Rethinking Inter-Religious Dialogue by Leonard Swidler

Abstract

Conflict is a social phenomenon that is deeply intertwined with people’s lives and arises from various factors, including religious and ideological diversity. Inter-religious and inter-ideological dialogue is widely recognized as an effective approach to conflict resolution, aiming to achieve lasting peace. This paper seeks to critically reassess the inter-religious dialogue framework developed by Leonard Swidler. It presents two key findings that call for a reconsideration of Swidler’s concepts. First, the concept of religion (4C) is highly exclusive, as it is based on world religious standards and does not acknowledge indigenous religions. Second, the concept of inter-religious dialogue (4H)—head, heart, hands, and holy—is overly formal and requires reevaluation to avoid confusion and unnecessary complexity. This paper builds on Swidler’s foundational ideas, advocating for a more inclusive, contextual, and accessible approach to inter-religious dialogue—one that places humanity at its core.