cover image Christians and Jews in Dialogue: Learning in the Presence of the Other

Christians and Jews in Dialogue: Learning in the Presence of the Other

Mary C. Boys, Sara S. Lee, . . Skylight Paths, $21.99 (220pp) ISBN 978-1-59473-144-0

No one could find fault with the subject of this book, a story of two educators—a Catholic nun and a Jew—who have spent the past 20 years creating and leading projects in "interreligious learning" as a means of reconciling their traditions. Backed by their conviction that "religion must become a catalyst in reducing the world's conflicts," Boys and Lee tell their personal stories, detail projects that stress study and dialogue "in the presence of the other" and describe trips they took together to Auschwitz and Israel. As they confront issues like history and theology, their underlying concept of "textured particularism" denotes "a keen sense of the beliefs and practices of one's own religious tradition" as well as making space for other traditions. As inspiring as their journey is, however, their retelling of it reads more like a paper delivered at an academic conference than an engaging give-and-take. Those interested in learning about other traditions will find hope in Lee's words: that dialogue has served as a mirror through which she sees herself in a new light, a perspective which would be inaccessible without the "reflection in the image and faith of the other." (Oct.)