this issue
previous article in this issuenext article in this issue

Document Details :

Title: Six Basic Insights of Christian and Islamic Political Thought
Author(s): VROOM, Hendrik M.
Journal: Studies in Interreligious Dialogue
Volume: 22    Issue: 2   Date: 2012   
Pages: 209-227
DOI: 10.2143/SID.22.2.2965154

Abstract :
Christians have recently had to struggle with the question of the relation between Christian and Islamic political thought. This article explores six terms that are central to Christian social thought and the Christian democratic tradition in Europe and looks at how the Islamic tradition deals with similar or related notions. In the first section the author discusses the legitimacy of emphasizing all the positive things in the religious sources while members of these traditions engage in violence. Do those who stress the 'good' in a religion not close their eyes to the bad? Is it not unrealĀ¬istic to portray Christianity or Islam in a good light while the violence practiced by members of both traditions can be seen in media every day? The six items discussed are: the (equal) worth and dignity of every individual, solidarity, responsibility, justice, sustainability, and freedom of religion. The article closes with a discussion of the commonalities in these basic insights of Christianity and Islam.

Download article