 previous article in this issue | next article in this issue  |
|
Document Details : Title: Aandacht voor spanning en verzet Subtitle: Interculturele theologie als kritisch perspectief op conflict en dialoog Author(s): VAN LIERE, Lucien Journal: Tijdschrift voor Theologie Volume: 51 Issue: 1 Date: 2011 Pages: 101-114 DOI: 10.2143/TVT.51.1.3203374 Abstract : By intercultural theology we understand theological reflection on inculturation in which religions and cultures influence one another (fundamentally or superficially). This article studies the fundamental concepts in this type of reflection. They are; culture, religion and modernity. These concepts are also frequently used in the current discussion on Islam, where they are used against one another. Intercultural theology should thoroughly analyse the manner in which this occurs. It does so by critically considering the encounters and frictions between various cultures and the effects of these on human relations rather than by examining the strain between religions and cultures on the meta level by playing off terms (culture, religion, modernity) against one another. That religion is often seen as rational modernity’s opponent or as a basically violent attitude in the current discussion on Islam has consequences for the way human relations evolve in daily practice. That is why this article studies 1) how religion is regarded as a violent opponent to western secular modernity (the article relies on William Cavanaugh here), and how 2) how the separation between religion and modernity is persistently overstepped in the discussion on Islam. One consequence of this discussion is that religion and secular modernity relentlessly bicker over the public arena. Questions about loyalty, security, modernity and civic responsibility arise in this context. Because intercultural theology studies the hybrid nature of phenomena related to religion, it assumes, in the discussion, a position that starts from the cause of this friction, i.e. a foreigner’s appearance as foreigner (as object of the discussion) in the public arena. Intercultural theology seeks to make this foreigner visible in the contention of dominant discussions. That means that questions centred on immigration, globalisation and violence will determine intercultural theology’s agenda in the coming decade. |
|
