CROSSING RELIGIOUS BORDERS.

Given the globalization of religions, multi-religious contacts among peoples have become daily fare. The frequently felt pluralism of religions raises the question of precisely how to sustain one's religious convictions while fostering openness and receptivity to those of others, whether that receptivity is enacted in a spirit of curiosity, hope, or love of neighbor. Historically, multi-religious contacts have been pursued through the risky religious border-crossings known as missionary activity and interfaith dialogues. Like geographic border-crossings, these lead us into the unfamiliar. Through four case examples, this essay presents a range of ways people have negotiated differing religious convictions — remaining convinced, yet receptive to the religious convictions of others. These four narratives suggest alternative ways of receiving and relating to the religious other, and they show us how conviction and receptivity to others' convictions can function as dialogue partners, thereby offering possibilities for the rest of us. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]