For most European scholars, the scope of Comparative Theology is not very clear. They see big differences between the notion of Comparative Theology among its protagonists, e.g., between Keith Ward or Robert Neville and Francis Clooney or James Fredericks. That is why I will try to define a certain understanding of Comparative Theology which can be defended in accordance with strong European theological traditions. I want to show that Comparative Theology can be understood as one of the best fruits of liberal theology and of a Wittgensteinian interpretation of transcendental philosophy—and that it opens new perspectives for confessional theology. The current development of Islamic theology in Germany is especially challenging for Comparative Theology and the best opportunity to develop it into a project undertaken by scholars of different religions and different intellectual traditions. I will argue that Comparative Theology is not a new discipline within the old disciplines of theology, but that it can give new perspectives to all theological disciplines and thoroughly change their character.
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K. von Stosch. ““Transzendental Kritizismus und Wahrheitsfrage.”.” In Kant und die moderne Theologie. Edited by E. Georg, and S. Magnus. WBG: Darmstadt, 2005, pp. 46–94.
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N. Hintersteiner, ed. “Rose Drew’s paper in this volume; Keith Ward. “The idea of “God” in global theology.”.” In Naming and Thinking God in Europe Today. Theology in Global Dialogue. Amsterdam-New York: Rodopi, 2007, pp. 377–388. (Currents of Encounter-Studies on the contact between Christianity and other religions, beliefs and cultures; 32).
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K. von Stosch. ““Was sind religi？se überzeugungen?”.” In Was sind religi？se überzeugungen?. Edited by H. Joas. G？ttingen: Wallstein, 2003, pp. 103–146. (Preisschriften des Forschungsinstituts für Philosophie Hannover; 1).
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R.C. Neville. Ritual and Deference. Extending Chinese Philosophy in a Comparative Context. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2008, p. 142.
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X. Francis. “Clooney.” In Comparative Theology. Deep Learning Across Religious Borders. Malden/MA-Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2010, p. 96.
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F. K？rner. ““Der Gott Israels, Jesu und Muhammads? Trinit？tstheologie als Regula im interreligi？sen Gespr？ch.”.” Gr.？92？(2011): 139–158, 151.
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L. James. ““Das Selbst vergessen. Buddhistische Reflexionen zur Trinit？t.”.” In Komparative Theologie. Interreligi？se Vergleiche als Weg der Religionstheologie. Edited by R. Bernhardt, and K. von Stosch. Zürich: TVZ, 2009, pp. 203–223. (Beitr？ge zu einer Theologie der Religionen; 7).
[15]
the projects of the comparative theology-group in the cluster of excellence on religion and violence at Münster. Jürgen Werbick, Muhammad Sven Kalisch, and Klaus von Stosch, eds. Glaubensgewissheit und Gewalt. Eschatologische Erkundungen in Islam und Christentum. Paderborn: Sch？ningh, 2011 (Beitr？ge zur Komparativen Theologie; 3); Verwundete Gewissheit. Strategien zum Umgang mit Verunsicherung in Islam und Christentum. Paderborn: Sch？ningh, 2010 (Beitr？ge zur Komparativen Theologie; 1).
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k. von Stosch, and M. Tatari, eds. Gott und Befreiung. Befreiungstheologische Konzepte in Islam und Christentum. Paderborn: Sch？ningh, 2012. (Beitr？ge zur Komparativen Theologie; 5)..
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M. Voss Roberts. ““Gendering comparative theology.”.” In The New Comparative Theology. Interreligious Insights from the Next Generation. Edited by F.X. Clooney. London-New York: T&T Clark, 2010, pp. 109–128, 127.
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F. Clooney. ““Response.”.” In ibid. p. 197.
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T.S. Tiemeier. ““Comparative theology as a theology of liberation.”.” In ibid.. pp. 129–149.
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J. Werbick. Vergewisserungen im interreligi？sen Feld. Münster: Lit, 2011, p. 189. (Religion-Geschichte-Gesellschaft; 49).
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F. Esack. Qur’an, Liberation and Pluralism. An Islamic Perspective of Interreligious Solidarity against Oppression. Oxford: Oneworld, 1997. (Repr. 2002).
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the contribution of Jacques Scheuer in this volume.
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Klaus von Stosch. Offenbarung. Paderborn: UTB, 2010, 96-122, where I explain for the context of revelation why Jewish theology is so helpful for Christian-Muslim dialogue. Certainly this obligation to the third position applies to all theologians-including comparativists. But there is not any special burden for comparative theology in this respect, although other third positions than those in non-comparativist contexts might make more sense in this field because both sides have to agree which third position should be chosen.
[25]
E. McKeown. ““Inside out and in between. Comparing the comparativists.”.” Method and Theory of in the Study of Religion？20？(2008): 259–269, 260, doi:10.1163/157006808X317473. referring to J.Z. Smith. Relating Religion. Essays in the Study of Religion. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2004, p. 239.
[26]
R.C. Neville. ““Philosophische Grundlagen und Methoden der Komparativen Theologie.”.” In Komparative Theologie. Interreligi？se Vergleiche als Weg der Religionstheologie. Edited by R. Bernhardt, and K. von Stosch. Zürich: TVZ, 2009, pp. 35–54, 42.
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C. Tietz. ““Dialogkonzepte in der Komparativen Theologie.”.” In ibid. pp. 315–338, 331.
