Faiths in Conflict?: Christian Integrity in a Multicultural World [Paperback]

Vinoth Ramachandra (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 28, 2000

Crosscultural communication and interconnection have never been greater in the history of the world. Yet the potential for intercultural conflict accompanies every advance. And religious belief, which lies at the heart of most cultures, often appears to contribute to such unrest and at times even to violence. In this fascinating and ground-breaking study, Vinoth Ramachandra explores the complex nature of conflict among the major world religions of Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity, and also between them and the rising tide of secularism. Challenging stereotypes built up on every side, he raises questions about the seemingly inevitable clash of cultures due to their respective religious commitments. He puts to the test the belief that a secular society that rejects universal truth claims can sustain a truly tolerant and pluralistic society. He passionately demonstrates how the distinctive message of Christianity concerning the uniqueness of Jesus Christ actually provides a basis for a truly democratic and multicultural society.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Drawing from his London Lectures in Contemporary Christianity series, Ramachandra, the South Asia regional secretary for the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students, skillfully demonstrates his view that Christianity alone provides the foundation for a multicultural society. Ramachandra discusses in depth the social, cultural, historical and religious components that make up Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism and Christianity, noting how each major religion is unique and how these religions and their followers often promote negative stereotypes about the others. In his third chapter, "The Jesus Enigma," Ramachandra intensely scrutinizes Jesus Christ, describing Jesus' controversial practice of accepting Jews, non-Jews, women and outcasts into his company. Jesus' outlandish claims about himself, says Ramachandra, were balanced by his humility, though both extremes only served to further alienate him from the religious leaders of the day. Asserts the author, "... this combination of an other-oriented lifestyle with self-directed claims is what makes Jesus of Nazareth utterly unique." Ramachandra discusses how conversion and culture relate to each other, and how readers might proclaim the Christian message to others of different faiths. While carefully written, only scholars or other erudite readers will appreciate the dry, detailed explanations of the world's religions and their divergent belief systems. (Sept.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Ramachandra . . . skillfully demonstrates his view that Christianity alone provides the foundation for a multicultural society." (Publishers Weekly, August 14, 2000 )

"This book is a superb treatment of critical issues facing Christians today. Both its angle of vision and its tone are just right to help us begin a conversation about religious pluralism and crosscultural apologetics. I am adding it to my required reading for a course by that title and recommending it warmly to friends!" (Bill Dyrness )

"Ramachandra writes with eloquence and irony. . . . His writing is an extension of his life: an adventure of discovering and helping others to discover--in a divided world, disfigured by evermore appalling conflicts--the joys of friendship with God and with people of all sorts." (Howard Peskett, Trinity College, Bristol, England )

"This book is wide-ranging, refreshingly bold, starkly honest and often unexpected as it advocates the power of the message of Jesus Christ to overcome many actual dilemmas, and highlights the many failures of Christians to follow consistently their high calling." (J. Andrew Kirk, Selly Oak Colleges, Birmingham, England )

"A remarkably perceptive and stimulating study from an author who is rooted in a Third World context and understands how issues of faith affect real issues in the lives of individual nations." (Colin Chapman, Near East School of Theology, Beirut, Lebanon )

"Faiths in Conflict? is a powerful, enlightening book which explodes the myth that religion has been and continues to be the major cause of conflict. . . . Christians of all denominations and men and women of good will of all religious traditions must read it. It brings interreligious interchange and the challenge of Christian mission to an entirely new level of maturity with honesty, love and insight." (William R. Burrows, Ph.D., managing editor, Orbis Books )

"Ramachandra has taken one of the most important issues for the twenty-first century--the conflict of faiths, ideologies and cultures--and shattered our easy assumptions. . . . Avoiding simplistic secular and relativist arguments, this book takes seriously both the radical nature of the life and teachings of Jesus and the complex nature of our contemporary conflicts. It could reshape Christian thought about culture and bring Christians, East and West, to a new type of unity." (Scott W. Sunquist, W. Don McClure Associate Professor of World Mission and Evangelism, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: IVP Academic (August 28, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0830815589
• ISBN-13: 978-0830815586
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #538,848 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A truly wonderful book!, October 5, 2007

By 

Avid Reader (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Faiths in Conflict?: Christian Integrity in a Multicultural World (Paperback)

A wonderful book. The title says it all - conflict? question mark, & Christian integrity. Some of my favorite authors are C.S. Lewis, & Philip Yancey, but this book has become my favorite of all & most recommended to friends & family. I think it has to do with my own background & the state of the world today. I was born & raised in a tiny mid-West town, but over the years I have worked & travelled throughout much of the world (31 countries!), & this in itself can be a challenge to one's faith. Most of my friends are not Christians, and now my immediate family includes members of the Muslim & Hindu faiths & yet my faith in Christ remains the center of my life. Especially wonderful is the very clear description of the modern world given in the preface. We no longer live in a world of immigrants, but rather a world of "transnational migration" whereby cultures mix & people flow in & out of cultures without even moving physically sometimes. This affects all of us. Perhaps the most concise & beautiful description of Christianity that I have ever read is found in the "Jesus Enigma" chapter. It is a tremendous resource to reaffirm a simple but profound faith - knowing what you believe is the foundation of integrity. Vinoth Ramachandra I think represents the very rare author who can write with inspiration & authority on crucial topics, & yet his style is downright enjoyable as the pages turn themselves, & I believe that his book is a gift of faith to the world. The chapters are a joy to read & to re-read, each time offering a new perspective perhaps. I cannot recommend his book highly enough. It offers a message of integrity, dialogue, & hope in a world that desperately needs to hear it. I am so glad to have found this book & I think that you will be too.

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Insights, January 14, 2012

By 

Starshine - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Faiths in Conflict?: Christian Integrity in a Multicultural World (Paperback)

This book was a textbook for a seminary class, Missio Dei. Ramachandra is a native of Sri Lanka who holds a PhD in Nuclear Engineering from the U. of London. He is a leader in the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students where he helps Christian university graduates think and respond as Christians to some of the social, cultural, and political challenges they face throughout the world. He has also taught in several theological seminaries and conferences. His Danish wife is a trained counselor and Bible teacher. From this base of experience Dr. Ramachandra has written this highly-readable book which daringly confronts "hidden issues" and "conceptual fuzziness" that help fuel the new "religious wars." Many of these things are not in fact based on the religion with which they are cloaked but are based on matters such as politics, power, and economics. The book ends helpfully with a disentangling of some of the issues and an argument for a contextual approach towards civility and the common good, with implications for authentic Christian discipleship in the late modern world. The book is an easy read of 171 pages, has Endnotes and a nice Bibliography, and is printed in dark enough ink with print sized so that it is easy to see. It would make a good book as a basis of discussion with a small group or as provocative reading for the thoughtful indiviudual.

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for those in the world, February 14, 2011

By 

Grad Student (Florida, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Faiths in Conflict?: Christian Integrity in a Multicultural World (Paperback)

Wouldnt categorize as easy reading but neither would i categorize CS Lewis as easy reading. Both are my favorite authors. The book talks about challenges in a multicultural world where tolerance seems to have been misunderstood. a must read for a thinking Christian who wants to engage and bring the Gospel to the world where s/he lives