Hermeneutics from an inter-religious perspective?

Abstract

In the field of inter-religious (and intercultural) hermeneutics there are two different streams of interpretation. There is a group who sees interreligious hermeneutics as the discipline of looking at the sacred texts in an inter-religious perspective. Some interpret this as the reinterpretation of the Christian scriptures in the perspective of other traditions, whilst others see inter-religious hermeneutics as those methods of hermeneutics which have received support across the religious spectrum. And there is a group who sees inter-religious hermeneutics as a communication theory, the art of communicating across religious (and cultural) boundaries. Both groups however start from the context of shared humanity and demands a radical openness for the other in his/her religious and cultural context. This shared humanity inevitably then also leads to a renewed reflection on and interpretation of the religious texts with the other in mind.