Includes bibliographical references and index.

Islam in modern history. The Islamic malaise in modern times ; The consequences of the western support of Zionism -- On understanding Islam. Muslim-Hindu relations in India -- Belief and history. The sky is a cow -- Towards a world theology. Sikhism's relationship to the Guru Nanak -- On understanding Islam. Some similarities and some differences between Christianity and Islam -- What is scripture?. Scriptures are not texts -- Modern Culture from a comparative perspective. Philosophia as one of the religious traditions of humankind -- Towards a world theology. The history of religion in the singular ; What is humane knowledge? -- Methodological issues in religious study. Methodology and the study of religion--Smith's misgivings -- Towards a world theology. Objectivity and the failure of the modern university.

Faith and belief. The English word 'believe' ; The intellectual dimension of faith -- The meaning and end of religion. The renaissance and reformation uses of the term religion ; Conferring names where they did not exist ; Hinduism as a cumulative religious tradition -- Faith and belief. Belief as a barrier to faith -- Theology and the world's religious history. Seeing transcendence in history -- Questions of religious truth. Christian--noun or adjective? -- Towards a world theology. Christian theology in a new key -- Patterns of faith around the world. The exclusivist position is theoretically difficult -- Towards a world theology. A theology of comparative religion -- Theology and the world's religious history. Theology is speaking the truth about god.

Mission trends no. 2. Mission as participation -- The international review of mission. Dialogue and colloquy -- Modern culture from a comparative perspective. What should we expect in the new millennium? -- Towards a world theology. A glimpse of a world theology.