Plurality and Peace: Inter-Religious Dialogue in a Creative Perspective

Within the research on inter-religious relations, dialogue is by tradition treated primarily as an intellectual challenge for political and religious leaders. The aim of this article is to show that this challenge is ethical and practical rather than merely theoretical in nature and to offer analytical reflections on the foundations of dignity in difference. The article focuses on Judaism, Christianity and Islam, treating dialogue and difference as complex questions of interpersonal relatedness. The article analyses creative forms of dialogue as an alternative to traditional rationally defined dialogue efforts. As an example, the groundbreaking work of the Spanish musician Jordi Savall is followed closely through an empirical analysis of his efforts to bring people of different faiths together in music-a 'dialogue of souls' engaging people deeply as unique, actively responsible, thinking and feeling individuals who manage to combine plurality and peace into a public theology.