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Explores ultimate realities in a range of world religions and discusses the issue and philosophical implications of comparison itself.
The idea of ultimacy as a comparative category that cuts across major religious traditions and cultures is discussed in Ultimate Realities, a multi-authored collaborative work. In this light, Chinese religion, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are examined by distinguished specialist historians. Two senses of ultimacy emerged in the Comparative Religious Ideas Project from which this volume came. One is the ultimacy of ontological matters such as God, the Dao, or Brahman. The other is the anthropological ultimacy of religious quests such as the Buddhist journey to enlightenment which does not stress any ontological ultimate, and indeed in some forms considers ontological ultimates to be problematic. Underneath this comparative study is a theory and method of comparison which are discussed at length and embodied in the project.
Contributors include John H. Berthrong, Francis X. Clooney, S.J., Malcolm David Eckel, Paula Fredriksen, S. Nomanul Haq, Joseph Kanofsky, Livia Kohn, James E. Miller, Robert Cummings Neville, Hugh Nicholson, Anthony J. Saldarini, Tina Shepardson, John Thatamanil,, and Wesley J. Wildman.
Foreword
Tu Weiming
Preface
Robert Cummings Neville
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Robert Cummings Neville and Wesley J. Wildman
1. Ultimate Reality: Chinese Religion
Livia Kohn with James Miller
2. Ultimate Realities: Judaism: God as a Many-sided Ultimate Reality in Traditional Judaism
Anthony J. Saldarini with Joseph A. Kanofsky
3. Ultimate Reality in Ancient Christianity: Christ and Redemption
Paula Fredriksen
4. Ultimate Reality: Islam
S. Nomanul Haq
5. Vedanta Desika's Isvarapariccheda ("Definition of the Lord") and the Hindu Argument about Ultimate Reality
Francis X. Clooney, S.J., with Hugh R. Nicholson
6. Cooking the Last Fruit of Nihilism: Buddhist Approaches to Ultimate Reality
Malcolm David Eckel with John J. Thatamanil
7. Comparative Conclusions about Ultimate Realities
Robert Cummings Neville and Wesley J. Wildman
8. On Comparing Religious Ideas
Robert Cummings Neville and Wesley J. Wildman
9. How Our Approach to Comparison Relates to Others
Wesley J. Wildman and Robert Cummings Neville
10. The Idea of Categories in Historical Comparative Perspective
John H. Berthrong
Appendix A: On the Process of the Project During the Second Year
Wesley J. Wildman
Appendix B: Suggestions for Further Reading
Contributors
Index of Names
Index of Subjects