On the Edge of Many Worlds

Improved means of communication have facilitated that a growing number of people know what it means to live on the edges of two worlds. Nowadays however, travel is no longer a requirement to have an intercultural or interreligious experience: ones own neighbour might come from another culture or another religion.This volume presents a collection of reflections on this intercultural and interreligious phenomenon, with special reference to Islam and to Indonesia. The contributors, coming from different parts of the world, propose a variety of approaches to the diversity of cultures and religions. They share with the reader how they, in their part of the world, reflect on and learn from living on the edge of two worlds.The book was written as a festschrift for Prof. Dr. Karel A. Steenbrink and presented to him on the occasion of his retirement as professor in intercultural theology at the sub-faculty of Theology, Utrecht University in November 2006. Prof. Steenbrink is a person who at many times in his life has stood on the edge of two (or more) worlds. His publications testify to that. Born and brought up a pious Roman Catholic from The Netherlands, Steenbrink went to Indonesia to submerge himself in the world of the Indonesian Islam. This baptism into Islam however, did not diminish his loyalty to his own religious tradition. Rather, he has searched for ways to dedicate himself to Islam as well as Christianity. Steenbrink is an example of how enriching it can be to stand - and remain - on the edge of two worlds: worlds of different religious traditions, worlds of different cultural tradition. Living in both worlds creates the opportunity to become a bridge builder and a peace-maker. Steenbrink certainly has done this. He has lived his life slogan: Exchange is Our Mission. The articles in the volume reflect the rich variety of worlds Karel Steenbrink has lived and worked in.