace into a public theology.

Facebook as a Site for Inter-religious Encounters: A Case Study from Finland

Abstract The aim of this article is to analyse the social networking site Facebook as a possible platform for inter-religious dialogue. Building on a case study—an attack on a Buddhist temple in Turku, Finland, and the consequent interaction that took place online immediately following the attack—the article investigates the strengths and limitations of social networking sites such as Facebook for encountering and connecting with religious others. The ethnographic material—consisting of both Internet material and interviews with concerned parties—is discussed in close connection with current research on religion, social media, and discussions online. Themes that are highlighted include stereotypes and superficiality as assumed aspects of online conversations, the role of power in dialogue—both offline and online, and symbolic communicative actions and social networking sites.

Incarnating Encounters: Reflections on Spirituality, Art and Interreligious Dialogue

This chapter commences with two quotations describing views of spirituality and the role of art in interpersonal dialogue by musician Jordi Savall and author Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt. Creative interreligious dialogue can be described as the practice of using different art forms as instruments for bringing together persons of different religious and spiritual backgrounds. These two artists are apt examples of such practitioners, implementing ideas of imaginative understanding and highlighting the importance of spirituality in their artistic work for improved interreligious relations. The chapter discusses how the views of the artists shed light on how to draw some conclusions on the connections between art and spirituality in contemporary interreligious dialogue. By analyzing the empirical material the chapter concludes that both Savall and Schmitt regard spirituality as a vital element for interreligious dialogue, emphasising the experience of unity and understanding, emotions and practical activity. Keywords:art; Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt; interreligious dialogue; Jordi Savall; spirituality

Response to Melissa Raphael

Ruth Illman, The Donner Institute Ruth Illman is docent of comparative religion at Abo Akademi University and director of the Donner Institute for Research in Religious and Cultural History in Turku, Finland. Her main research interests include interreligious dialogue, religion and art, and contemporary Judaism. Among her recent publications are the books Art and Belief: Artists Engaged in Interreligious Dialogue (Routledge 2012) and Theology and the Arts: Engaging Faith, co-authored with W. Alan Smith (Routledge 2013, paperback edn 2016). She is the editor of Approaching Religion and Scripta Instituti Donneriani, published by the Donner Institute, and, together with Karin Hedner Zetterholm, of the peer-reviewed journal Nordisk judaistik – Scandinavian Jewish Studies.

Aboagora 2013: The Human Machine

The editorial introduces the articles of the issue, all pertaining to the arts and sciences event, Aboagora, which gathered artists, academics and a wide range of interested listeners together to discuss the relationship between technology and the human being in Turku/Abo in August, 2013. Aboagora is arranged as a joint venture between Turku Music Festival and scholars from the University of Turku, Abo Akademi University and the Donner Institute.

Momo and Ibrahim—‘Thus-and-Otherwise’: A Dialogical Approach to Religious Difference

Studies on religious difference usually take their point of departure in an intellectually biased view of interreligious encounters where difference is treated as a problem to be solved and the challenge of facing the religious other is an intellectual task of making him/her intelligible. The current article aims at providing an alternative to this logical approach to religious difference by outlining a dialogical one. The perspective is based on the works of several Jewish, Christian, and Muslim philosophers of religion who exchange the question of who has the truth for more ethically and practically oriented questions; for example, finding dignity in difference and seeing the religious other as a legitimate perspective on the world. The novel Monsieur Ibrahim and the Flowers of the Koran is used as an empirical arena for addressing the main issue at stake: can a monotheist ever truly appreciate religious diversity?

Love, responsibility, otherness: Finnish church leaders and interreligious dialogue

In this article, the author will focus on the subject matter addressed in this appeal, i.e. peace and dialogue. The aim is to analyse how these Christian leaders view the role of religions, and especially interreligious dialogue, in creating and promoting peace. The author will begin by presenting the Peace Appeal and the interviews which form the empirical material upon which the research is based. The author will then concentrate on five issues which emerge from the analysis of this material as being especially important: the question of peace, love and reconciliation in a religious perspective; the question of otherness in interfaith dialogue; the relationship between dialogue and mission; the question of God’s presence in other religions; and personal responsibility and action. Emphasis is placed on presenting and analysing the empirical material, but the topics are also tied to a theoretical framework based on current thoughts within moral philosophy and the dialogue philosophy of Martin Buber. The discussion is, in conclusion, summarised with the help of the three notions which form the topic of this article: love, responsibility and otherness.