oa Inter-religious Dialogue on Ecology: A view from China

Inter-religious dialogue on ecological issues is not merely a new item to be added to the agenda of existing dialogue between religions: it calls for a thorough reconsideration of the nature and aims of inter-religious dialogue. This paper argues that the ultimate goal of inter-religious dialogue on ecological issues should be the betterment of the whole world. It states that rather than merely reaching for the enhancement of mutual understanding between religions, dialogue must engage in a mutually creative process of transformation amongst the religious traditions involved. Moreover, the solutions to the environmental crisis must allow for a diverse approach that incorporates the local economic, political, cultural and religious context. Furthermore it is argued that, unlike the current ‘universal environmental ethics,’ ‘moral pluralism’ is a more flexible, contextual, creative and dynamic approach better suited to tackling environmental issues that are invariably local in character. In conclusion the paper states that such an approach should source its ethical thought and practice from the world religions.