Dialogues, Disputes and Dreams among Jews, Christians and Muslims

In the spring of 2022 a group of Muslim, Christian and Jewish practitioners, leaders and scholars met in Toledo, Spain to discuss ways to respond to our present world-crisis of mistrust and misapprehension. This book is the result of that historic encounter.

Inspired by the new approach to interreligious dialogue that has arisen from the work of Catholic popes, theologians and lay activists over the past half a century, Dialogues, Disputes and Dreams among Jews, Christians and Muslims seeks to lay the foundations of a new approach to dialogue between the three Abrahamic faiths. After setting out the principles of dialogue in its opening chapters, it explores the implications of that dialogue for a wide range of social and cultural spheres of influence including politics, spirituality, art and music. Containing chapters from leading scholars and practitioners, the book will be of interest to all who value the precious gift of faith in a time of social stress and challenge.

Praise for Dialogues, Disputes and Dreams among Jews, Christians and Muslims

“Reading this book made me rather envious: I wish I could have been part of this clearly moving and relevant dialogue! In the book Bishop Anthony Ball quotes a 2007 open letter from Muslim scholars, in which they said that ‘dialogue between faith groups is more necessary than ever and more difficult than ever’. It does indeed feel that dialogue has never been so needed. Rarely in my twenty-five years of interfaith engagement has it been as hard as it is in this moment to enter into the world of interfaith dialogue, particularly Abrahamic dialogues. I hope that through the glimpses of dialogue that this book offers its readers, all will be able to enlarge their understanding and their hearts.” — Rabbi Debbie Young-Somers

“In our times, mere hope is not enough. For peaceful coexistence, there also has to be dialogue to understand the perspective of others. One such dialogue between scholars and practitioners of the three Abrahamic faiths took place in Toledo, Spain in 2022, and the papers that arose from that discussion make up this volume. Toledo was chosen since it is still referred to as the city of three cultures, where Christians, Muslims and Jews have lived and worked together, under both Muslim and Christian rulers. This book offers us a number of themes to consider in such dialogue.” — Lord Syed Kamall

“There are many disputes taking place in our world today. These disputes have, in different places, developed into open conflicts – so much so that we are experiencing what Pope Francis has described as a third world war ‘fought piecemeal’. Both disputes and dialogues can be seen to be the product of dreams, and while they might not always be articulated, they motivate the people engaged in these relations, whether they be bellicose or peaceful. The current situation calls for reflection. Accordingly, a number of scholars met in Toledo, Spain in 2022, and the present volume is the result of that valuable occasion.” — Cardinal Michael Fitzgerald M. Afr. OBE

This volume is edited by Peter Tyler and contains contributions from Bishop Anthony Ball, Rabbi Dan Cohn-Sherbok, Thomas Gillespie, Thomas Graves, Chaim (Harvey) Hames, Fr Michael Kirwan SJ, Archbishop Kevin McDonald, Fr Martin McGee OSB, Julienne McLean, Mark Gerard Murphy, Syed Murshid Nizami, Sr Jo Robson OCD, Kirsten Schouwenaars-Harms, Reza Shah-Kazemi and Sara Sviri.