In the wake of the Holocaust and the establishment of the State of Israel, the latter half of the 20th century witnessed a flowering interest in Jewish-Christian dialogue in both the United States and abroad. More recently, Jewish-Christian encounters have expanded into broader Abrahamic interfaith activities as these groups have worked to open lines of communication and cooperation with Muslim communities. In the United States in particular, interfaith dialogue has taken on increased importance as religious communities increasingly find common cause and concern in an America that is moving away from its ecumenical roots – politically, legally, socially, and culturally. To be successful, however, inter-religious dialogue and cooperative must be built on a foundation of inter-religious literacy. This talk offers some perspectives on the possibilities – and limitations – of acquiring such literacy, and the ways in which it can be deployed in effective Abrahamic dialogue between faith traditions and communities.

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