Christianity and the Encounter of the World Religions

One of the world's most renowned theologians and philosophers of religion, Dr Paul Tillich discusses in this book certain points of view considered by him to be decisive as an approach to Christianity and its encounter with world religions: the emphasis on and the characterization of quasi-religions; the elaboration of the universalist element in Christianity; the suggestion of a dynamic typology; the dialogical character of the encounter of high religions; and the judgment of Christianity against itself and its openness for criticism from other religions and from quasi-religious.

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The religious principle cannot come to an end. For the question of the ultimate meaning of life cannot be silenced as long as men are men. Religion cannot come to an end, and a particular religion will be lasting to the degree in which it negates itself as a religion. Thus Christianity will be a bearer of the religious answer as long as it breaks through its own particularity.
The way to achieve this is not to relinquish one's religious tradition for the sake of a universal concept which would be nothing but a concept. The way is to penetrate into the depth of one's own religion, in devotion, thought and action. In the depth of every living religion there is a point at which the religion itself loses its importance, and show more that to which it points breaks through its particularity, elevating it to spiritual freedom and with it to a vision of the spiritual presence in other expressions of the ultimate meaning of man's existence. show less