Dialogue of Civilizations - A Delusion or a Mission?
In her book "A Dialogue of Civilizations: Gülen's Islamic Ideals and Humanistic Discourse" Jill Carroll opts for the latter. She has not waited for others to take action, but has produced a serious work to prove that dialogue is possible.
Associate professor of religious studies at Rice University and assistant director of the Boniuk Center, Houston, Texas, Dr. Carroll asserts that not only is dialogue between civilizations possible, but that history provides us with concrete evidence that all nations of the world share common motives, virtues and ideals that make humankind what humankind is. Her work is a call for all of those "on whose shoulders the future rests to take seriously our charge to create ourselves, society, and the world according to the highest and best possible ideals." This call has received a warm welcome from readers. Although the book was released in the US just a month ago, it has managed to climb to the top in the bestsellers list under the category of Islam at www.amazon.com.
In this very timely work, Dr. Carroll lays down a textual dialogue between a Muslim scholar's views --Fethullah Gülen-- and those of leading philosophers who are considered to be key figures in humanities. Positioning Gülen in the center, the discussion develops "around five major themes that capture central issues and concerns about human life in the world: (1) inherent human value and moral dignity; (2) freedom; (3) ideal humanity; (4) education; and (5) responsibility." Alongside the leading figures of humanities like Immanuel Kant, John Stuart Mill, and Jean Paul Sartre, Dr. Carroll reaches back into antiquity to carry forward the peaceful messages of renowned philosophers like Confucius and Plato.
Islam and the Muslim world have suffered greatly in recent times due to social, political and civilizational "otherness." This is perhaps why Dr. Carroll chose to place Islam "in dialogue" with other civilizations of the world. Today having become paramount as a scapegoat for every violent event, Islam deserves to be better understood and studied thoroughly, reaching beyond stereotypes and unfair accusations. Dr. Carroll presents a credible reason for choosing the thoughts of Gülen to represent Islam in this effort: "Gülen, in his career as a state-authorized preacher in Turkey and as an inspirational scholar and teacher to people throughout Turkey and beyond, has championed dialogue as a necessary commitment and activity in the contemporary world."
The recent murders in Malatya have severely shaken the Turkish people, who are proud of a history of diverse cultures living peacefully together for centuries. Featuring Gülen vis-à-vis global humanistic scholarship "A Dialogue of Civilizations: Gülen's Islamic Ideals and Humanistic Discourse" is an opportunity to rediscover the core ethical values of this nation. This work is well-written and the language is accessible to all, avoiding tedious academic discourse.
Paperback: 128 pages
Publisher: The Light, Inc. (April 21, 2007)
ISBN-13: 978-1597841108
- Created on .