Interfaith Dialogue and Peaceful Co-existence: A Comparative Analysis of John Hick and Gulen

Abstract

Religion occupies a central place in the lives of billions of people across the world. Each day, in every corner of the globe, people gather to pray, meditate, worship, and engage in religious learning, all in an effort to deepen their commitment to their faith. Nearly every religion maintains its own beliefs, sacred texts, rituals, and prophets, providing its followers with a unique worldview and code of conduct. Religion, when properly understood and interpreted in its true spirit, can serve as a powerful force for peace, love, harmony, and mutual understanding among people of different faiths. However, when misunderstood or manipulated, it can equally become a source of hatred, violence, and conflict. The present article seeks to explain religion in a manner that positions it as a genuine source of global peace and peaceful co-existence among the followers of different religions. To this end, the religious interpretations of two prominent scholars — John Hick, a Christian theologian, and Fethullah Gulen, a Muslim scholar — are analyzed in relation to their potential for promoting peaceful co-existence among followers of the world's great religions.