When believers view other religious traditions through a hermeneutic of hostility, the consequences can be deadly. Christian history shows that interpretation of the Bible is no exception. In recent decades, however, many Christian traditions have radically refashioned their approach to other religious traditions and to biblical interpretation. This new "hemeneutics of generosity" seeks to uncover what can be learned from other holy texts and the communities that treasure them and also seeks to find common ground on important issues such as human rights and religious liberty. True and Holy which explores how Christians past and present have read the Bible in relation to Jewish, Musliim, Hindu, and Buddhist traditions, offers new bases for friendship and understanding. Noting the challenges and tensions in the relationship between Christians and these four other religious communities, Lefebure also examines the specific issues involved in interpreting the Christian Bible in interreligious dialogue. He concludes with a relfection on the experience of conversion in light of the theology of Bernard Lonegran and the mimesis theory of Rene Girard.
"This is a bold book, and a needed one. Lefebure seeks to fill a recognized lacuna in Cristian theologies of religions: a biblical basis for a more effective engagement with other traditions. Drawing on a broad range of both biblical and historical scholarship, he shows that a hermeneutics of hostility toward other religions can be replaced with a hermeneutics of generosity and hospitality." -- Paul F. Knitter, Union Theological Seminary, NY
This book is a vital resource for comparative theologians, for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the history of Christian engagement with other religions, and for anyone interested in resources for a more open and hospitable attitude toward the religious other." -- Catherine Cornille, Boston College