Religious Diversity and the American Experience: A Theological Approach

A joint product of participants in a Winter 2006 seminar directed by Tilley in the U. of Dayton's graduate theology program, this text traces the new patterns in Christian theology of religions. Coverage includes an overview of the concept of "sited theology," that all theology is constructed in particular locations; relevant factors in the cultural site; prescribed religious principles for constructing a mainstream Christian theology on a specific site (the U.S. context); classic inclusivism; contemporary inclusivism; the pluralist approaches; a nonfoundationalist approach--"particularism"--focusing on the issue of the opposing truth claims of diverse religious traditions; the practice of comparative theology; and the practice of multiple religious belonging. In a concluding chapter the authors assess how well the varied approaches treat the central issues of religious diversity. Annotation c2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Terrence W. Tilley is professor and department chair, Department of Theology, Fordham University. Prior to that he was professor and department chair, Department of Religious Studies, University of Dayton, and before that he taught at Florida State University. He is the author of 5 previous books: Story Theology (Liturgical Press, 1985) and the rest published by Orbis Books: The Evils of Theodicies (1991), Postmodern Theologies and the Challenge of Religious Diversity (1995), Inventing the Catholic Tradition (2000), and History, Theology, and Faith: Dissolving the Modern Problematic (2004). Story Theology was named book of the year (1986) by the College Theology Society. Inventing Catholic Tradition took First Place in Theology from the Catholic Press Association. He is a member of the Catholic Theological Society of America and the College Theology Society. His wife, Maureen Tilley, is a patristics scholar who also teaches at Fordham. They have 2 grown daughters.