Religious Identity and Renewal in the Twenty-First Century Twenty-First the in Renewal and Identity Religious DOC 60/2015
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Religions carry strong visions of renewal and thereby have the potential to trigger dynamics of change in all spheres of human life. Religions have contributed to societal transformation and processes of renewal spark LWF intensive theological debates. The renewal of religious identity is informed by how religious communities interpret their traditions and past, present, and future challenges to themselves, society and the world at large. How do religious communities understand their own resources and criteria for renewal in the twenty-first century? In this publication, Jewish, Christian and Muslim scholars analyze and Religious Identity and Renewal reflect on the meaning and dynamics of religious renewal and explore the meaning of religious renewal across religious traditions. in the Twenty-first Century CONTRIBUTORS: BORELLI, John; BUSI, Suneel Bhanu; IBRAHIM- LIZZIO, Celene; JUNGE, Martin; LANDER, Shira L.; LAYTNER, Anson Jewish, Christian and Muslim Explorations Hugh; MOYO, Herbert; PAKPAHAN, Binsar Jonathan; PUNSALAN- MANLIMOS, Catherine; SANDMEL, David Fox; SINN, Simone; STRASKO, Paul Moses; TRICE, Michael Reid; van DOORN-HARDER, Nelly Religious Identity and Renewal in the Twenty-first Century Twenty-first the in Renewal and Identity Religious DOC 60/2015 ISBN 978-3-374-04171-8 EUR 19,80 [D] Doc 60 Seattle cover.indd 1 14/12/2015 09:53:18 Religious Identity and Renewal in the Twenty-first Century: Jewish, Christian and Muslim Explorations Doc 60 Seattle.indd 1 11/12/2015 10:27:13 Documentation 60/2015 THE LUTHERAN WORLD FEDERATION The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the Lutheran World Federation Doc 60 Seattle.indd 2 11/12/2015 10:27:13 Religious Identity and Renewal in the Twenty-first Century: Christian and Muslim Explorations Edited by Simone Sinn and Michael Reid Trice LWF Documentation 60 Doc 60 Seattle.indd 3 11/12/2015 10:27:13 Bibliographic information published by the German National Library The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliografie; detailed bibliographic data are available on the internet at http://dnd.dnd.de © 2015 The Lutheran World Federation Printed in Germany H 7807 This work, including all of its parts, is protected by copyright. Any use beyond the strict limits of copyright law without the permission of the publishing house is strictly prohibited and punishable by law. This book was printed on FSC-certified paper Cover: LWF Editorial assistance: Department for Theology and Public Witness Typesetting and inside layout: LWF Communications & Department for Theology and Public Witness Design: LWF Communications/EVA Printing and Binding: Druckhaus Köthen Gmbh & Co. KG Published by Evangelische Verlangsanstalt GmbH, Leipzig, Germany, under the auspices of The Lutheran World Federation 150, rte de Ferney, PO Box 2100 CH-1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland ISBN 978-3-374-04171-8 www.eva-leipzig.de Parallel edition in German Doc 60 Seattle.indd 4 11/12/2015 10:27:13 Contents Preface .............................................................................................................................................7 Martin Junge Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 9 Michael Reid Trice and Simone Sinn I. God, Generosity and Theodicy The Future of Religious Identity: A Spirit of Generosity ..................................................... 19 Michael Reid Trice Jews, God and Theodicy ............................................................................................................. 37 Anson Laytner II. Religious Voice, Dialogue and Renewal Challenges to Religious Identity in the Twenty-First Century ........................................... 57 John Borelli The Role of the Religious Voice in the Twenty-First Century—A Jewish Perspective..... 77 Shira Lander III. Memory, Tradition and Revelation Scripture and Revelation in the Jewish Tradition ................................................................. 95 David Fox Sandmel The Role of Memory in the Formation of Early Christian Identity .................................. 113 Binsar Jonathan Pakpahan Sacred Text, Revelation and Authority: Remembering and Transmitting the Word .... 127 Nelly van Doorn-Harder 5 Doc 60 Seattle.indd 5 11/12/2015 10:27:13 Religious Identity and Renewal in the Twenty-first Century IV. Case Studies: Twenty-first-century Formation of Community Forming Roots in the Midst of Rootlessness: Religious Identity in the Pacific Northwest ..........................................................................................................143 Catherine Punsalan-Manlimos The Renaissance that Never Happened: Considering the Institutional Challenges of Judaism in Germany .................................................................................................................151 Paul Moses Strasko The Changing Face of Religions in Southern Africa ..........................................................161 Herbert Moyo V. Intersection of Identities Ummah at the Intersection of Identities ................................................................................171 Celene Ibrahim-Lizzio Who are We and What Constitutes Our Identity ................................................................ 187 Suneel Bhanu Busi List of Contributors ..................................................................................................................209 6 Doc 60 Seattle.indd 6 11/12/2015 10:27:13 Preface Martin Junge Throughout history, religions have made significant contributions to transformation processes in society and provided a vision of life that has empowered people to work for change. Such a dynamic unfolds especially there where religious communities are open to renewal and transforma- tion. As they are attentive to God’s living presence, they see their own traditions in a new light. While some of these might need critical revision, others shine brighter than ever. It is crucial to learn how to relate one’s own religious identity to the challenges and opportunities of one’s time. This is a spiritual and a theological task that needs courage and commitment. The sixteenth-century Reformation movement is a prominent case in point. Martin Luther and his contemporaries grappled with a tradition that had been handed down to them. Their struggle triggered the transformation of theological reflection, the reform of church structures and practices and the renewal of Christian life in general. The reformers firmly believed that listening to God’s call “for today” was vital for discerning the way forward. Such openness to God’s living presence and the eagerness theologically to discern the signs of the times can be found in many religious commu- nities. This publication provides insightful reflections and analyses by Jewish, Christian and Muslim scholars on religious renewal across the three monotheistic religious traditions. Renewal processes are subject to in-depth theological debates on how religions understand their own resources and criteria for renewal. The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) has begun its journey toward the Reformation anniversary, which will culminate in the 500th anniversary of the dawn of the Protestant Reformation in October 2017. All LWF events and processes are carried out in accordance with three basic principles: 7 Doc 60 Seattle.indd 7 11/12/2015 10:27:13 Religious Identity and Renewal in the Twenty-first Century 1. A strong emphasis on the polycentric character of the Reformation and the various contextual realities that gave rise to the Reformation 2. Close attention to the issues that move people and societies today, since the Reformation was not merely a moment in history, but is integral to the church’s identity (ecclesia semper reformanda), and as such chal- lenges the church to be open for renewal today 3. Commemoration and celebration of the Reformation anniversary in a way that affirms and strengthens ecumenical relations. At a time when the world is becoming ever more religiously diverse, ques- tions of reformation and renewal do not only occupy Christian circles alone. While other religious communities come from unique historical trajectories and theological premises, similar issues in relation to tradition and renewal have emerged. An interreligious conversation about the polycentric nature of religious communities and their negotiation processes regarding the boundaries of internal and external diversity helps us more profoundly to comprehend the complexity of the processes involved. The essays in this collection were first presented at the August 2014 international interreligious conference, “Religious Identity and Renewal: Jewish, Christian and Muslim Explorations,” co-organized with and co- sponsored by the LWF and the School of Theology and Ministry at Seattle University. I commend this collection of essays to all those who seek to deepen their understanding of resources for renewal in their own and in other religious communities in the twenty-first century. 8 Doc 60 Seattle.indd 8 11/12/2015 10:27:13 Introduction Michael Reid Trice and Simone Sinn Religious identity is being profoundly challenged in our current age. Wher- ever religious life becomes a matter of debate today, the focus of attention quickly shifts to zones of conflict. Violence, hostility and hatred in the name of God or the sacred captures our attention. It