Buddhist-Christian dialogue

This research focuses on Buddhist-Christian dialogue in Myanmar. The author explores if the initiative for interfaith encounter can help or hinder peaceful co-existence in his country. The close relationship of Christians in Myanmar to the colonial British rulership in the 19th and 20th century can be seen as an impeding factor for today’s relationship between Buddhists and Christians. Reconciliation and forgiveness can only be approached by revisiting the historical memories and by providing detailed information on the conditions of Christian and Buddhist co-existence in the past. A major part of the research are interviews held with Buddhists and Christians in Myanmar questioning their knowledge about each other and evaluating their willingness to a better mutual understanding and to dialogue. Ciin Sian Khai, Baptist pastor in Myanmar, graduated B. Theol. at Zomi Theological College, Falam/Myanmar, B. A. (History) at Dagon University, Yangon/Myanmar, M. Div. at Myanmar Institute of Theology, Yangon/Myanmar, and M. Theol. at the Protestant Theological University, Kampen/Netherlands. For his contribution on Buddhist-Christian dialogue in Myanmar, the Faculty of the Humanities – Dept. of Protestant Theology at the University of Hamburg conferred a doctorate to Rev. Khai.