Woven on the Loom of Time

From the Jacket

How are we to understand the many religious traditions of humankind? Should we view own religion as true and all others false? Should we regard all religions as the same? Should we view the religions as a cacophony? Professor Bryant explores these questions in this challenging book. He seeks to find a path through contemporary religious conflict that will lead us to great understanding and appreciation of the plurality of religious traditions. Woven on the Loom of Time: Many faith and One Divine Purpose argues that the religious traditions share a common purpose is unfolded differently in each religious tradition. Moreover the great religious traditions unfold on the loom of time where they clothe and reshape or humanity to make us fit for the Ultimate.

Professor Bryant unfolds his argument in five chapters. After an introductory chapter, he lays the foundation for an understanding of dialogical humanity that sees the religious traditions as a dialogue with transcendence. He then explores the multiform religious tradition-Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, Muslim, Confucian and Sikh-as nurseries for the formation of humanity. In the fifth chapter he unfolds a grammar of the spirit that sees religion as shaping and clothing humanity on the loom of time. In the Epilogue, Bryant restates his thesis in a poem concerning divine human destiny.

About the Author

M. Darrol Bryant is a Professor of Religion and Culture at Renison College, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. He has been the chair of the Department of Religious Studies and the Acting Principle of Renison College. He is the author of fifteen books. He has published more that 70 scholarly articles in journals both East and West. He was educated at Harvard University and St. Michael's College in the University of Toronto. Dr. Bryant has been a Visiting Scholar at Hamdard University and the University of Madras in India, the University of Nairobi in Kenya, and he has lectured at university throughout the world. His research over the past twenty years has been focused on the dialogue of religions.