Radical Difference: A Defence of Hendrik Kraemer's Theology of Religions

Albert Y.S. Chu, B.A., M.A., M.Div., is a pastor in Edmonton, Alberta.

The relationship between different world religions is an important
theological issue for many people today. Whereas the dominant position
is that all religions are essentially alike, Tim Perry, a professor of
theology, considers the opposite position, namely that religions are not
fundamentally analogous at all. Through a meticulous exploration of the
seminal work of Dutch Reformed theologian and missionary Hendrik
Kraemer, Perry advances the theory that it would be more profitable to
presuppose a radical difference among the many different world
religions, with each faith being defined by different beliefs and
worldviews.

The book is divided into two parts. Part 1, “Preliminary Matters,”
critiques the present use of the exclusivist/ inclusivist/ pluralist
typology and puts Kraemer in the proper historical and theological
context of the typology. In Part 2, “Radical Difference,” Perry not
only re-evaluates and summarizes Kraemer’s immense contribution to the
theology of religions in response to past criticisms, he shows
Kraemer’s presuppositions to be appropriate for contemporary Christian
scholars. Through this work, Perry reintroduces us to a theologian who
has often been neglected and overlooked in the ongoing debate in the
theology of religion.

Originally a Ph.D. thesis, the book is carefully organized and provides
an excellent summary of each chapter. Christian theologians or seminary
students seeking to account for other faiths within their own Christian
worldview may well find this book an invaluable resource.