January, 2005

Contents

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| editorial |
Interreligious Dialogue problems and possibilities
Seshagiri Rao, Alan Race, Jim Kenney

| paradigm |
The Interreligious Paradigm: an invitation
Alan Race, Jim Kenney, Seshagiri Rao

| creative encounters |
Christian Revelation and Religious Pluralism
Joseph C. Hough, Jr.
The Universal Hinduism of Sri Ramakrishna
Swami Jitatmananda
One or Many?
Clifford Chalmers Cain
Globalization and Christian-Muslim Spiritual
Dialogue in Dubai
Beatrice Mariotti
Facing the Challenges of Integral Spirituality
Charles Burack

| reflections |
On Forgiveness
Hal W. French, Jackie Tabick, Irfan Ahmad Khan

| sacred spaces |
Touring Syria’s Crusaders’ Castles
Habeeb Salloum

| voices of youth |
To Brother Wayne Teasdale a tribute from a young Musilim you mentored
Eboo Patel

| focus on the interreligious movement |
A Role for the Business World in Dialogue
Sigmund Sternberg

| in review |
Review Article: Tariq Ramadan’s Western Muslims and the Future of Islam
Yoginder Sikand
Reviews
Briefly Noted

| poetry |
Supplication to Morpheus
Patrick W. Wallace
Dance beneath the modern sun
Patrick W. Wallace
Serious Pursuit
Raficq Abdulla

| prayers and meditation |
For Forgiveness
Paramahansa Yogananda
Frank Whaling

| in memoriam |
Brother Wayne Teasdale

| patrons and editorial board members |

Vishnu is usually considered one of the trimurtis (the members of the Hindu divine trinity), i.e. Brahma (creator), Vishnu (preserver) and Shiva (destroyer). But for followers of the Vaishnava tradition, Vishnu (meaning “All Pervasive”) is the Supreme Being. The pose depicted here is called: Ananta Padmanabha. Vishnu is shown reclining on the serpent of infinity (Ananta), which rests on the flowing waters. Brahma (the future creator) emerges from a lotus (padma) growing from the navel (nabha) of Vishnu. Brahma emerges at the beginning of each great cycle of time and starts the new creation. Vishnu, is creating the creator; he is the ground of being, from which the creative force comes forth.

This image is found at the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple (Srirangam), a short distance outside Tiruchirapalli (Trichy), in Tamil Nadu, south India.

The temple is among the most revered shrines to Lord Vishnu in south India, and is probably the largest temple complex in the whole of India. Enclosed by seven rectangular walled courtyards, the 13th century temple has 21 gopurams (towers). The town and the temple are set on a 250-hectare island in the river Cauvery. Srirangam is very well preserved, with excellent carvings and numerous shrines to various gods, though the main temple is dedicated to Vishnu.