This book is a significant contribution to the debate on the extent to which religion and culture have replaced ideology and shaped the understanding of national interests in US foreign policy. It analyzes the historical, political, cultural and security issues that might explain America’s preoccupation with Islam and the Muslims.

Focusing on the case studies of Iran, Algeria, Egypt and Turkey, this study reveals discrepancies between rhetoric and policies in America.

Beyond the US, this book considers changes in world politics with respect to the Muslim world.

Père Michel Lelong. La vérité rend libre, Le Judaïsme, l’Islam et nous, François-Xavier de Guibert, Paris, 1999.

A long-experienced and eminent figure of Christian-Muslim dialogue, Fr. Michel Lelong writes a largely autobiographical book. He reaffirms his deep-rooted commitment to the effort of advancing genuine dialogue, spiritually and theologically sensitive but also attentive to the international political context.

In addition, he wrestles with two considerations: The first concerns reconciliation between Catholics inspired by the teaching of Vatican II and those who claim faithfulness to the tradition. The second stems from the obligation to respect Judaism and, at the same time, give support to the cause of the Palestinian people.

Selvanayagam, Israel: A Second Call -- Ministry and Mission in a Multifaith
Milieu, Chennai: The Christian Literature society, 2000 (391 pages)

The author is a long time resource in the dialogue work of the WCC and is knowledgeable about many and different aspects of interfaith dialogue. This book bears witness to his familiarity and perception of issues such as the ecumenical movement, theological education, interfaith prayer and worship, interfaith marriage, mission and evangelism, to name but a few of the chapters. Selvanayagam wants to provide an introduction to Christian ministers, particularly those in multifaith contexts. The book is a collection of essays, which can be read separately and would be a good material for study groups on issues in interfaith relations. It is a book written with the ink of someone who has himself lived through a lot of what he is writing about.

Lienemann-Perrin, Christine: Mission und interreligiöser Dialog, Ökumenische Studienhefte 11, Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1999

Christine Lienemann-Perrin is Professor of Ecumenics and Mission at the University of Basel in Switzerland and has written this book to help bring some light to the questions of mission and dialogue. Beginning with the biblical tradition, Lienemann-Perrin seeks to unpack the questions of mission and dialogue. Her reflections continue with some perspectives from the ecumenical movement on the same issues. Lienemann-Perrin has recorded a good summary of Orthodox thinking and concerns regarding mission, syncretism and inculturation and finally interfaith dialogue, the latter still continuing to trouble the waters of the Orthodox participation in the WCC. She notes that the Orthodox have not said very much about interfaith dialogue and this silence is maybe quite revealing.

Having dealt with the general attitude of ecumenical and confessional thinking in relation to mission and dialogue, Lienemann-Perrin enters into a chapter on contextual profiles in relation to mission and dialogue: Minjung theology, a pluralistic theology of religions, comparing Stanley Samartha and Paul Knitter, and finally a theology of dialogue with Judaism, example Friedrich-Wilhelm Marquardt. The last chapter draws the conclusions, taking among other things Europe as a case study for a renewed understanding of the plurality of religions.

Doré, Joseph, ed.: A la rencontre du bouddhisme Publication, de l’Academie Internationale des Sciences Religieuses Namur: Artel, 2000

This book, in a series of Christianity meeting with religions, contains articles in German, English and French, written by both Buddhist and Christian scholars. The book is written with the motto "For a dialogue between Buddhism and Christianity". The book is divided into three parts, the first is a discovery of Buddhism, the second is a reflection on the possible points of encounter: spirituality, community, the reference to the Absolute, and the question of the human condition. The third part focuses on the conditions of dialogue. This series of articles contains interesting contributions from equally interesting authors, with contributions by Christians and Buddhists like Jacques Scheuer, Lama Denys Teundrop, Pierre François de Bethune, Perry Schmidt-Leukel and Dennis Gira. It is a good European contribution to the profuse literature on Buddhist-Christian relations and dialogue coming out of the American-Japanese encounters. The book is written by specialists on Buddhism but even more by people practising Buddhism and Christianity.

A thought-provoking meditation on the saying "If you meet the Buddha, kill him" by Hans-Martin Barth concludes the book.

O’Leary, Joseph Stephen: Religious Pluralism and Christian Truth, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1996

This book is a revised version of La Verité chrétienne à l’âge du pluralisme religieux (1994). Joseph O’Leary teaches at Sophia University in Tokyo and is very well versed in Western and Buddhist philosophy and thinking. This book tries to offer material for a continued and sophisticated reflection on religious plurality leaning on Jacques Derrida and Nagarjuna, the Indian Buddhist monk-philosopher and founder of the Madhyamika ("Middle Path") school. O’Leary is keen to demonstrate how biblical monotheism and christological doctrine acquire a new validation from their interplay with the different visions of salvation and reality found in other religious traditions.

cal doctrine acquire a new validation from their interplay with the different visions of salvation and reality found in other religious traditions.