On the Path Toward One Another

“In a world marked by tension and suffering, one which mutual distrust threatens to overwhelm, we can teach each other something important: as rational and spiritual beings we are gifted by the Almighty God with mutual trust. The purpose of this book, On the Path toward One Another, is to show us how to strive toward that goal: mutual trust while walking a spiritual path toward God through one another, a path  followed by believers in both religions, both Islam and Christianity. The conversation that this book demonstrates deserves the support of every open-minded person who believes in a common humanity that is guided and protected by God, the Almighty.”

“Encounters between Christianity and Islam always remain encounters between a Christian and a Muslim.” Thus begins an insightful dialogue between a Benedictine and a Muslim scholar, spanning the most pressing fundamental topics for both religious traditions. A penetrating dialogue between two observant religious figures breathes life into what can too often become stale academic debate. A worthy read for beginners and proficient alike.” 

“Two masters meeting: Germany's most widely read spiritual teacher from the Catholic tradition and Germany’s finest philosopher of religion from the Islamic tradition. Finally! The hope of Vatican II is coming true: they are listening to each other, enjoying their otherness, learning from their counterpart; and they have started walking together toward a world of brothers and sisters.”

“Together, Christians and Muslims comprise the world’s largest number of people of faith — literally billions of believers. With false perceptions and apprehensions rife, it is critical for those of both faiths to understand each other's beliefs and values. Now at last there is a book that answers the pressing questions of Muslims about Christianity and the essential questions of Christians about Islam. We could not have asked for two more credible guides: Ahmad Milad Karimi, a devout Muslim philosopher; and Anselm Grün, a Benedictine monk, a mystic and the author of some three hundred texts on Christian life. Their book has been born not out of judgmentalism or argument, but out of humility. Yet their book moves beyond reducing each religion to the simple bromide that all paths lead to the same God. Grün and Karimi show us that in our undeniable differences, there lies beauty and truth, also strength. As they point out, we can indeed live out our faiths differently and still be united in a search for God that leads not to ‘a’ path, but to the much deeper work of heart and soul that allows for ‘turning oneself into the path."

"Amidst theological attempts to create dialogue through the lowest common denominator, this book stands apart. Grün and Karimi’s sober engagement with the difficult issues that arise from embodied faith while maintaining fidelity exemplifies why transformative encounters flourish amidst meaningful differences. Pedagogically, this is a phenomenal text for the classroom to contemplate how one could mirror such engagement with fidelity to scripture, how to ask questions about embodied faith, and an openness to transformation. As a Reformed and Evangelical comparative theologian, although I would articulate some theological positions differently, I commend the sensitivity that Grün and Karami take to present their responses to the other."