Confucianism and Catholicism - by Michael R Slater & Erin M Cline & Philip J Ivanhoe Hardcover

About the Book

"Confucianism and Catholicism are among the most influential religious traditions and share a long and intricate relationship. Beginning with the work of Matteo Ricci (1552-1610), the nature of this relationship has sometimes generated great debate, which is still alive today. The ten essays in this volume continue and advance this long conversation. Written by specialists in both traditions, the essays are organized into two groups. Those in the first group focus primarily on the historical and cultural contexts in which Confucianism and Catholicism encountered one another in the four major Confucian cultures of East Asia (China, Vietnam, Korea, and Japan). These essays seek to understand specific figures, texts, and issues in light of those broader contexts. The essays in the second part offer comparative and constructive studies of specific figures, texts, and issues in the Confucian and Catholic traditions from both theological and philosophical perspectives. By bringing these historical and constructive perspectives together, this volume seeks not only to understand the past dialogue between these traditions, but also to renew and reinvigorate the conversation between them today. In light of the unprecedented expansion of Eastern Asian influence in recent decades, and considering the myriad of challenges and new opportunities faced by both the Confucian and Catholic traditions in a world that is rapidly becoming globalized, this volume could not be more timely. Confucianism and Catholicism: Reinvigorating the Dialogue will be of interest to professional theologians, historians, and scholars of religion, as well as those who work in interreligious dialogue"--

Book Synopsis

Confucianism and Catholicism, among the most influential religious traditions, share an intricate relationship. Beginning with the work of Matteo Ricci (1552-1610), the nature of this relationship has generated great debate. These ten essays synthesize in a single volume this historic conversation. Written by specialists in both traditions, the essays are organized into two groups. Those in the first group focus primarily on the historical and cultural contexts in which Confucianism and Catholicism encountered one another in the four major Confucian cultures of East Asia: China, Vietnam, Korea, and Japan. The essays in the second part offer comparative and constructive studies of specific figures, texts, and issues in the Confucian and Catholic traditions from both theological and philosophical perspectives. By bringing these historical and constructive perspectives together, Confucianism and Catholicism: Reinvigorating the Dialogue seeks not only to understand better the past dialogue between these traditions, but also to renew the conversation between them today.

In light of the unprecedented expansion of Eastern Asian influence in recent decades, and considering the myriad of challenges and new opportunities faced by both the Confucian and Catholic traditions in a world that is rapidly becoming globalized, this volume could not be more timely. Confucianism and Catholicism will be of interest to professional theologians, historians, and scholars of religion, as well as those who work in interreligious dialogue.

Contributors: Michael R. Slater, Erin M. Cline, Philip J. Ivanhoe, Vincent Shen, Anh Q. Tran, S.J., Donald L. Baker, Kevin M. Doak, Xueying Wang, Richard Kim, Victoria S. Harrison, and Lee H. Yearley.

Review Quotes

"The articles in this book are consistently well-argued and take up interesting topics. They will all be of interest to scholars or students interested in the dialogue between Roman Catholics and Confucians." --Journal for Baptist Theology and Ministry

"Confucianism and Catholicism is a fascinating book that explores the dialogue between Confucianism and Christianity and highlights how the two traditions have enriched each other in the past four hundred years, and how they can continue to promote further their intellectual, moral, and spiritual visions." --Thierry Meynard, S.J., author of The Jesuit Reading of Confucius

"Confucianism and Catholicism is a unique collection of essays that provides ample testimony to the complexities of cross-cultural comparisons of religions, but demonstrates that religions with significantly different cosmologies share many aspects of thought and practice that emerge from their common foundation in human experience." --Harold D. Roth, coeditor of The Essential Huainanzi

"This is a rich and stimulating collection of essays that is in many ways a model for multi-authored comparative work in religious and philosophical thought. Confucianism and Catholicism will appeal to all students of comparative religious thought and interreligious dialogue." --Aaron Stalnaker, author of Religious Ethics in a Time of Globalism

About the Author

Michael R. Slater is associate professor of theology at Georgetown University.

Erin M. Cline is professor of comparative ethics and theology at Georgetown University and senior research fellow at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs.

Philip J. Ivanhoe is the Distinguished Chair Professor in the College of Confucian Studies and Eastern Philosophy at Sungkyunkwan University.